Examples Of Juxtaposition In A Tale Of Two Cities

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom it was the age of foolishness...” These are examples of juxtaposition in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Juxtaposition is two things that are put close together with contrasting effect. In A Tale of Two Cities there are many times you see juxtaposition. Dickens constantly shows contrasting two things he puts together. In the book we meet Sydney Catron and Mr. Stryver who are both lawyers. In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens juxtaposes Mr. Stryver and Mr. Carton to show how they are extremely different people. Dickens describes Mr. Stryver as persuasive, immoral, bold, and well prepared. In Book 2, Chapter 5, Dickens states, “Mr. Striver might be seen daily, bursting out of a bed of wigs, like a great sunflower pushing its way at the sun among a rank garden-full of flaring companions” (Dickens 91). Mr. Striver was explained as a great person who is always prepared for what he has to do. This leaves us with the impression that he was a great person. After he is juxtaposed with Mr. Carton it makes him seem like he is a greatest person of all. This juxtaposition makes him seem greater then he would be without.

Carton is described as lazy and unpromising. Dickens states, “Sydney Catron, idealist, and most unpromising of men” (Dickens 92). Dickens leaves us with the idea that Mr. Carton is not going to get anywhere in life. He makes it seem like he will not be able to do anything that he wants to do. Since Dickens put Mr. Carton’s description after Mr. Stryver’s it left us with the idea that he was worse than Mr. Stryver. It would have left us with a different idea if he were to put it on different pages. Him putting them together allowed us to still have the memory fresh of what we read about Mr. Stryver and that added