Sacrifice In The Tale Of Two Cities

Often, people make sacrifices in order to become someone’s hero or become their own hero. One who read The Tale of Two Cities might believe that Madame Defarge and Carton’s sacrifices were selfless because other people benefitted from them a great deal. One might begin to think this because Carton’s sacrifice, when not looked at carefully, might appear selfless. In the novel, when Carton is confessing his love to her, he foreshadows the sacrifice he will give for her in saying, “For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. If my career were of that better kind that there was any opportunity or capacity of sacrifice in it, I would embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to you” (117). However, this is not the full story. If one simply read this quote they might begin to believe that Carton sacrificed himself so Lucie could be happy and for no personal gain on his behalf.

Carton was willing to give everything for the purpose of being remembered by the one he loved. Even though he was not around to see the effects of his sacrifice, he made the sacrifice he did to become Lucie’s hero. When a person selfishly makes a sacrifice to be noticed they might have done this because they have low self esteem and require other people’s gratitude to feel valued. They dream of becoming another person hero that that, like before, they can have a purpose. Furthermore, one reading the story might think that Madame Defarge is killing aristocrats simply because she doesn’t like how they have been treating the lower class. However, Madame started this knitting to avenge her sister and ended it to be the hero and celebrity of the citizens of