Within A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, many characters are introduced as relevant to the story’s plot and progression. One, however, stands out above all others for his contributions to the story not only as a pivotal part of moving it towards its conclusion, but also for his complex personality and endearing actions throughout the novel: Sydney Carton. The beginning of the tale introduces Carton as a drunk lawyer, and one who is no good for anything but doing the work behind the scenes and taking midnight strolls in a drunken stupor. More than any other character, Carton is able to transform himself into someone of great importance, who bestowed upon himself the duty of not only getting his love and her family out of a dangerous Paris, but saving the life of the man, so much like him, who had all he could ever dream of. Sydney Carton is a tragically lonely man, and while forced to wallow in his woe through his own actions and failings, he is shown as an incredibly pitiful being. Carton is no more jealous of others’ accomplishments than he is disappointed in his own shortcomings and mistakes. He is also an honorable man; Carton knows that what he wants does not align with what is …show more content…
In this way, and as far as the reader sees, Carton is very much the “jackal” after which he is named; seemingly picking off the scraps of Stryver’s budding career in the law, and messing around constantly without having to do a bit of work. The truth is revealed, however, not much later, that Carton is not nearly as useless as he first appeared. In Stryver’s