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Tale Of Two Cities Diction Analysis

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To begin, some diction used throughout A Tale of Two Cities can be portrayed as satire as an attempt by Dickens to make fun of the corrupt nature of the aristocrats to further prove how corruption can cause a revolution. Dickens utilizes satirical diction and descriptions to showcase the useless hierarchy of France and it is evident that Dickens feels strong hatred towards the aristocracy by describing them in sardonic ways. An example of the ironic uselessness of the hierarchy is shown in the description of the Monseigneur: “Yes it (the consumption of his chocolate) took four men, all four a-blaze with gorgeous decoration, and the Chief of them unable to exist with fewer than two gold watches in his pocket.” (Dickens, 107) This description …show more content…

War is a dreadful topic with many opinions surrounding the debate that comes with war. Some may feel that war is necessary for change, while others may completely disagree and view war as frightful, horrid, and corrupt. In A Tale of Two Cities, it really was considered the worst of times due to the war known as the French Revolution which Dickens used as his topic of the book. It is very obvious throughout the book that Dickens is a strong proponent to the revolution and supports revolution immensely. Furthermore, Charles Dickens is a proponent of the political and social revolution by supporting the idea that corruption and wrongful injustice of the people can lead to a revolution and this is proven throughout A Tale of Two Cities through the use of satirical diction to represent the corrupt behavior of the aristocrats and symbols as well as repetition to represent the injustice of the

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Larson uses juxtaposition in the description to contrast the works of Burnham 's architectural buildings and the start of Holmes criminal activities. He uses “bigger, taller, and richer” to show how the city was growing in technology, and how Burnham was constantly constructing taller buildings. As Chicago grew in size, Larson explains that it also “grew dirtier, darker, and more dangerous” because of the quick expansion that had a harsh impact on the city. He uses this to show how Holmes will take advantage of this rapid growth to begin his unlawful actions. The contrast between these two men and how they’ll have an effect on Chicago shows the good and evil sides of this

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A Tale of Two Cities, written by Charles Dickens, surrounds the cities of Paris and London during the late 1700’s. The novel takes place during the French Revolution, a period of social and political upheaval in France and England. While peasants died in the streets from hunger, aristocrats had more money and power than they knew what to do with. A Tale of Two Cities describes, in detail, the poverty of the time period, as well as the struggle of a people able to overcome oppression. The novel is largely based off of occurrences Dickens experienced during his childhood.

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As W.H. Auden said “Those to whom evil is done/ Do evil in return” (Auden “September” 21-22). Similarly to Auden’s work on the effects of dictators, Charles Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities, shows the effects of one class having excessive wealth or power above another. Throughout the novel, Dickens demonstrates that when one estate has the excess power, they feel obligated to treat others inhumanely, as if they are irrelevant. However, when treated with the utmost disrespect, people will feel obliged not to change the system justly, but to change it in benefit for their personal revenge. Dickens shows his concern in any government in which one body has excessive power over another by sympathizing with the victims of the oppression.

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In many ways an author uses diction, imagery, syntax, and tone to elaborate parts of the story, and to contribute to the novel as a whole. In The Blind Side, the author, Michael Lewis, tells a story of how an everyday family in Memphis comes together and takes in a homeless 16 year old, who later becomes a famous football player. Although each literary device helps convey different things, when they all come together they are able to create the emotions, tones, relevance, and the purpose of the novel. Michael Lewis uses diction to emphasise particular words that he feels are important and the reader should pay attention to. He also uses italics for certains words such as, “...maybe I am good,”(Lewis 139)

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“A Tale of Two Cities”, a famous historical fiction novel written by renowned English author Charles Dickens brings the reader to the late seventeen hundreds, taking place between the cities of London and Paris. Along the course of the story Dickens uses elements of literature and motifs to grasp the reader and emphasize situations. Dickens’ use of motifs help highlight character qualities, and establish the mood or setting of the story. His use of water throughout the story aids the reader in understanding and seeing where there is change or intense feelings. Water symbolizes change, rebirth, or can foreshadow future events.

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Luke Metoki Mrs. Hannan Honors English 10 13 March 2023 In the 1780s in France, the beautiful landscape and grand rulers are in sharp contrast to the poor, starving people. In Charles Dickens' novel, A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens uses his writing to show his negative attitude and condemnation of the social conditions in France before the revolution. Dickens uses his syntax and arrangement of words and sentences to explain the conditions in France, and show his negative attitude towards them.

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The passage begins with Dickens listing off titles of the aristocrats. Some of the titles are official, such as the Farmer General, but some of them are just archetypes to label the characters such as the Comedy. To illustrate how vibrant and luxurious the incoming carriages are, even rats creep out of their holes to look. The rats mentioned are not literal rodents, but symbols for the peasants who are merely rats in the eyes of the aristocrats. A father has a hidden bundle, assumably a child, as his wife tends the bundle.

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Throughout A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens utilized his expressive descriptions of the mobs of Britain and France to create distinct similarities and differences between the two countries. One major similarity of the two mobs is their desire for revenge. In England, the mob is driven to revenge after they find out that in the hearse was a spy against the crown. Instead of mourning the death, they instead use it to act against traitors of the country: “The crowd approached; they were bawling and hissing round a dingy hearse and dingy mourning coach, in which mourning coach there was only one mourner, dressed in the dingy trappings that were considered essential to the dignity of the position” (Dickens 14). This quote shows that the crowd was not there to grieve for the lost, but instead to take action for what the deceased had done before.

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In The Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, the French Revolution is painted in contrasting shades of light and dark. Light represents the good in characters and the overall setting, while darkness is used to convey the increasing malice in France during the French revolution. As the novel continues, the darker elements of the book begin to show themselves in the main protagonists. The French revolution brings about “circumstantial darkness”, affecting the mentalities and behaviors of the participating characters to take drastic measures to protect themselves and the ones they love. The revolution affects Dr. Manette, Madame Defarge and Carton’s psyche, highlighting their inner “darkness”.

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Therefore, Dickens uses a critical tone towards the aristocrats in the story, such as the Monseigneur and Monsieur the Marquis . In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens uses tone to be critical over the aristocrats in the book. One aristocrat that Charles

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In his 1951 novel, The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger used different diction subsets. Important diction subsets to pay attention to are slang, cursing, and connotation. Without the use of slang, cursing, and connotation, the novel would not have been well recognized. The theme of the book is to be protected from adulthood and to keep the innocence while growing up, but the profound language of the novel does something in the theme that could not be done without it. The diction of the book can offend young adults, religion, and some adults feel that it is inappropriate for children to read because of violence and sexuality.

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In Book 1 Chapter 5 of A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens uses various resources of language in order to advance his sympathetic tone towards French society. In the first paragraph Chapter 5, a cask of wine is tumbled out of a cart and shattered across the street, in which “people within reach had suspended their business, or their idleness, to run to the spot and drink the wine” (27). Dickens’s usage of the word “suspended” indicates the desperation of this French community as they are willing to give up their task at hand in exchange for a mere sip of the spilt wine. Also, “run” points to a sense of urgency, as each towns person are determined to be the first to collect the wine.

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Dickens first introduces the character Madame Defarge by giving a description of her features with the motif of dark, “ This, in combination with the lifting of her darkly defined eyebrows…” (31). In the quote, Dickens is using darkness to describe how Madame Defarge looks, which one can lead to describe Madame Defarge as an antagonist. Dickens again ties Madame Defarge and the motif of darkness by describing the rat holes that she creates in France when planning the revolution. The narrator describes, “... the rats were sleeping close together in their dark holes again…” (108). Dickens describes the poor people in France as rats, the reason being that the poor were looked upon as dirty.

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