"...though she was a perfectly happy young wife, when her work would slowly fall from her hands, and her eyes would be dimmed. For there was something coming in the echoes, something light, afar off, and scarcley audible yet, that stirred her heart too much (pg. 218)"
This passage makes an interesting allusion to how a person's happiness can be slightly affected with unexplained unrest. Lucie is a perfectly happy young woman--she's got a lovely family and life--yet for a few moments, she is captured by something she cannot explain. While, it's probably another way of Dickens's to foreshadow the turmoil that would occur in the coming months, it contains a grain of truth in the belief that--even for a content woman, there can be forces, that can overpower your defenses and, temporarily, capture you.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
You Tricky Tricky Pirate
I will beat you to within an inch of your life, use my wilderness first responder skills to revive you, then do it all over again.
No Way, Joe.
I am definitely the most recent post here, Joe. I don't appreciate your attempts to overtake the position.
The Actual Grindstone
The grindstone that the chapter is based upon is very interesting. One quote, at the end of the chapter, makes it especially interesting.
"The great grindstone, Earth, had turned when Mr Lorry looked out again, and the sun was red on the court-yard. But, the lesser grindstone stood alone there in the calm morning air, with a red upon it that the sun had never, and would never take away" (Page 274).
The most interesting piece of this quote is "The great grindstone, earth". The fact that Dickens believes earth is a giant grindstone is very interesting. Dickens believes that the earth is a cruelly violent place, and is often used just to sharpen ones weapons. Throughout the book, we have seen this type of violent, negative outlook on the world, and here we see it again, in a uniquely poetic way.
Also, Dickens says the sun "would never take away" the blood from the smaller grindstone. We see that Dickens does not believe blood and violence can be washed away by hope and sunlight. This blood is a permanent stain of what has happened there.
Prisoners and Imprisonment are the backbone of the this passage, but beneath that surface, Dickens is making much deeper social commentary.
"The great grindstone, Earth, had turned when Mr Lorry looked out again, and the sun was red on the court-yard. But, the lesser grindstone stood alone there in the calm morning air, with a red upon it that the sun had never, and would never take away" (Page 274).
The most interesting piece of this quote is "The great grindstone, earth". The fact that Dickens believes earth is a giant grindstone is very interesting. Dickens believes that the earth is a cruelly violent place, and is often used just to sharpen ones weapons. Throughout the book, we have seen this type of violent, negative outlook on the world, and here we see it again, in a uniquely poetic way.
Also, Dickens says the sun "would never take away" the blood from the smaller grindstone. We see that Dickens does not believe blood and violence can be washed away by hope and sunlight. This blood is a permanent stain of what has happened there.
Prisoners and Imprisonment are the backbone of the this passage, but beneath that surface, Dickens is making much deeper social commentary.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Ghosts And Prisons - Guarenteed To Be Bigger And Better Than The Last Books Extravaganza!
A fine example of Dickens prison motif is when Darnay comes into prison and sees his fellow inmates.
“Ghosts all! The ghost of beauty, the ghost of stateliness, the ghost of elegance, the ghost of pride, the ghost of frivolity, the ghost of wit, the ghost of youth, the ghost of age, all waiting their dismissal from the desolate shore, all turning on him eyes that were by the death they had died in coming here” (Page 265).
We see, from this passage, exactly how Dickens feels about prison. We see that prison is no friendly place. It is place where men become "ghosts" of themselves and are stricken "by the death they die in coming there." Also, Dickens is making a point about the injustice of a prison. In this case, eight different ghosts are mentioned. It seems no one is spared from imprisonment. This desolate shore, is one that contains any and all, and destroys them.
Becoming a shell of one self as a result of prison is not a new idea in the book. Dr. Manette, a man who was imprisoned in the Bastille, becomes a shoe making shell of himself. He even relapses when triggered with a memory. It is clear that to Dickens, prison is an unjust, life changing event.
This should come as no surprise. After all, Dickens own parents were taken away from his and imprisoned when he was just a little boy for what some would see as an unjustifiable reason.
“Ghosts all! The ghost of beauty, the ghost of stateliness, the ghost of elegance, the ghost of pride, the ghost of frivolity, the ghost of wit, the ghost of youth, the ghost of age, all waiting their dismissal from the desolate shore, all turning on him eyes that were by the death they had died in coming here” (Page 265).
We see, from this passage, exactly how Dickens feels about prison. We see that prison is no friendly place. It is place where men become "ghosts" of themselves and are stricken "by the death they die in coming there." Also, Dickens is making a point about the injustice of a prison. In this case, eight different ghosts are mentioned. It seems no one is spared from imprisonment. This desolate shore, is one that contains any and all, and destroys them.
Becoming a shell of one self as a result of prison is not a new idea in the book. Dr. Manette, a man who was imprisoned in the Bastille, becomes a shoe making shell of himself. He even relapses when triggered with a memory. It is clear that to Dickens, prison is an unjust, life changing event.
This should come as no surprise. After all, Dickens own parents were taken away from his and imprisoned when he was just a little boy for what some would see as an unjustifiable reason.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sydney Carton and Lucie
If Sydney Carton ever shone anywhere, he certainly never shone in the house of Doctor Manette. He had been there often, during a whole year, and had always been the same moody and morose lounger there. When he cared to talk, he talked well; but, the cloud of caring for nothing, which overshadowed him with such a fatal darkness, was very rarely pierced by the light within him (154, 155).
This passage literally discusses how Sydney Carton acts in Doctor Manette’s house. He is almost always depressed and sad. Over the year, he had almost never broken through his habit of being a jackal. He could not fix his life and achieve something. Even though he loves Lucie very much, even for her, he cannot pierce his “fatal darkness” with his inner “light”. He is almost being held a prisoner by his bad habits and practice of caring for nothing. Even when he wants to change himself, he is unable to, and returns to being held prisoner as a “moody and morose lounger”. This shows that Carton will not be able to win Lucie’s hand in marriage because he cannot break free of being sullen and moody. As the consciousness of misery points out, he does not even want to marry her because he recognizes the terrible state of his life, and does not want to drag her down with him.
This passage literally discusses how Sydney Carton acts in Doctor Manette’s house. He is almost always depressed and sad. Over the year, he had almost never broken through his habit of being a jackal. He could not fix his life and achieve something. Even though he loves Lucie very much, even for her, he cannot pierce his “fatal darkness” with his inner “light”. He is almost being held a prisoner by his bad habits and practice of caring for nothing. Even when he wants to change himself, he is unable to, and returns to being held prisoner as a “moody and morose lounger”. This shows that Carton will not be able to win Lucie’s hand in marriage because he cannot break free of being sullen and moody. As the consciousness of misery points out, he does not even want to marry her because he recognizes the terrible state of his life, and does not want to drag her down with him.
Pacing..Take Two
"'Five paces by four and a half, five paces by four and a half, five paces by four and a half.' The prisoner walked to and fro in his cell, counting its measurement, and the roar of the city arose like muffled drums with a wild swell of voices added to them. 'He made shoes, he made shoes, he made shoes'" (267).
When I first read this passage I thought maybe Dickens' was bringing in a flashback of Doctor Manette in prison. However, as I reread it seems that he still is talking about Charles Darnay and is comparing the two prisoners. I had trouble thinking about the significance of this besides the repetition of the paces and shoemaking. I thought maybe it had something to do with all prisoners in general, or perhaps it was Dickens' own revenge. We knew that Doctor Manette was skeptical about Darnay, but now it's as if Darnay "took" his daughter away and now this is what he gets. Darnay is now put into Doctor Manette's position, so it seems as though Dickens is creating a revenge situation because as far as we know Doctor Manette has no involement in Darnay's current state. Along those same lines, Dickens could be throwing in some karma action, rather then revenge as Darnay is getting a taste of what Doctor Manette experienced.
When I first read this passage I thought maybe Dickens' was bringing in a flashback of Doctor Manette in prison. However, as I reread it seems that he still is talking about Charles Darnay and is comparing the two prisoners. I had trouble thinking about the significance of this besides the repetition of the paces and shoemaking. I thought maybe it had something to do with all prisoners in general, or perhaps it was Dickens' own revenge. We knew that Doctor Manette was skeptical about Darnay, but now it's as if Darnay "took" his daughter away and now this is what he gets. Darnay is now put into Doctor Manette's position, so it seems as though Dickens is creating a revenge situation because as far as we know Doctor Manette has no involement in Darnay's current state. Along those same lines, Dickens could be throwing in some karma action, rather then revenge as Darnay is getting a taste of what Doctor Manette experienced.
The Bastille
"Of all these cries, and ten thousand incoherencies, ‘The Prisoners’ was the cry most taken up by the sea that rushed in, as if there were an eternity of people, as well as of time and space” (225).
This paragraph emphasizes both the amount of people rebelling and the fact that their main concern was to right the wrongs done to the imprisoned. Their foremost call was to free the prisoners trapped inside of the Bastille as a result of the nobility's cruelty. This connects the motif of imprisonment with the peasants' hatred of the aristocracy. The nobles are the judges, juries, and exocutioners of the peasants; by tearing down this icon of aristocratic power, the third estate eliminates the hold nobles have over them. Thus, the motif of imprisonment is important because throughout the book, those with power imprison those without. When the peasants rebel, they imprison the nobles and show that they are in power.
This paragraph emphasizes both the amount of people rebelling and the fact that their main concern was to right the wrongs done to the imprisoned. Their foremost call was to free the prisoners trapped inside of the Bastille as a result of the nobility's cruelty. This connects the motif of imprisonment with the peasants' hatred of the aristocracy. The nobles are the judges, juries, and exocutioners of the peasants; by tearing down this icon of aristocratic power, the third estate eliminates the hold nobles have over them. Thus, the motif of imprisonment is important because throughout the book, those with power imprison those without. When the peasants rebel, they imprison the nobles and show that they are in power.
The Bench Must Go!
"'We will say that he was unexpectedly found at his forge again. Is it not a pity that he should keep it by him?"..."In her [his daughter's] name, then, let it [the destruction of the "forge"] be done; I sanction it!" (211-2)
This is a sample passage from the discussion Mr. Lorry has with Dr. Manette about "another man's" habits and "blacksmith work." Previously in the chapter, Dr. Manette gives us various hints to show that he is well aware that this third party person Mr. Lorry says he is speaking of is him, Dr. Manette, and from this passage we learn that Dr. Manette realizes that he needs to take more steps in order to put his past imprisonment behind him. He orders Mr. Lorry to dispose of the bench because he realizes that holding on to this stunts his recovery process. We also see from this part of the novel that Dr. Manette realizes getting over the past may not be as easy as he may like. He tells Mr. Lorry that they should remove it when the prisoner is not there, implying that Dr. Manette knows how hard letting go of this reminder of the past may be. It would be even more difficult to have to witness the bench's destruction for Dr. Manette. If Mr. Lorry destroys it while he is away, Dr. Manette knows that stopping the destruction will not be an option because he will not be present and won't know the exact time of the bench's removal.
Earlier in the novel, it is more the other characters that see how this bench and the constant reminder of imprisonment is halting Dr. Manette's progress, but through this passage we see that Dr. Manette is finally realizing this for himself. Lastly, he realizes that the disposal of the bench will ultimately be helping both himself and Lucie, as she must deal with the pains and consequences that the bench brings to the household as well.
This is a sample passage from the discussion Mr. Lorry has with Dr. Manette about "another man's" habits and "blacksmith work." Previously in the chapter, Dr. Manette gives us various hints to show that he is well aware that this third party person Mr. Lorry says he is speaking of is him, Dr. Manette, and from this passage we learn that Dr. Manette realizes that he needs to take more steps in order to put his past imprisonment behind him. He orders Mr. Lorry to dispose of the bench because he realizes that holding on to this stunts his recovery process. We also see from this part of the novel that Dr. Manette realizes getting over the past may not be as easy as he may like. He tells Mr. Lorry that they should remove it when the prisoner is not there, implying that Dr. Manette knows how hard letting go of this reminder of the past may be. It would be even more difficult to have to witness the bench's destruction for Dr. Manette. If Mr. Lorry destroys it while he is away, Dr. Manette knows that stopping the destruction will not be an option because he will not be present and won't know the exact time of the bench's removal.
Earlier in the novel, it is more the other characters that see how this bench and the constant reminder of imprisonment is halting Dr. Manette's progress, but through this passage we see that Dr. Manette is finally realizing this for himself. Lastly, he realizes that the disposal of the bench will ultimately be helping both himself and Lucie, as she must deal with the pains and consequences that the bench brings to the household as well.
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Consciousness of Misery
"He would have been conscious this day and hour, in spite of his happiness, that he would bring you to misery, brng you down to sorrow and repentance, blight you, disgrace you, pull you down with him. I know very well that you can have no tenderness for, I ask for none, I am even thankful that it cannot be (pg. 156)"
When reading this passage, it struck me as an example of how one's lifestyle and choices become more than just a piece of one's individualism--but actually become the person in full. Mr. Carton is glad Lucie does not return his feelings because he believes who he is will drag her down, and that he cannot change. He is trapped, held captive, in his own toxicity. Now that his lifestyle is "conscious" he holds as an entity that is within himself, by referring to this consciousness as a "he" he is acknowledging that fact. He even goes as far as to say that, no matter how much he is pleased, the part of him that is a drunk or (quoting the back cover) "disreputable" will be there.
When reading this passage, it struck me as an example of how one's lifestyle and choices become more than just a piece of one's individualism--but actually become the person in full. Mr. Carton is glad Lucie does not return his feelings because he believes who he is will drag her down, and that he cannot change. He is trapped, held captive, in his own toxicity. Now that his lifestyle is "conscious" he holds as an entity that is within himself, by referring to this consciousness as a "he" he is acknowledging that fact. He even goes as far as to say that, no matter how much he is pleased, the part of him that is a drunk or (quoting the back cover) "disreputable" will be there.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Doctor of Beauvais
"'Your confidence in me ought to be returned with full confidence on my part. My present name, though slightly changed from my motheris, is not, as you will remember, my own. I wish to tell you what that is, and why I am in England.' 'Stop!' said the Doctor of Beauvais'" (141).
This passage is in the chapter Two Promises. Although this passage makes no direct mention of prison, there is a hint about Dr. Manette pre-prison life. The first big hint is that Dickens' refers to him as Doctor of Beauvais. The timing of this use of the name comes when Charles Darnay is about to tell him his real name. From the previous chapters we know that there is something about Charles Darnay that Dr Manette doesn't like which could be his family, which may have had to do with his imprisonment. The fact that the name Doctorr of Beauvais comes up when Darnay is talking about his secret makes me believe that this name is a secret of Doctor Manette's from before his imprisonment.
This passage is in the chapter Two Promises. Although this passage makes no direct mention of prison, there is a hint about Dr. Manette pre-prison life. The first big hint is that Dickens' refers to him as Doctor of Beauvais. The timing of this use of the name comes when Charles Darnay is about to tell him his real name. From the previous chapters we know that there is something about Charles Darnay that Dr Manette doesn't like which could be his family, which may have had to do with his imprisonment. The fact that the name Doctorr of Beauvais comes up when Darnay is talking about his secret makes me believe that this name is a secret of Doctor Manette's from before his imprisonment.
Monsieur Defarge and Imprisonment
'There, I see him, high up, behind the bars of a lofty iron cage, bloody and dusty as last night, looking through. He has no hand free to wave to me; I dare not call to him; he regards me like a dead man'. Defarge and the three glanced darly at one another. The looks of all of them were dark, repressed, and revengeful...
In this passage, the mender of roads is telling the story of how Gaspard was captured and eventually put to death for murdering the Marquis. As he tells the story, the men grow more and more angry. The injustice of his imprisonment makes them want to take revenge on the nobles. This is the second time Defarge has used the story of an imprisoned man to incite fury at teh nobles. The first time he did this with Dr. Manette. His story was so horrible that he has still not fully recovered (discussed in the post below). By showing off Dr. Manette and his horrific story, he is being extremely committed to his cause. He does not hesitate to make a show of Dr. Manette even though people like Mr. Lorry find it to be inhumane because by doing so, he recruits more people to his cause. He did the same with Gaspard. Because Gaspard was his good friend, he uses the story to his advantage by telling it to as many people as possible. When all the angry peasants he recruits strike back at the nobles, he can be sure that something like what happened to Gaspard will never happen to another peasant.
In this passage, the mender of roads is telling the story of how Gaspard was captured and eventually put to death for murdering the Marquis. As he tells the story, the men grow more and more angry. The injustice of his imprisonment makes them want to take revenge on the nobles. This is the second time Defarge has used the story of an imprisoned man to incite fury at teh nobles. The first time he did this with Dr. Manette. His story was so horrible that he has still not fully recovered (discussed in the post below). By showing off Dr. Manette and his horrific story, he is being extremely committed to his cause. He does not hesitate to make a show of Dr. Manette even though people like Mr. Lorry find it to be inhumane because by doing so, he recruits more people to his cause. He did the same with Gaspard. Because Gaspard was his good friend, he uses the story to his advantage by telling it to as many people as possible. When all the angry peasants he recruits strike back at the nobles, he can be sure that something like what happened to Gaspard will never happen to another peasant.
Shoemaker's Tools
In Two Promises, there is a passage which shows how Dr. Manette's previous imprisonment stays with him and still traps him somewhat.
"She came down from her bed, to look at him in his sleep that night. He [Dr. Manette] slept heavily, and his tray of shoemaking tools, and his old unfinished work, were all as usual" (142).
Dr. Manette is sleeping peacefully in his bed when Lucie comes to check on him; however, he sleeps near his old shoemaking tools. This is significant because it tells us that Dr. Manette is still carrying memories of his imprisonment. These tools are what he used to make shoes while in prison; therefore, they are an icon of his imprisonment. The fact that he carries them with him and sleeps near them proves that he is still somewhat imprisoned (at least in his mind) because he cannot let thoughts and memories of the Bastille leave him. Essentially, Dr. Manette has sentenced himself to be forever attatched to his tools of imprisonment. Despite the fact that he is physically out of prison, he is still mentally imprisoned by these tools.
"She came down from her bed, to look at him in his sleep that night. He [Dr. Manette] slept heavily, and his tray of shoemaking tools, and his old unfinished work, were all as usual" (142).
Dr. Manette is sleeping peacefully in his bed when Lucie comes to check on him; however, he sleeps near his old shoemaking tools. This is significant because it tells us that Dr. Manette is still carrying memories of his imprisonment. These tools are what he used to make shoes while in prison; therefore, they are an icon of his imprisonment. The fact that he carries them with him and sleeps near them proves that he is still somewhat imprisoned (at least in his mind) because he cannot let thoughts and memories of the Bastille leave him. Essentially, Dr. Manette has sentenced himself to be forever attatched to his tools of imprisonment. Despite the fact that he is physically out of prison, he is still mentally imprisoned by these tools.
Tellson's Bank's Relation to Imprisonment
"When they took a young man into Tellson's London House, they hid him somewhere till he was old. They kept him in a dark place, like a cheese, until he had the full Tellson flavour and blue-mould upon him. Then only was he permitted to be seen" (57).
This passage, although it may not directly state what we think of time spent in prison, shows how Tellson's uses a method of imprisonment to mold their workers into the type of people accepted by the establishment. They are so intent on keeping everything the same at Tellson's, like their building and employees, that they will hide or capture anything or anyone (representing or having to do with the bank) that lacks the traits they require until they display the acceptable traits. This method "imprisons" any non-Tellson's attributes one may possess, and for the people themselves, they are not allowed to let their emotions and actions run freely. This may explain Mr. Lorry's "business only slogan" as emotions are not welcome at Tellson's Bank and he knows he may face consequences if any surface.
This passage, although it may not directly state what we think of time spent in prison, shows how Tellson's uses a method of imprisonment to mold their workers into the type of people accepted by the establishment. They are so intent on keeping everything the same at Tellson's, like their building and employees, that they will hide or capture anything or anyone (representing or having to do with the bank) that lacks the traits they require until they display the acceptable traits. This method "imprisons" any non-Tellson's attributes one may possess, and for the people themselves, they are not allowed to let their emotions and actions run freely. This may explain Mr. Lorry's "business only slogan" as emotions are not welcome at Tellson's Bank and he knows he may face consequences if any surface.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Collaborative Post Between 9th Period.
"She was the golden thread that connected him to a Past beyond his misery, and to a Present beyond his misery; and the sound of her voice, the light of her face, the touch of her hand, had a strong beneficial influence with him almost always. (p. 83)"
This quote was found in chapter three of book the second. While it did not directly mention Dr. Manette's stint in prison, the content of the passage is a clear portrayal of his imprisonment is still a haunting memory that impedes his ability to heal with the passing of time. One should note that references to time periods (IE: Past and Present) are capitalized, indicating their importance. What this conveys--especially when combined with notion that his past and present are connected to misery--is that Dr. Manette's past, present, and (eventually) future are going to be stagnated so deeply by his imprisonment that he may be unable to heal. Though, this could be considered extremely depressing, Dickens leaves us with hope when he lets us know that he can recover (although minimally) from his misery by a connection to his past.
This quote was found in chapter three of book the second. While it did not directly mention Dr. Manette's stint in prison, the content of the passage is a clear portrayal of his imprisonment is still a haunting memory that impedes his ability to heal with the passing of time. One should note that references to time periods (IE: Past and Present) are capitalized, indicating their importance. What this conveys--especially when combined with notion that his past and present are connected to misery--is that Dr. Manette's past, present, and (eventually) future are going to be stagnated so deeply by his imprisonment that he may be unable to heal. Though, this could be considered extremely depressing, Dickens leaves us with hope when he lets us know that he can recover (although minimally) from his misery by a connection to his past.
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