There are many reasons why one should read A Tale of Two Cities and why it should be adopted into the high school curriculum: it's historical, it gives the reader an in depth picture of the French Revolution, it's a classic by Charles Dickens, it teaches about correct and incorrect behaviors, and it is beautifully written with many excellent writing aspects.
If students take this novel to heart, it can truly change their personality and how they view themselves and the meaning of success. A Tale of Two Cities relates many attributes such as unbridled passions, revenge, anger, the carnal nature of men, influence, and how perspective can change everything. In the novel it expresses how the French people let their anger and physical passions corrupt them. What the French nobles did to them was definitely wrong and corrupt, but this book teaches how the French over-reacted and wanted not only freedom and happiness, but revenge. Revenge was at their core. They let that carnal want drive themselves so far that they ignored what would make them truly happy and eventually led to many of their deaths.
In the book the French nobles want for power led to the French rebelling and killing as many as they could lay their hands on. The Defarges led the revolution and killed so many that it left France in complete anarchy. Because of their want of revenge and their anger, they take it way to far in the other direction and Madame Defarge is killed.
"It was in vain for Madame Defarge to struggle and to strike; Miss Pross, with the vigorous tenacity of love, always so much stronger than hate, clasped her tight, and even lifted her from the floor."
This quote teaches us that fighting for something you love and having a good behavior will always give you more strength than hate or anger ever will.
This book also teaches how the true power of a nation lies in the people.
This book also has amazing writing styles that force the author to change their perspective. I found myself rooting for the rebels at the beginning of the book, but was forced to hate them at the end. This shows how perspective and only only seeing part of a picture can completely change your feelings towards it.
All of these things I think are essential for kids to learn while they are still young.
If students take this novel to heart, it can truly change their personality and how they view themselves and the meaning of success. A Tale of Two Cities relates many attributes such as unbridled passions, revenge, anger, the carnal nature of men, influence, and how perspective can change everything. In the novel it expresses how the French people let their anger and physical passions corrupt them. What the French nobles did to them was definitely wrong and corrupt, but this book teaches how the French over-reacted and wanted not only freedom and happiness, but revenge. Revenge was at their core. They let that carnal want drive themselves so far that they ignored what would make them truly happy and eventually led to many of their deaths.
In the book the French nobles want for power led to the French rebelling and killing as many as they could lay their hands on. The Defarges led the revolution and killed so many that it left France in complete anarchy. Because of their want of revenge and their anger, they take it way to far in the other direction and Madame Defarge is killed.
"It was in vain for Madame Defarge to struggle and to strike; Miss Pross, with the vigorous tenacity of love, always so much stronger than hate, clasped her tight, and even lifted her from the floor."
This quote teaches us that fighting for something you love and having a good behavior will always give you more strength than hate or anger ever will.
This book also teaches how the true power of a nation lies in the people.
This book also has amazing writing styles that force the author to change their perspective. I found myself rooting for the rebels at the beginning of the book, but was forced to hate them at the end. This shows how perspective and only only seeing part of a picture can completely change your feelings towards it.
All of these things I think are essential for kids to learn while they are still young.
Although I have never read this book, I think this is an interesting and inspiring book for youngsters to read. Revenge comes from the evil side of human haearts. When we cannot forgive others and let hatred invade our minds, hatred will gradually transform to revenge. I believe we can learn a lot of moral values in this book. Great post!
ReplyDeleteYeah I like this book! I find it interesting that some people don't want these kind of books in the schools because it actually tells the truth. Like in TKaM. This reminded me of the blue eyes brown eyes project video.
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