"As these ruffians turned and turned, their matted locks now flung forward over their eyes, now flung backwards over their necks, some women held wine to their mouths that they might drink; and what with dripping blood, and what with dropping wine, and what with the stream of sparks struck out of the stone, all their wicked atmosphere seemed gore and fire. The eye could not detect one creature in the group free from the smear of blood" (267).
In this passage, both wine and blood have a negative connotation. The peasants are murdering the prisoners (the nobility). Dickens paints this as a very gory, gruesome scene. You can almost envision the red of the blood and anger which the peasants are feeling. The wine is a part of the mob mentality. Individually, I am sure these peasants would not be comfortable murdering lots of prisoners just because they were nobles. However, once they are drinking and in a mob like setting, their behavior changes completely. Every single peasant had blood smeared on them, and I took this to mean that they were all individually guilty for what they were doing to these prisoners. We are taught to like Darnay, but we sympathize for the peasants too, therefore the passage is confusing and passionate.
In this passage, the drunkeness is meant to resemble the crowds and how out of control and inhumane the public has become in its rage.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Sea Still Rises
“As if a train of powder laid from the outermost bound of the Saint Antoine Quarter to the wine-shop door, had been suddenly fired a fast-spreading murmur came rushing along. ‘It is Defarge,’ said madame. ‘Silence, patriots!’ Defarge came in breathless, pulled off a red cap he wore.” (231)
In Chapter 22, the French Revolution is clearly beginning in a dramatic fashion. This quote is using the metaphor of an explosion to show the progress of the revolutionaries and their mission. After the rebels stormed and captured the Bastille, and basically took control of Paris, men like Monsieur Defarge feel more confident displaying their status as a Jacques. Before the rebellion started and in its early stages, the revolutionaries only showed their beliefs by calling each other Jacques. Now, with the whole city secured and under control, the Jacques can more publicly display their status, like with these red caps. Also, the foreshadowing of the aristocratic bloodshed has changed symbols. For most of the novel up to this point, the wine in the wine shop has symbolized blood. Now, along with the wine, the red cap also symbolizes the bloodshed to come in the later stages of the revolution.
In Chapter 22, the French Revolution is clearly beginning in a dramatic fashion. This quote is using the metaphor of an explosion to show the progress of the revolutionaries and their mission. After the rebels stormed and captured the Bastille, and basically took control of Paris, men like Monsieur Defarge feel more confident displaying their status as a Jacques. Before the rebellion started and in its early stages, the revolutionaries only showed their beliefs by calling each other Jacques. Now, with the whole city secured and under control, the Jacques can more publicly display their status, like with these red caps. Also, the foreshadowing of the aristocratic bloodshed has changed symbols. For most of the novel up to this point, the wine in the wine shop has symbolized blood. Now, along with the wine, the red cap also symbolizes the bloodshed to come in the later stages of the revolution.
Echoing Footsteps
"Saint Antoine's blood was up, and the blood of the tyranny and domination by the iron hand was down -- down on the steps of the Hotel de Ville where the governor's body lay -- down on the sole of the shoe of Madame Defarge where she had trodden on the body to steady it for mutilation" (229).
In this passage, the overall ideas that have occurred are summarized. I interpret this as blood being wine, so if Saint Antoine's blood is up, they have more wine. "The blood of the tyranny and domination by the iron hand" being down means the aristocracy has run out of their wine and their delusion. The people of Saint Antoine are having this bacchanalian revolt and intoxicating themselves with blood. Other people's lives mean nothing to them anymore, as we see with Madame Defarge beheading the governor without any hesitation or regret. Everyone only lives for the next bottle of blood. The "party" is getting out of control and everyone is getting obscenely blood-drunk. The aristocracy has had their time and perhaps regret past actions as they come down from their drunkenness, for they have had their share of peasant blood.
In this passage, the overall ideas that have occurred are summarized. I interpret this as blood being wine, so if Saint Antoine's blood is up, they have more wine. "The blood of the tyranny and domination by the iron hand" being down means the aristocracy has run out of their wine and their delusion. The people of Saint Antoine are having this bacchanalian revolt and intoxicating themselves with blood. Other people's lives mean nothing to them anymore, as we see with Madame Defarge beheading the governor without any hesitation or regret. Everyone only lives for the next bottle of blood. The "party" is getting out of control and everyone is getting obscenely blood-drunk. The aristocracy has had their time and perhaps regret past actions as they come down from their drunkenness, for they have had their share of peasant blood.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
One Night
I know this is from an older chapter, but this passage was very interesting.
"His collected and calm manner could not prevent her blood from running cold, as he thus tried to anatomis his old condition. 'I that more peaceful state, I have imagined her, in the moonlight, coming to me and taking me out to show me that the home of her married life was full of her loving remembrance of her lost father'" (p. 197)
In this passage, the image of 'blood running cold' corresponds to the motif of blood and wine of life. On the eve of her marriage to Charles, Lucie sits with her father outside under the tree, and for the first time, Lucie gets to hear about her father's struggles and life during his imprisonment. I found it very interesting to read about what his thoughts were like, in such a dark place. Dr. Manette describes to Lucie the questions that haunted him - whether or not his baby was alive, whether it was a son who'd seek revenge, or a daughter who'd care for him. Lucie, being sensible and emotional, receives chills just from hearing the calm and composed way in which her father recounts his memories. For Lucie, her father (after she has revived him) has become human again, relateable. But hearing these grim lingering memories, under circumstances so unimaginable to Lucie, chills her blood. It is human nature to lose your warmth and secure feeling when something frightening is recounted to you, and her father's imprisonment was so inhumane and dreadful. In trying to relate with her father during that time, Lucie's blood runs cold, symbolizing loss of life, just as the imprisonment for Doctor Manette was indeed loss of his life.
"His collected and calm manner could not prevent her blood from running cold, as he thus tried to anatomis his old condition. 'I that more peaceful state, I have imagined her, in the moonlight, coming to me and taking me out to show me that the home of her married life was full of her loving remembrance of her lost father'" (p. 197)
In this passage, the image of 'blood running cold' corresponds to the motif of blood and wine of life. On the eve of her marriage to Charles, Lucie sits with her father outside under the tree, and for the first time, Lucie gets to hear about her father's struggles and life during his imprisonment. I found it very interesting to read about what his thoughts were like, in such a dark place. Dr. Manette describes to Lucie the questions that haunted him - whether or not his baby was alive, whether it was a son who'd seek revenge, or a daughter who'd care for him. Lucie, being sensible and emotional, receives chills just from hearing the calm and composed way in which her father recounts his memories. For Lucie, her father (after she has revived him) has become human again, relateable. But hearing these grim lingering memories, under circumstances so unimaginable to Lucie, chills her blood. It is human nature to lose your warmth and secure feeling when something frightening is recounted to you, and her father's imprisonment was so inhumane and dreadful. In trying to relate with her father during that time, Lucie's blood runs cold, symbolizing loss of life, just as the imprisonment for Doctor Manette was indeed loss of his life.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Echoing Footsteps
“Headlong, mad, and dangerous footsteps to force their way into anybody’s life, footsteps not easily made clean again if once stained red, and footsteps raging in Saint Antoine afar off, as the little circle sat in the dark London window (222).”
In Chapter 21 we begin to read about an event that is greatly anticipated throughout the novel, The French Revolution. In the small French town of Saint Antoine, bloodshed begins to occur as the townspeople begin their revolt against the aristocracy. The revolt is led by the Defarges, the owners of the local wine shop. Over in London, Lucie listens for footsteps of people who may enter her life, and she now hears those of the revolutionaries. This passage connects with the Blood and Wine motif, for the owners of the wine shop, the Defarges, are helping to lead a gruesome attack that is destroying France. This sheds light on the fact that the revolution is nearly impossible to escape, and it permanently affects the lives of everyone in both England and France.
In Chapter 21 we begin to read about an event that is greatly anticipated throughout the novel, The French Revolution. In the small French town of Saint Antoine, bloodshed begins to occur as the townspeople begin their revolt against the aristocracy. The revolt is led by the Defarges, the owners of the local wine shop. Over in London, Lucie listens for footsteps of people who may enter her life, and she now hears those of the revolutionaries. This passage connects with the Blood and Wine motif, for the owners of the wine shop, the Defarges, are helping to lead a gruesome attack that is destroying France. This sheds light on the fact that the revolution is nearly impossible to escape, and it permanently affects the lives of everyone in both England and France.
Echoing Footsteps
“Now, Heaven defeat the fancy of Lucie Darnay, and keep these feet far out of her life! For they are headlong, mad, and dangerous; and in the years so long after the breaking of the cask at Defarge’s wine-shop door, they are not easily purified once stained red.”(pg 230 Echoing Footsteps)
This passage shows the picture of Lucie Darnay and her family. Dickens clearly clues in that her family will be in danger if they travel to France or if the revolution carries over to England. For now she is safe because the “footsteps” or the travel of the Jacquerie are far away from her but it is clear that she will be in danger soon. It is made clear to the reader when Dickens talks about the footsteps being stained red and that they are not easily purified. He is saying that the revolutionists are bloodthirsty and once they have started killing, which they have, they will want even more revenge and “justification” and that it will not be easy for them to stop once they have started. I think that this is a great passage because it leaves the reader hanging. Dickens makes the reader like Lucie and her family so now that he has foreshadowed danger in her life it leaves them worried and wondering what will happen to her.
This passage shows the picture of Lucie Darnay and her family. Dickens clearly clues in that her family will be in danger if they travel to France or if the revolution carries over to England. For now she is safe because the “footsteps” or the travel of the Jacquerie are far away from her but it is clear that she will be in danger soon. It is made clear to the reader when Dickens talks about the footsteps being stained red and that they are not easily purified. He is saying that the revolutionists are bloodthirsty and once they have started killing, which they have, they will want even more revenge and “justification” and that it will not be easy for them to stop once they have started. I think that this is a great passage because it leaves the reader hanging. Dickens makes the reader like Lucie and her family so now that he has foreshadowed danger in her life it leaves them worried and wondering what will happen to her.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Knitting
"This had been the third morning in succession, on which there had been early drinking at the wine-shop of Monsieur Defarge (171)."
In the beginning of Chapter 15, Madame Defarge patiently awaits the return of her husband while her shop becomes exceptionably crowded at the early hour of 6 a.m. The men lazily spend their days in the shop as they empty out their pockets with the last of their change. Although it may seem as though these men are trying to escape their miserable lives, their hunger for change and political freedom is becoming deeper as their lives are getting rougher. The Wine of Life gradually vanishing in preparation for those whose lives will be lost. While the men seem to carelessly drink away their problems for hours, they are really just bloodthirsty for a revolution.
In the beginning of Chapter 15, Madame Defarge patiently awaits the return of her husband while her shop becomes exceptionably crowded at the early hour of 6 a.m. The men lazily spend their days in the shop as they empty out their pockets with the last of their change. Although it may seem as though these men are trying to escape their miserable lives, their hunger for change and political freedom is becoming deeper as their lives are getting rougher. The Wine of Life gradually vanishing in preparation for those whose lives will be lost. While the men seem to carelessly drink away their problems for hours, they are really just bloodthirsty for a revolution.
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