Great literature should do more than entertain us. It should provide a roadmap to improving our lives.
In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens introduced readers to Sydney Carton, one of literature's most compelling and deeply flawed characters. Dickens also gives him an unusual title: the Jackal.
His struggles raise questions that remain relevant today.
Are we defined by our past mistakes? Can we overcome our weaknesses? What separates the people we are from the people we could become?
Lessons From the Jackal is a 25-day character study exploring these questions through Sydney Carton’s life, decisions, relationships, and personal development.
This is not a traditional course on A Tale of Two Cities. Our reading assignments will focus specifically on Carton, with sufficient background provided to understand his story. No previous knowledge of the novel is necessary.
Each day will feature selected readings, historical comparisons, reflection questions, discussions, and practical challenges ...
Which matters most in determining who a person is: their potential, their character, or their reputation?
We often think of reputation as something established through our accomplishments, our conduct, and the opinions of others.
Yet reputation may influence more than the way others perceive us. It may eventually influence the way we perceive ourselves. A person who develops a reputation for reliability may feel an increasing responsibility to fulfill the expectations of others. Someone regarded as courageous may become more willing to confront difficult circumstances.
Conversely, a person who becomes known for irresponsibility, dishonesty, or failure may begin to accept those judgments as permanent descriptions of their character.
Lucie and Carton provide an interesting contrast.
Lucie recognizes possibilities in Carton that he struggles to recognize within himself. Carton appears to regard his past failures as evidence that his future cannot improve. John Newton's life introduces another possibility. His eventual transformation demonstrates that past conduct need not determine every future ...
