“Those of us who read carried around with us like martyrs a secret knowledge, a secret joy, and a secret hope: There is a life worth living where history is still taking place; there are ideas worth dying for, and circumstances where courage is still prized.”
Annie Dillard
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 ...
Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
Samuel Johnson was among the most influential literary figures of eighteenth-century England.
He achieved extraordinary intellectual distinction through his essays, poetry, criticism, and his celebrated Dictionary of the English Language.
Yet Johnson’s personal life was far from uncomplicated.
He struggled with recurring melancholy, anxiety about his spiritual condition, and profound dissatisfaction with himself.
Despite these difficulties, Johnson demonstrated remarkable generosity toward people in need.
He provided financial assistance, offered hospitality, and maintained relationships with individuals who were frequently overlooked or marginalized by polite society.
Johnson’s life provides an interesting contrast to Sydney Carton’s.
Both men possessed exceptional intellectual abilities.
Both experienced deep personal dissatisfaction.
But Johnson repeatedly converted his abilities into substantial achievements while also demonstrating compassion through his ...
