The world holds nothing good for Sydney Carton except wine, and Sydney Carton has nothing good to offer the world.
At least, that is how Carton sees himself.
Following Charles Darnay’s acquittal on charges of treason, Carton invites him to dinner. Carton appears increasingly hostile and antagonistic toward him. He has been drinking, and his conversation reveals a deep dissatisfaction with both himself and the world around him.
Why is Carton spending time with a man he doesn’t like?
After Darnay leaves, Carton confronts his own reflection and recognizes in Darnay a reminder of what he could have been.
Carton appears painfully aware of his shortcomings, yet he continues engaging in the very behaviors that may be contributing to them.
If Carton recognizes what he might have been why does he seem unwilling or unable to become that person?
What is the difference between acknowledging our weaknesses and allowing those weaknesses to define us?
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 Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)
Poet, Critic, Philosopher
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was one of the most gifted literary minds of his generation. A poet, critic, and philosopher, he possessed extraordinary intellectual abilities. Yet his life was marked by unfinished projects, difficulties with discipline, and an increasingly destructive dependence on opium.
Coleridge produced some of the most memorable poetry in English literature, including The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan. But he also struggled to translate his ambitious intellectual plans into completed works. His friends recognized his extraordinary abilities, even as they witnessed the difficulties that prevented him from consistently applying them.
Unlike Sydney Carton, Coleridge achieved lasting recognition. Nevertheless, both men illustrate the distance that can exist between ability and accomplishment.
Consider the comparison. Was Coleridge's potential diminished by his inability to complete everything he envisioned?
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