A storm is coming. Sydney Carton leans against the window and watches it approach. The others in the room are all seated. Up to this point we have only seen Carton in a professional capacity or engaged in self destructive behavior. Now he is in a social setting.
The company he chooses to associate might seem surprising. He has insulted Darnay, Lorry, and Lucie in the past and yet now he freely associates with them.
Why?
Does he find their company comforting?
Does he admire something about their relationships?
Is he simply participating in a social gathering without giving it much thought?
We cannot yet answer these questions with certainty.
But the people we voluntarily spend time with can sometimes reveal something about what we value, even when our actions do not consistently reflect those values.
Are we more strongly influenced by the people whose company we keep, or do we choose those people because of qualities that already exist within ourselves?
Can surrounding ourselves with people of good character help us develop those same qualities?
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 ...
