Tale Of Two Cities Character Comparison Essay

Characters from different books can be compared and related to each other, just like Jean Valjean, from “Les Miserables” and Sydney Carton, from “A Tale of Two Cities.” These two characters relate in many ways, such as, they are both strong characters who acquire qualities like devotion, love, sacrificial behaviors, kindness, are both revolutionists, both seek forgiveness and self discovery and are both overall good people trying to do themselves and others right. In “Les Miserables” by Victor Hugo, and “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens, Jean Valjean and Sydney Carton are characters that can relate to each other. I chose them to compare because they both are considered heroic characters and have many similar qualities.

Sydney Carton
is an extremely devotional character, who is willing to do anything and everything for those he loves. He cares for Lucie with everything that he has, he loves her and generally cares for her well-being and happiness to the point that he is willing to die for her. That is extremely devotional to be willing to give up your life for another's happiness, for someone who does not even feel the same way about him. That is the sad thing, Sydney promised Lucie that he would always be there for her, that he would do anything to keep her happy, even if it meant sacrificing his happiness or in this case, his life. Sydney loves Lucie with all that he has to offer, yet she doesn’t even feel that way for him. Lucie is just very near and dear to him, and he cannot let her go for that reason, she means too much to him, she is everything in his eyes. Throughout all his time of knowing Lucie, he never once turned his back on her, he never left, and he stuck around when she needed him the most.

Jean Valjean is a very devotional character who is willing to do anything for those he loves and cares for, just as Sydney Carton. He cares for Cosette so much to the point that he would die for her. The focus is different, because it is father-daughter love, not romantic, but still the overall theme of love and devotion towards someone. Cosette turned Jean’s whole life around, he put all of his energy, all of his love, all that he had to offer and devoted it to her. She brought out his loving side and changed him for the better. Without her, he would not have ever realized the kind of person he really is and can be, he wouldn’t have ever found the real him. He would not be the person he is today without her.

Sydney Carton is a strong, brave person in so many ways. He might not see himself as being brave, or strong but he is. He is brave because he is constantly sacrificing himself for others, always putting himself in danger for those he loves, and is never afraid of anything. He is one of those people who beats themselves up and thinks they are worthless, but they are really not at all. He is brave in every aspect, he was willing to die for Lucie, willing to get beheaded by the guillotine, and if that is not bravery then I don’t know what is. He is also a strong revolutionist because living in this time period, and going against everything, rebelling, you have got to be strong, whether it be mentally, physically or both.

Jean Valjean is also a strong brave revolutionist in comparison with Sydney Carton. Jean Valjean has always been brave for as long as we have “known” him. First, he was brave enough to steal bread for his starving nephew and family, then he was strong enough to make it through prison and nothing but bravery and courage from that point forward. Jean had the bravery to escape his old life and completely start a new one because he wanted to be a good person again, just like Sydney, he thinks he is this bad and worthless person, when really he is the complete opposite. For example, the lyrics, “That nothing remains but the cry of my hate, The cries in the dark that nobody hears.” Even just having the courage alone to actually fight back and make a difference is extremely admirable of Jean Valjean. Fighting with the rebels, fighting for what the people deserve is the right thing to do, and that shows Jean “getting repentance for his sins” by doing the right thing.

Sydney Carton is a person who just wants to be the best that they can be.
He is also a good person, even though he weeps and sulks in his sadness, he has done nothing but good in his life. He has done everything to benefit the one’s he loves, and even though that might be selfless and unfair to himself, he is still viewed as an overall good person. He would do anything for Lucie and her happiness, even sacrifice himself for her, despite the fact she loves someone else. He is at a point in his life where he is going through some self discovery problems, just wanting to be someone. He is the perfect example of a round character, and it is good because you really get to feel for him, and relate to his struggles in trying to find himself. When he states that he will just walk the streets until morning waiting for and protecting Lucie. As the book states, “Now, that the streets were quiet, and the night wore on, the words were in the echoes of his feet, and were in the air.” (Book 2, Chapter 9, Page 7, Dickens) Here he has nothing else to do but walk the streets of London on his last night as a free man, just waiting until morning, once again protecting
Lucie.

Jean Valjean is someone who is just trying to be a good person.
All’s he wants in life is to just be forgiven for his “sins” and move on. Jean is done, he’s tired of running, tired of being locked up and tormented, tired of being chased all his life just for stealing bread. The sad thing is, is that he stole the bread to keep his family from starving, but the police didn’t care, he still got thrown in jail, and it’s ridiculous, he’s not a bad person. “God” isn’t going to punish him for trying to save his family’s lives, and I think he realizes that in a way, but he still feels guilty for it even though he shouldn't. As said in an article by Karen L. Taylor, “Jean Valjean, a victim of society sentenced to the galleys for having stolen bread to feed his starving family,” and I think that is a good way to sum up his situation because he really is a victim of
society.

Overall Sydney Carton from “A Tale of Two Cities.” by Charles Dickens and Jean Valjean from “Les Miserables” by Victor Hugo are characters who are related in many ways. Everything from being loving and devotional to being brave and courageous. Both acquire sacrificial behaviors, kindness, are both revolutionists, both seek forgiveness and self discovery and are both overall good people trying to do themselves and others right. Characters from different books, can in fact be compared and related to each other. I chose them to compare because they both are considered heroic characters who share many positive qualities.