Light Vs. Darkness

     A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens displays a change in tone by using light and darkness. The tone of chapter 6 starts off pessimistic and as it goes on there are more signs of hope. Dr. Manette is most pessimistic at the beginning of chapter 6. He is in the dark and has no light from anyone or anything. "I want to let a little more light in here" (Dickens 30). Defarge says this to Doctor Manette right before he let Lucie in. Lucie symbolizes the light that was shining into Dr. Manette's dark room. Lucie was the first step to changing the tone of chapter 6. Lucie started to inflict her light onto her father little by little. Dr. Manette had figured out Lucie was his daughter by her golden hair. "His cold white head mingled with her radiant hair, which warmed and lightened it as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him" (Dickens 34). The quote shows how it's almost as if Lucie is transitioning her light to her father. An important part of the quote is the end when Dickens writes that she is the light of Freedom. If Lucie hadn't freed her father he would still be sitting in his dark cell. Even though Lucie helped her father a lot he is still not completely heeled. "The darkness deepened and deepened, as they both lay quiet, until a light gleamed through the chinks in the wall" (Dickens 36). The quote tells how Dr. Manette is still in darkness but everything is slowly getting brighter. Chapter 6 of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens starts pessimistic and ends hopeful because of light overcoming darkness.