Tone and diction for the Tale of two cities
Book one- Dickens creates a dramatic tone in book one through this dialogue: "Accordingly, the forger was put to death; the unlawful opener of a letter was put to death; the purloiner of forty shillings and sixpence was put to death; the holder of a horse at Tellson's door, who made off with it, was put to death; the coiner of a bad shilling was put to death; the sounders of three- fourths of the notes in whole gamut of crime were put to death" (Dickens 58). This dramatic tone is shown through the harsh sentencing of the simple mistakes of the people. The words "Death" and "unlawful" contribute to this dramatic tone.
Book two- In book two there is a fearful tone to the dialogue. This is shown when Monsieur the Marquis is first introduced. He is a powerful aristocrat and is also Charles Darnay's uncle. We see this tone in his speech: "You dogs!" said the Marquis, but smoothly, and with unchanged front, except as the spots on his nose. "I would ride over any of you willingly, and exterminate you from the earth" (Dickens 117). This quote shows us Monsieur the Marquis has killed the child by running him over with his carriage and threatening to "exterminate" the people around watching. By him threatening to run them over with his carriage creates this fearful tone in book two. By him calling the people dogs it can make them feel inferior, and not important. Words like "dogs", and "exterminate" make this a frightening book two.
Book three- In book three there is two different tones. That is threatening, and also admiring. Threatening occurs in chapters one through thirteen when it is describing the massacre that is happening to all the prisoners no matter the age and sex. We will see this tone in this dialogue: "Did she know that eleven hundred defenceless prisoners of both sexes and all ages had been killed by the populace; that four day of nights had been darkened by this deed of horror" (Dickens 278-279). This massacre of the prisoners no matter age, and sex show the threatening tone of these chapters in book three. Words like "defenceless", "killed", "darkened", and "horror" contribute to the threatening tone.
The other tone admiring is seen in chapters fourteen, and fifteen. We will see this tone in the following dialogue: "I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free, in their triumphs and defeats, through long long years to come, I see the evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out" (Dickens 386). This quote is showing that Sydney Carton once he dies he pictures France as a peaceful place where all the "evil" in it is gone. Through his imagery you can admire that his sacrifice has caused him to see France like this, and in a peaceful state. Words that contribute to the admiring tone are "beautiful", "brilliant", and "triumphs".
Book two- In book two there is a fearful tone to the dialogue. This is shown when Monsieur the Marquis is first introduced. He is a powerful aristocrat and is also Charles Darnay's uncle. We see this tone in his speech: "You dogs!" said the Marquis, but smoothly, and with unchanged front, except as the spots on his nose. "I would ride over any of you willingly, and exterminate you from the earth" (Dickens 117). This quote shows us Monsieur the Marquis has killed the child by running him over with his carriage and threatening to "exterminate" the people around watching. By him threatening to run them over with his carriage creates this fearful tone in book two. By him calling the people dogs it can make them feel inferior, and not important. Words like "dogs", and "exterminate" make this a frightening book two.
Book three- In book three there is two different tones. That is threatening, and also admiring. Threatening occurs in chapters one through thirteen when it is describing the massacre that is happening to all the prisoners no matter the age and sex. We will see this tone in this dialogue: "Did she know that eleven hundred defenceless prisoners of both sexes and all ages had been killed by the populace; that four day of nights had been darkened by this deed of horror" (Dickens 278-279). This massacre of the prisoners no matter age, and sex show the threatening tone of these chapters in book three. Words like "defenceless", "killed", "darkened", and "horror" contribute to the threatening tone.
The other tone admiring is seen in chapters fourteen, and fifteen. We will see this tone in the following dialogue: "I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free, in their triumphs and defeats, through long long years to come, I see the evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out" (Dickens 386). This quote is showing that Sydney Carton once he dies he pictures France as a peaceful place where all the "evil" in it is gone. Through his imagery you can admire that his sacrifice has caused him to see France like this, and in a peaceful state. Words that contribute to the admiring tone are "beautiful", "brilliant", and "triumphs".