Foreshadowing in a Tale of Two
Foreshadowing is a technique that prepares a reader for an event that is soon to come. An author that uses foreshadowing is Charles Dickens. Charles Dickens writes many famous novels. A famous novel of his is A Tale of Two Cities. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is a novel that reveals many future events through the use of foreshadowing.
The French Revolution is the main event described by the use of foreshadowing. Dickens uses the phrase “one tall joker so besmirched . . . scrawl[s] upon a wall with his finger dipped in muddy-lees – BLOOD” to forecast the spilt wine as future blood shed during the French Revolution (37-38). Dickens also subtly states “the one woman [Madame Defarge] who [stands] conspicuous, knitting, still knit[s] on with the steadfastness of Fate” and he is foreshadowing the French Revolution by comparing Madame Defarge to Fate (117). Both Madame Defarge and Fate mark people who are destined to die which leads further into the French Revolution. Lastly, Dickens presents the statement “they their very selves [are] closing in around a structure yet unbuilt, where they [are] to sit knitting, knitting, counting dropping heads” to show that in the future, Madame Defarge and her women knit while counting the heads being severed by La Guillotine (187).
Another instance of foreshadowing is the revenge of the poor people against the aristocrats. When Dickens writes, “there [is] a flutter in the air that fan[s] Saint Antoine and his devouring hunger far away” he is referring to the poor people in Saint Antoine such as the Defarges and their death craving towards the aristocrats (113). The poor that crave the aristocrats’ deaths have such a strong aura that they are a part of a living Saint Antoine, and for a moment, their death craving is delayed until a later time. Dickens also states in this novel “the knife [strikes] home, the faces [change], from faces of pride to faces of anger and pain; also that when that dangling figure [is]
The French Revolution is the main event described by the use of foreshadowing. Dickens uses the phrase “one tall joker so besmirched . . . scrawl[s] upon a wall with his finger dipped in muddy-lees – BLOOD” to forecast the spilt wine as future blood shed during the French Revolution (37-38). Dickens also subtly states “the one woman [Madame Defarge] who [stands] conspicuous, knitting, still knit[s] on with the steadfastness of Fate” and he is foreshadowing the French Revolution by comparing Madame Defarge to Fate (117). Both Madame Defarge and Fate mark people who are destined to die which leads further into the French Revolution. Lastly, Dickens presents the statement “they their very selves [are] closing in around a structure yet unbuilt, where they [are] to sit knitting, knitting, counting dropping heads” to show that in the future, Madame Defarge and her women knit while counting the heads being severed by La Guillotine (187).
Another instance of foreshadowing is the revenge of the poor people against the aristocrats. When Dickens writes, “there [is] a flutter in the air that fan[s] Saint Antoine and his devouring hunger far away” he is referring to the poor people in Saint Antoine such as the Defarges and their death craving towards the aristocrats (113). The poor that crave the aristocrats’ deaths have such a strong aura that they are a part of a living Saint Antoine, and for a moment, their death craving is delayed until a later time. Dickens also states in this novel “the knife [strikes] home, the faces [change], from faces of pride to faces of anger and pain; also that when that dangling figure [is]