Coincidence

Coincidence

Charles Dickens' novel: The Tale of Two Cities, though it consists of believable facts and convincing characters and storyline, relies heavily on the concept of coincidences. Things that just happen to work out so that everything turns out well in the end occur in multiple instances during the book, and are what makes the story connect. Dickens uses the providential aspects of life to better show that even the small things happen for a reason, and that no cause is without a purposeful effect.

Immediately into the book, as the true beginning of the plot starts to unfold, Dickens throws in the coincidence that Carton and Darnay are look-alikes. "...and then look well upon the prisoner. How say you? Are they very like each other?" (Dickens 90) They say that everyone has a twin in the world, somewhere, but the chances of you ever actually meeting this person are far from high, so the thought that the two look-alikes happened to be in the same courthouse is just unfathomable. This is undoubtedly the incident that has the biggest impact on the rest of the book; Carton's similarities to Darnay are what allow him to challenge fate and sacrifice himself without anyone being the wiser. The coincidental twin-like appearances of Carton and Darnay is what gets Carton to thinking about his own life, what he thinks of himself and others, and the meaning that he's been searching for. "Why should you particularly like a man who resembles you? There is nothing in you to like; you know that. Ah, confound you! What a change you have made in yourself! ... Change places with him, and would you have been looked at by those blue eyes as he was, and commiserated by that agitated face as he was? Come on, and have it out in plain words! You hate the fellow." (Dickens 103) In order to better realize the impact of this small happenstance, think of what would've happened had they not looked alike: Charles would've been thrown into prison as a fugitive to the state, and would never have met Lucie or Manette, thus not even involving his family ties with theirs. Lucie would've gone on without marrying Charles, and who knows what would've happened to poor Carton, who lived his life without purpose until he decided to save Darnay.

Carton's choice to give up his own life for Darnay's would not have even occurred had a certain other random happening been avoided. The prisoner Manette, held captive for years in the Evremonde's prison, was held by none-other than the Uncle of his daughter's husband-to-be. Out of all the prisons to be taken into, Manette happens to be held by the relative of someone who he will eventually grow to love and respect, enough, even, to allow his beloved daughter to marry. If that wasn't enough, in Manette's growing insanity during his captivity, he writes a note condemning the Evremondes forever, a note that is later used as the final weight in tipping the scale to sentence Charles Darnay to death. "I, Alexandre Manette, unhappy prisoner...denounce them [Evremondes] to Heaven and to earth." (Dickens 408) Had Manette not been held captive by Darnay's relations, any note he would have written would've been meaningless to the court, ensuring Darnay's release from the guillotine. Even if Manette had simply not written the note, Manette would simply free Darnay using his own Previous Prisoner of the State authority and Darnay and the Manette's would be happily living, free from the threat of the French Revolution.

Assuming that first two major flukes occurred, another immediately follows, even though it passes by unnoticed in the first book. Solomon, Ms. Pross's long lost brother happens to be found in a wine-shop of France, and the reunion sparks a memory in Carton's mind. By chance, Solomon's alter ego is Barsad, the very same Barsad that convicted Charles Darnay of treason that fateful day, thirteen years ago. "'What, in the name of the Father of Lies, own father to yourself, was you [Soloman] called at that time?' "Barsad," said another voice, striking in." (Dickens 366) Barsad was working as a spy for England, one of many, and tries to cover himself up. If any other spy had been sent to investigate this particular part of France, Solomon never would've been found out, and Carton would be left without a plan to return Darnay. Better yet, Barsad just happens to be the prison guard for the