This is during of the first discussion where Dr. Manette discusses his time in prison, and it is the first time we realize how much he wanted and cared about his child, without even knowing if he or she was alive. He wanted a child to do the things he couldn’t do because he was in prison. He wanted a child to come a rescue him, avenge him, because he so badly needed it. He wanted a child so he or she could be happy, because he wasn’t. He wanted a child so he could be proud of him or her. He also wanted a child so he could be a parent. He wanted to care for somebody, help him or her to be happy, so he could have the satisfaction of helping someone instead of being locked in a cell. I mean that in an unselfish way, I believe he wanted to be useful to the outside world instead of being locked up in a cell. This passage also shows how powerful the relationship between Lucie and Dr. Manette is, because she definitely helped him to achieve all of these things, and become as close as possible to the person he was before he entered prison.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Whether it was a son, Whether it was a Daughter
"I have looked at her, speculating thousands of times upon the unborn child whom I had rent. Whether it was alive. Whether it had been born alive, or the poor mother’s shock had killed it. Whether it was a son who would some day avenge his father (there was a time in my imprisonment when my desire for vengeance was unbearable.) Whether it was a son who would never know his father’s story: who might even live to weigh the possibility of his father’s having disappeared of his own will and act. Whether it was a daughter, who would grow to be a woman.”(196).
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Something that I found that was really interesting about your post Molly, was the idea of helping someone els so you don't have to deal with your own fears and issues. Obviously if your not going to deal with your own problems it is ideal to at least help someone else but this still does not erase the fact that you also need to get help for yourself. In Prison Dr. Manette thought about his child to distract him from his trauma. When he is released, his constant devotion to Lucie is for the same reason. Lucie's constant devotion to her father is also for this reason. Being an orphan without an official adoptive family is very traumatic. Lucie has not dealt with her years before she was reunited with her father at all. It will be interesting to see if any issues of her own will come up and how she will deal with them.
In addition to the point Dickens has made here regarding the seemingly bright future of the Manettes, I believe the chapter is also designed to emphasize the situation of the Defarges (who were just mentioned in the previous chapter). While the Manettes look forward to a radiant future full of happiness, love, and eventually children, the Defarges can only expect revenge. In fact this would be the doctor's fate had not Lucie intervened:"there was a time in my imprisonment when my desire for vengeance was unbearable." Because of her compassion and love he was able to overcome this desire to get even. The Defarges on the other hand cannot which is why they are unable to experience some of the emotions (happiness, contentment, etc.) that makes humans human (which is shown in Madame Defarge's almost programed-like behavior when it comes to the revolution).
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