In reading Tale of Two Cities there are many contributors to necessary elements that are needed to create a novel and they are the plot, setting, group of characters, mood and the theme. This certain novel uses mostly characters to get most of its point through to the reader. By examining the characters in A Tale of Two Cities one can determine that they determine and contribute to the rest of the elements in the novel.
It is obvious that through reading novels that characters are essential to the development of the plot of this novel as any other. The basic plot of this story is how poor the English and French ruled their country and how they only cared about the higher class in society. It also tells about the peasant uprisings and how they changed the government at least it seems like that. Characters such as the Defarge's influence the plot in that they are the leaders or major influences in the revolution to take place in the novel. The Marquis even though it seems did not have a major role in the novel demonstrated the lower classes oppression in society when he runs over Gaspards son. (pg101). People were obsessed with gore and death and thought that this was but a show put on and enjoyed. Even though the novel was meant to be serious there is comic relief added to it by the character Jerry Cruncher to relieve the weighty material covered in the novel.
The novel takes place in England and France during the late seventeen hundreds. The characters influence the time because the characters are true to the time that they are being set in. They act as people would act such as when the peasants revolted or when the aristocracy oppressed the lower classes. The leaders of the revolution have strong characteristics of being leaders. The people act the same way they would if they had no food or as if there were no sense of order in government. .
The mood of the novel is grim and somber.