In the novel, The Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens conveys the idea that sacrifice is necessary to achieve happiness through the character, Sydney Carton. My definition of a sacrifice is when you choose to give up something or someone that is important to you for a particular reason. In the novel, Sidney Carton gave his life as a sacrifice to save his friends. Sidney Carton's sacrifice can be considered similar to the sacrifice of Christ.
In the novel Carton is a pathetic drunken lawyer who is very uncertain about life. Sidney's motive about life changed when he met Lucy Manetee. Lucy was willing to be Carton's friend with no questions asked. Carton loved and respected Lucy very much even though she was married. His love for her was the reason he made such a great sacrifice. .
Lucy's husband name was Charles Darnay who was originally a St. Evermonde. Charles's uncle, Marquis St. Evermonde, was an evil man who imprisoned Lucy's father. The citizen's of France rebelled and took over France. This event was later named the "French Revolution". Charles Darnay went back to France to rescue his friend when he was imprisoned at the Bastille. Darnay was captured and imprisoned in France for being an aristocrat. He was sentenced to death within forty eight hours.
Carton hears the news about Darnay's imprisonment and decides he wants to help. In the novel Caron states, "In the novel Carton states, "I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their decendants, generations hence. I see her, an old woman weeping for me on the anniversary of this day." He knows that Lucy will only truly be happy with her family. Carton states, " I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous, and happy in that England which I shall see no more. His sacrifice was like Christ because he was a hero who redeemed himself of his sins as well as others. By giving this sacrifice he hoped that society would grow in happiness and eventually renew itself.