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A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens contained many themes that are practiced throughout the book. Two of these themes are altruism and resurrection. The characters Madame Defarge and Sydney Carton are used to exemplify these themes. Sydney Carton demonstrated an altruistic nature while Madame Defarge had a self-seeking disposition. Carton displayed his charitable nature when Lucie was the object of Mr. Stryver’s affection. When Mr. Stryver asked for Sydney’s approval, he …

…last words sum up his character, “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.” Madame Defarge had been imbued so replete with hatred for the aristocrat class and especially the Evremondes that it was not in her nature to have altruistic characteristics. Similarly, her resurrection was also a resurrection of hatred. v