Essay #15

Jade 

English 9

Mr. Salsich

2/16/11

What Makes Us Remember:

An Essay on What I Will Remember From A Tale of Two Cities

Over time, I have noticed that certain books have a greater influence over me than others. Most have at least one thing that will make me remember the story for some time. However, there are the rare few that stay with me for years, their words remaining in my errant thoughts as time goes by. With endless power and grace laced throughout the pages, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is, by far, one of the most influential books I have read in my life and will surely stay with me for many years to come.

There are many different aspects of the writing style in Dickens novel that I feel will stay with me for a length of time. The first being his use of repetition. Throughout the book, Dickens introduces us to many different themes, some physical, some emotional. The recurrence of these themes keeps the story unified by reminding you of important events from earlier in the book. Another reason I am sure I will remember this novel is the clever use of different writing techniques that keep the pages fresh and interesting. To me, one of the most influential of them would be antithesis. The repeated use of naming opposites really stressed the importance of the words being read, many of them being the themes that Dickens brought up so often. It is the sheer perfection in which Dickens blends these techniques into his writing that will make me remember this story for a very long time. 

While Dickens writing style will make me remember the words, it is his characters that will make me remember the meaning. To me, Lucie Manette is a static character, but one that is utterly important to the story. She never changes, always keeping her thoughts and beliefs the same, but somehow has an enormous impact on the other characters in the story. She changes the people around her, making them better people who strive to protect the ones they care about. Sydney Carton is one of those characters. When we first met Carton, he was a lonely and depressed and drunk man with no one he cared for and no one who cared for him. By the end of the story, he had devoted his life and sole to Lucie and her family, doing everything in his power to protect and ensure they stay together. These extraordinary characters are the backbone of the novel. Without them, the story would have a more than large hole in the middle. With them, however, the story has the power to have a lasting effect on the reader, making them remember just how strong both men and women can be when forced to protect the ones they love. 

There are books in our world that refuse to fade away, becoming more respected as the years go by. Even with this being said, the individual person may like or dislike a book for a thousand reasons. I find that a book's style and meaning are what make, or break, a story. It's what's in between the lines of the pages that force me to remember the words, the characters, the meaning. For me, A Tale of Two Cities is a story that will stay with me for many years because of its ability to make me see human nature and just how much power we can have.

Self Assessment
One of the things I am continuing to work on is the unity through out the entire essay. As I progress through an essay, I find that I get lost in my wording, resulting in a confusion of the topic.

A weak point I see in this essay is the closing paragraph. I feel that I strayed slightly off topic and I could have done a better job of relating it to my opening paragraph.

A strong point I see in this essay is the clarity of the body paragraphs. I feel that my wording was elegant and flowing, but still easy to comprehend.

I would give myself a B+ for this essay.

Essay #13

The Fight for Integrity:
An Essay on Integrity in A Tale of Two Cities and My Life

Integrity is something that keeps a person true to both what they say and what they do. To have integrity is to stay consistent in your actions and words. It also means you stay not only true to others but true to yourself as well. By maintaining integrity you develop a certain balance in your life, one that helps you become a better person. 

There is an abundance of integrity in the characters of A Tale of Two Cites, by Charles Dickens. One of them being Charles Darnay. Throughout the book he has both remained true to what he says and what he believes in. He has shows that he knows what the right thing to do is and how to go about doing it. Another character with integrity is Sydney Carton. Though he may not have acted so with other people, Carton always kept his word to Lucie. At the end of the novel, he does what he believes is the right thing and switches places with Darnay, saving his life. Finally, Dr. Manette has integrity. He has loved his daughter everyday since he was reunited with her. He has never left her or intentionally hurt her since they have been together. It is this integrity that makes these characters who they are and what they choose to do. 

For me, integrity is something I try very hard to have. One of the biggest things I try to avoid being is hypocritical. If I say that I do or do not believe in something, I make an effort not to turn around and go do it. Staying true to my word can be difficult at times, but it is something I try very hard to do. I also try to stay truthful to not only myself, but to others as well. Keeping myself out of situations that might tempt me to lie for whatever reason helps me retain my integrity. However, I also try not to lie to myself or ignore something that is going on in my life, for that would be counter productive. Finally, I make an enormous effort not to judge people the first time I see them. By listening to what they have to say, I can make my decision on how I feel about them based on their personality rather than appearance. This is a better way to see people, mainly because you should never judge a book by its cover. 

Integrity keeps your mind open and your head level. Even with this being said, it can be more than hard to to maintain such an important quality. Often, integrity comes and goes like the tides; sometimes you have an abundance of it, sometimes you don't. It is the fight for integrity, however, that makes us a better person inside. 

Essay #13 Outline

Opening Paragraph
TS- Integrity keeps person true to what they say/do
     CM- Having integrity means you stay consistent in actions/words
     CM- Also means you stay true to yourself
CS-Keeps balance in your life

First Body Paragraph
TS- There is integrity in TOTC characters

     SD- Charles Darnay has integrity
          CM- True to what he says
          CM- Knows what the right thing to do is
  
     SD- Sydney Carton has integrity
          CM- Has always kept his word to Lucie
          CM- Realizes what the right thing to do is, switches places with Darney

     SD- Dr. Manette has integrity
          CM- Has loved his daughter since he was reunited with her
          CM- He never left her/ hurt her on purpose

CS- Integrity makes these characters who they are and what they chose to do

Second Body Paragraph
TS- Integrity something I try to have
     SD- I try to not be hypocritical
          CM- Try not to say don't do something, then go do it
          CM- Try to stay true to my point
  
     SD- Try to stay truthful with others as well as with myself
          CM- Try not take myself out of situations that make me feel like lying
          CM- Try not to lie to myself to ignore something thats going on in my life
  
     SD- Try not to judge on first sight
          CM- By listening to what person has to say, can choose how I feel about them based on their personality
          CM- Better way to see people, not judging a book by its cover
CS- Having a balance of integrity in my life important

Closing Paragraph
TS- Integrity keeps your mind open and head level
     CM- Can be hard to hold onto
     CM- Can come and go like tides
CS- Fighting for it makes us a better person