Dickens has used a variety of linguistic techniques to create tension and convey a poignant social message in chapter twenty-one of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’. Throughout the entire chapter, the word “footsteps” is repeated many times. This choice of words has a strong effect on the reader: it firstly creates an eerie and haunting image in the mind of the reader, which helps to convey the tense atmosphere of chapter twenty-one. Furthermore, the word connotes a sense of anonymity between the mob, which successfully disguises their identity. This word could also be interpreted as Dickens attempting to communicate his warning that a revolution could be on its way by personifying it as footsteps in the distance, drawing nearer; they are almost echoes of the French Revolution. Another image that that Dickens uses to represent the tension in Revolutionary France and the effect of mob mentality is the quotation “Light of Day”. It could be interpreted as a metaphor for the freedom of the peasants from the Bastille, juxtaposed with the quotation “Dark dens and cages” which may connote the conditions under which the peasants currently live. However, it could also be used to illustrate life under Louis XVI. The “Dark dens and cages could be used by Dickens to represent his oppressive regime and “Light of day” could have been used to show the revolution which would bring freedom from this dictator for the poor and the time in which social justice would be inverted. Furthermore, to imply tension, Dickens has used an extremely powerful image: “Where steel blades and bayonets shone in the sun”. This has a range of different effects on its reader. The contrast of the weapons to something so beautiful accentuates the tension in chapter twenty-one. It is also a forewarning on what is to come if a Revolution is started. He may have also been presenting the idea that life and harmony will be corrupted by violence.
Dialogue has been used in a number of different ways to highlight the moral message expressed in Chapter 21 as well as conveying the tenseness of the atmosphere. What little speech Dickens has used suggests the tension in chapter twenty-one and the way that he feels about the effects of the peasants approach to the Revolution. For example, the quotation, spoken by Madame Defarge, “What! We can kill as well as the men when the place is taken!” The quotation is spoken in a very clear and determined way, with a feminist attitude. This reveals her anticipation to murder and commit sin, which prepares the audience for what is to come by presenting her as an unpredictable and radical female: an image which she sustains throughout the novel, particularly in the gruesome and heartless murder of the guard where Dickens represents her as being gleeful and taking great pleasure in committing this deadly act. The effect of the speech is evident; it moves the reader to view Madame Defarge in an entirely different light: whereas before she was not particularly kind, she was likeable, yet when it comes to the storming of the Bastille, she becomes utterly cold-blooded and evil in her approach which makes the reader dislike her from that moment on. Therefore, the reader’s sympathy, having previously been focused on the lower classes, is shifted towards the aristocracy when they witness a cruel and motiveless attack on a prison guard.
Charles Dickens uses description liberally throughout Chapter twenty-one to recreate the atmosphere of Saint Antoine in the midst of the Revolt and also to explore the outcome of rebellious and disorderly conduct. The description of the angry mob revolting against authority is particularly effective to reveal to the reader the outcome of such misbehaviour and to expose the mood and atmosphere of Saint Antoine. For example, Dickens uses phrases like “Scarecrows heaving to and fro” and describing them as the “Living sea”. These phrases are mainly negatively referring to the mob: describing them as scarecrows means that he is referring to them as almost puppet-like and not human, therefore incapable of making human decisions and behaving as humans as well as their thin body representing the poverty which the peasants are fighting against. This also reveals Dickens’ attitude towards the mob itself and effects of such unruly behaviour. Furthermore, Dickens could also be portraying them as figures of fear towards the monarchy. The metaphor ‘The living sea’ may also have been used for a similar purpose, the sea is often perceived as indestructible and extremely powerful to be able to destroy huge amounts of land and kill thousands of people. Dickens therefore represents them as unstoppable. This also links into the way that tension has been created. Another example of description that Dickens has used for a particular effect is descriptions of Madame Defarge. He writes, ‘She put her foot upon his neck, and with her cruel knife- long ready- hewed off his head’. Specifically choosing the words ‘long-ready’ is a confirmation of what we have already discovered of her character earlier in the chapter: her eagerness to kill for her cause with no thought of the consequences. The choice of the word ‘hewed’ also portrays the event as something which was not calculated, it was pure rage and her desperation to fight for the equality of rich and poor. It shows the emotion behind the killing and depicts the murder as shocking and gruesome. Dickens portrays her in a very sinister, evil way. The description of the murder forces and shocks the reader into disgust at the Revolutionary violence.
Structurally, Dickens has used a number of different devices to increase the sense of political conscience for the reader as well as effectively building tension. One main device that Dickens favours is repetition, which he uses liberally throughout Chapter Twenty One. There is one particular phrase which he repeats constantly, changing it slightly each time: ‘Deep ditches, double drawbridge, cannons, muskets, fire and smoke.’ This quotation is significant as it represents the obstacles that the peasants have to overcome in order to defeat the aristocracy. Later on in the Chapter, the ‘double drawbridge’ changes to ‘single drawbridge’ to illustrate their progress of the Storming of the Bastille. Another example of repetition used is the metaphor ‘The living sea’, which is used liberally throughout Chapter Twenty One. Portraying them as the sea is like showing them to be an ocean, which takes up such a vast proportion of our universe and is completely unstoppable and undeterred, as shown the Boxing day tsunami, the ocean is always thought of as the most powerful thing our World contains and this is how the peasants wish to be perceived by the wealthy.
To conclude, Dickens is successful in achieving tension in Chapter twenty-one, as well as being extremely effective in warning Victorian England of the consequences of such a Revolution. Many structural and linguistic devices are used to achieve this, such as metaphors, powerful adjectives and repetition are just a few, these successfully provide both tense and heart-wrenching moments in the Chapter. Dickens depicts the mob as ‘dangerous’ and endeavours, through subtle choices of language and imagery, to warn away British lower classes from attempting such a gory and bloody way to achieve equal treatment. At the end of the Chapter, Dickens ends on a sombre note, with an ominous forewarning of what is to come for England, should a Revolution occur: and once crimes are committed, hands ‘Are not easily purified when once stained red’. The novel is Dickens’ political comment of the state of our country, comparing it to such a time of terror and unrest in France would hit home, forcing political leaders to take note and act upon Dickens’ caution. By raising the profile of such an atrocity that he believes could occur in Britain, he inspired citizens to do anything within their power to prevent it. Even in the Twenty-First century, we can still learn from Dickens’ novel and also do what is in our power to end poverty, wars and racism. Evidence of the world’s desire to end these horrors can be found in such things as the ‘Stop Poverty Now’ campaigns, in which celebrities click their fingers every three seconds to represent how often a child dies from poverty. Having celebrities to promote the cause, who have such an influence over so many people is likely to help encourage many more people to do what is in their power to end such horrific things.