Light and Darkness

Charles Dickens uses light and dark to set the tone of optimism for Lucie and Dr. Manette’s relationship. “...on her fair young face, that looked as though she passed like a moving light”(Dickens 32). Lucie is the light in her father’s life even though he just met his daughter for the first time. Dr. Manette didn’t know if he had a male or a female baby or even if the baby had lived. Lucie is going to bear light on her father and help him out of his darkness which is his depression. He is depressed because he has been locked away for 18 years and missed most of his child's life and missed the passing of his wife. Hopefully Lucie is what Dr. Manette needs to complete himself as a father and Dr. Manette is the piece Lucie needs to complete herself as a daughter. “‘ I want,’ said Defarge; ‘to let in a little more light here. You can bear a little more?’”(Dickens 30) It is unknown to Dr. Manette that Lucie is this light that Defarge is going to be bringing into the room. The light that Lucie will bestow upon her father is going to lift him out of his depression and take away the worry of who his child is and how they are doing. As shown in the chapters when Lucie is brought into the room and spark ignites in Dr. Manette and the source of this light is Dr. Manette thinking that Lucie was his wife. As he begins to think more and more into the possibility of Lucie beining his wife he becomes happy again from thinking back to his days with the women he loves. Defarge bringing Lucie into the same room as Dr. Manette makes him realize that before he was arrested his life was great and connecting with Lucie will make his life great again. “darkness had fallen on him in his place”(Dickens 32). Dr. Manette had been locked away from the world for years and his loneliness and sadness fell on him like darkness. When Lucie comes into his life and explains who she is it brings joy to his life. So, the darkness from all of the years of being alone is suddenly lifted off of Dr. Manette and he becomes optimistic for the future. In conclusion, optimism is the tone when Lucie meets her father, created by the light and darkness.