Throughout Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens uses the motif of resurrection to make the Biblical allusion to Christ. The book starts out with a mysterious message saying, “Recalled to Life” (Dickens 8). It is later discovered that after 18 years in prison, Dr. Manette has been released, or recalled to life. In Christianity leaving one’s sinful ways is like having new life. Therefore, Manette’s leaving his past behind him is like him having a new life. Manette comes back a different man than he was before. He is in need of Lucie’s help to return his sanity. Although, he has been forever changed and cannot go back to his life before it was marked by years in the Bastille.

Before Sydney Carton goes to the guillotine, parallels can be drawn between him and Christ. The night before Jesus dies, while his friends all fall asleep he stays awake and prays. Carton also denies sleep as he also knows what lies before him. Carton quotes Jesus saying, “I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die” (Dickens 219/ John 11:25-26). Carton quotes Jesus because he is about to sacrifice himself, just as Jesus did. While Carton originally starts out as a drunk, he finds new life, or resurrects, into a new person by choosing to sacrifice for someone else.

The use of resurrection in A Tale of Two Cities provides hope despite the devastating mood of death and destruction. It shows the hopeful spirit of the revolution and the people who found things and people that were worth sacrificing for.