In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens uses many different types of themes throughout the novel. Although there are many different themes, only a few are the main themes. The French revolution, of course, acts as one of the main themes, but resurrection acts as the central theme because it involves certain aspects of all of these themes and brings the story together.
This theme first appears when Dr. Manette becomes "recalled to life" when released from eighteen years of imprisonment in the Bastille. Lucie Manette also helps the Doctor back to sanity after his release. Eventually, Lucie enables him to become normal again. This shows another example of his "rebirth". Throughout most of the story Dr. Manette depends on Lucie and others, but when the revolutionist sent Charles Darnay to prison to die, he overcomes his past and becomes a strong leader to save him. This displays another example of Dr. Manette being "reborn".
Jerry Cruncher's side job has everything to do with resurrection, since he actually raises bodies out from their graves to steal their body parts. This job plays a big role in the plot of the story. This enables Carton and Mr. Lorry to blackmail Barsad into helping them, since Jerry Cruncher discovered that Roger Cly faked his death. Dickens shows an example of a false resurrection, when Roger Cly fakes his own death and was reborn as a spy in a different country. This also occurs when Foulon tried to fake his own death to escape the evils of the revolution, but he ends up being murdered regardless.
Charles Darnay acts as another character that shows the theme of resurrection. At his first trial everyone iexpects him to be found guilty. Instead, Carton resurrects him and enables him to live. Carton also resurrects him when the revolutionist sent Darnay to prison to die. The day of the execution, Carton goes to the prison and trades places with Charles Darnay. Darnay safely leaves the prison while Carton stays in his place, awaiting his own death.
