greatly while the rich lived in luxury and wasted money In both nations the rich often treated the poor with cruelty and without care Dickens uses the Revolution as the main stage for the story He shows how it affects his characters lives Sympathy for the Oppressed Dickens feels deep sympathy for the poor and oppressed He shows the cruelty of the French aristocracy through characters like the Marquis St Evr monde The Marquis imposes heavy taxes on poor villagers He has no kindness for them He says Repression is the only lasting philosophy Book two Chapter IX This statement shows the cruelty of the French aristocracy One day his carriage runs over a child in Saint Antoine Instead of showing sorrow he throws a gold coin at the grieving father Gaspard This event shows the arrogance of the nobles Criticism of the Aristocracy Through the Marquis and Monseigneur Dickens shows the selfishness and corruption of the French upper class Monseigneur cannot even drink his hot chocolate without four servants Such extreme pride and waste made the poor lose all respect for the rich Dickens clearly shows that this unjust system pushed the people towards revolution Criticism of Violence in the Revolution While Dickens understands why the Revolution happened he does not support the violence it brought He shows brutal scenes such as the storming of the Bastille Narrator says The Bastille is taken and the prisoners are free Book Two Chapter XXI Dickens shows the hanging of Foulon the burning of the Marquis s chateau and the grinding of weapons on the grindstone He describes the frightening dance of the Carmagnole and the constant working of the guillotine Dickens also shows the injustice of killing harmless people like the gentle seamstress who dies beside Sydney Carton Sacrifice and Redemption as a Better Way Dickens suggests that true change does not come through hate and revenge but through love and sacrifice Sydney Carton s death at the end is a Christ-like act of redemption He says It is a far far better thing that I do than I have ever done Book Three Chapter XV This line expresses Carton s peace courage and selflessness Dickens presents Carton s sacrifice as a noble answer to the cruelty of both the aristocracy and the Revolution Warning to England Through his picture of the French Revolution Dickens gives a warning to England If the poor are crushed starved and treated unjustly they may rise in violent rebellion just like in France He seems to say that only fairness kindness and reform can prevent such bloodshed In short Dickens s attitude towards the French Revolution is balanced He supports the poor and understands their reasons for revolt but he rejects the violence and revenge that followed He shows both the cruelty of the aristocracy and the horrors of mob justice In the end he suggests that real progress comes through compassion justice and personal sacrifice not through hatred nbsp