Sample Literary Analysis Conclusions
1.
Through his use of the rebirth motif, Dickens suggests that, like Sydney Carton, England
can also be “recalled to life.” For Carton, salvation could come only with a heavy price,
death, but that price is one he is willing and determined to pay. Indeed, Dickens hopes
Carton’s altruistic sacrifice for love might encourage Britons to put their own needs behind
the needs of others, which he believes would ultimately improve Britain overall. This moral
challenge posed in A Tale of Two Cities is as timely today as it was two centuries ago, as few
could argue that more personal sacrifice and less personal selfishness would do much to
improve the world. Perhaps a few kind words would recall to life a depressed friend; a few
dollars might recall to life a hungry child; a few hours of work might recall to life a homeless
person. Though the days of tension between Britain and France are long over, unfortunately
we still have the “haves” and the “have-nots.” Because of this disparity, this novel still
teaches a much-needed lesson: that goodness and love shall prevail over our lives, govern our
decisions and light the way to "rebirth."
2.
Brutus’s downfall in the Tragedy of Julius Caesar is brought about by his own perfectionism.
He is absolutely unwilling to accept himself as a flawed man, one who makes mistakes, so when
faced with his own shortcomings, he tries to twist reality and distort the truth to bring it back in
line with his own unachievable image of himself. Had Brutus been more accepting of his own
human fallibility, this tragedy could have been avoided. Through Brutus’s tragic fall, however,
Shakespeare illustrates a universal human frailty: that we are often blind to our own weaknesses.
Through Brutus, Shakespeare seems to be echoing the Oracle of Delphi: “Know thyself,” a sound
bit of wisdom to guide every human. Perhaps by heeding this advice, we can avoid falling into
Brutus’s perfection pit ourselves.