THE FUNCTION OF SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE IN REFLECTING THE AUTHOR’S IDENTITY

Abstract

This study explores how symbolic language in A Tale of Two Cities reflects Charles Dickens’s identity and moral vision. His metaphors, similes, symbolism, and irony express ethical concerns and humanistic ideals. Images like the “grindstone” and “sea” show his ambivalence toward revolution, while similes of Dr. Manette and Lucie reveal faith in love and renewal. Symbols such as the “Golden Thread” and Madame Defarge’s knitting convey unity, justice, and redemption. Through irony, Dickens exposes hypocrisy, turning the novel into a timeless moral allegory.