"A Tale of Two Cities," a novel of revenge, sacrifice, and love, takes place during the French Revolution. This story follows the foil characters of Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton as they both struggle to find their true worth. Sydney Carton appears in the beginning to be an indifferent alcoholic who cares for no man, and in return has no one to care about him, while Charles appears to be a noble and well bred gentleman. As the book progresses, Sydney shows a side to him that is little revealed throughout the book, showing that he really does have feelings that he has a hard time admitting. The question is who is the better man, and though it may be Charles, truly the better man is the one Dickens portrayed as the Christ-like figure of Mr. Carton. Sydney Carton was the real hero of the book, putting others before himself. He reveals this characteristic as he works for Stryver, letting him take the credit for his work so that he may save the innocent, and wrongly accused from an undeserved death. This is showed in the book when Stryver, "The Lion" lets Carton "The Jackal" do his work for him. "The lion then composed himself on his back on a sofa on one side of the drinking-table, while the jackal sat at his own paper-bestrewn table proper" (94). This divulges how Stryver takes credit for the hard work of the underappreciated Sydney. Sydney Carton could be the better man, but don't forget that Charles is still a great one. The financial sacrifice of Charles Darnay, when he renounces his title and land, was very dignified, and showed how against he was to the oppression of his people and how in favor he was of helping those in need. Charles remarked to his uncle the Marquis that he was "bound to a system that is frightful to me, responsible for it, but powerless in it" (128). In this he is known to realize how corrupt the government has become, and want no part in it. It confirms the belief that he is indeed wishing and hoping for