A Tale of Two Cities: Reversal of Characters When writing a book, most authors are writing about an issue they have. However, other themes become apparent through the course of the piece, either consciously or subconsciously. One such theme is a reversal of characters in A Tale of Two Cities. Individuals and groups of people change dramatically from the outset of the book all the way up to its conclusion. Three of the most obvious changes in character are Sydney Carton, Madame DeFarge, and the French people as a whole. Sydney Carton is first described at Darnay's trial as not pa