A Tale of Two Cities, written by Charles Dickens, takes place during the French Revolution. The book centers on the heroic attempts of Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay. Sydney Carton puts on the fa?â?ºade of being insolent and indifferent, but his true nature is expressed in the book when he puts others first, defends Charles, and dies for the ones he loves. Charles Darnay is a once wealthy aristocrat whose attempts at heroism include going back to France, his financial sacrifice, and the noble way in which he was willing to face his death. Sydney Carton is a true hero...
died a hero in the eyes of many.

Although Charles Darnay possesses many heroic qualities, it can be fairly stated that Sydney Carton is the true hero of the novel. Carton acts on his ideas knowing the correct perspective on the situations at hand, regardless of the consequences. Darnay's sheltered life limits his knowledge of the true circumstances of France and prevents him from using his heroic qualities to an accurate extent. Darnay is a rather predictable character, while Carton turns to his true nature to "save the day" more than once. Carton surpasses Darnay on heroism a hundredfold.