Parallelism is a literary device that uses similar grammatical structures to express related ideas. This creates a sense of rhythm and balance, emphasizing the comparison or contrast between the elements.
In the book, Dickens uses parallelism to describe the different kinds of officers, highlighting their shared characteristics and contrasting their roles. This creates a powerful image of the complex society of the time.
For example, in the opening lines of the novel, Dickens writes:
> "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way."
This use of parallelism highlights the stark contrast between the two sides of society and the time period. The same technique is applied to describe different kinds of officers, showcasing the complex nature of their roles and power dynamics.
Let me know if you'd like more examples from the novel!