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A Tale of Two Cities portrays two characters opposite in nature and station of life but identical in purpose for living.  The protagonist of the novel is noble in his ambition but not admirable in character.  The other character (at times a true antagonist, but mostly a minor protagonist) ignoble in ambition (because he was born into status, so he really only has to maintain what he has) but admirable in character.  The story is written so that the two characters get a crossover effect in character development.  By the end of the story, a person cannot believe that, when Carton takes such great pains to get into prison and try to force Darnay to switch places with him, Darnay actually does switch.  What a scoundrel to let someone else take his place for execution.  There is nothing admirable about that - just selfishness.

A number of stories studied in literature have the dynamic of the crossover effect between two characters.  A character starts one way in a story, but through a series of circumstances beyond what the character can control, (s)he makes an about face from the way (s)he was originally portrayed.

Not everyone has the experience of the crossover effect in his/her life.  Most people operate under the belief that consistency is the best policy (and many times it is for image's sake).  But, I have found myself to have undergone the crossover in the matter of politics, religion, and philosophy of the heart.  I was with a high school friend not long ago, and in the three matters just mentioned we have changed places.  Another way to achieve crossover is to measure it against someone who has remained consistent over time.  I have a lifelong friend who fits this mold.  One of his admirable traits is that I can count on his steadiness of purpose, which we share.  But when I measure myself against him, I can see how much I have changed because we used to be much alike.

In stories, a person doesn't have to worry so much about whether the crossover is moral, costly, advantageous, or unnatural.  But in life, I have to evaluate all four of those.  I only live once, so the stakes are really high to cross over in the three matters of life mentioned.  Tonight, though, I can sleep well.  Sydney Carton and I have crossed over in much the same way.  And, if Carton and Darnay are but representations of the dual nature that lives inside each one of us, I hope people don't view me in disbelief, shaking their heads at my selfishness because I have let the Carton side of the dual nature switch with Darnay's side