Charles Darnay was an essential instrument in helping Dr. Manette find a new purpose in life.

Through trying to clear Darnay's name, Dr. Manette discovers a strength within himself that was long forgotten. With his newly re-discovered strength, Manette overcomes his fears and obstacles. Darnay's marriage to Lucie Manette has helped to strengthen her relationship with her father. Without the help of Charles Darnay, Dr. Manette would have never conquered his demons. Upon learning of Darnay's imprisonment, Dr. Manette and Lucie rush to Paris to find, and inform Mr. Lorry. Manette is sure that his status as a former Bastille prisoner can assist in freeing his son-in-law. He leaves for the prison with the revolutionists and returns in four days, notably changed. Where he was once seen as fragile, he is now bursting with strength and power. He has, in his time away, secured a job tending to the ill prisoners and he has been successful in persuading the tribunal to keep Darnay alive. With a renewed sense of being, Dr. Manette is able to overcome his troubles and truly be recalled to life. When we first meet Dr. Manette, he had just been released from the Bastille, where he was a prisoner for 18 years. He spends everyday making shoes to fit a young lady, and repeating the same sentence, Prisoner 105, North Tower over and over again, until Lucie, his daughter, takes him back to England to live with her. Immediately after Lucie's wedding, Dr. Manette, after learning of Charles Darnay's true origins, reverts back to his time of making shoes and becomes lost within himself for nine days. The task of releasing Darnay for La Force, gives Manette a reason to move on from his past and no longer feel oppressed by it. Dr. Manette and Lucie have relied heavily on one another from the time they were reunited. Lucie cares deeply for her father and is extremely dedicated to him, overlooking her own wants and desires. When she and Darnay fall in love, it is obvious to her father that she is now a happier person than before. It is mentioned in A Tale of Two Cities that Dr. Manette tells Lucie that he found her more devoted to him married (if that could be) than single, showing that she never neglected him in favor of her husband and children. Manette's mental stability can be wholly attributed to Lucie's love and dedication towards him. It is easy for one to see how instrumental Darnay is in the recovery of Dr. Manette. When he is in Paris trying to assist in Darnay's trial, he discovers a new meaning for his life that fills him with confidence. Now that he is a stronger person emotionally, he is able to overpower his psychological crutches. The continuing devotion of his daughter helps him stay focused on all the good in his life. With the help of the various people in his life, Dr. Manette is transformed into a man, no longer held back by his fears.