Tale of Two Cities

 

Tale of Two Cities study guide

 

Book 1 Recalled to Life Chapters 1-6

 

1.In what year does the action of the novel begin and how does Dickens describe that year?

2.Who is Mr. Jarvis Lorry and where is he going?

3.What message does Mr. Jarvis servant bring and what is his answer?

4.How old is Lucie Manette and when did Mr. Lorry meet her before?

5.Why is Lucie so surprised to have news of her father?

6.Where do the Defarges live and what is their occupation?

7.How does Defarge happen to know Dr. Manette?

8.What have eighteen years in prison done to Dr. Manette?

9.What is the significance of the broken wine-cask episode?

10. What is the meaning of the title of Book 1 Recalled to Life?

 

Book 2 The Golden Thread Chapter 1-10

 

1.Who is on Trial? What are the charges?

2.Why is Lucie on trial?

3.What kind of person is Sydney Carton; is he like or unlike Charles Darnay?

4.Why is Darnay acquitted?

5.What relation is the Marquis to Charles Darney? How do they feel about each other?

6.How does the Marquis react to the death of the child? How does it happen?

7.What happens to the Marquis?

8.What is the significance of the message , Drive him fast to his tomb?

9.What is Dr. Manettes reaction to Darnays request to court Lucie?

10. Why doesnt Dr. Manette want to know Darnays true identity?

 

Book 2 The Golden Thread Chapters 11-24

 

1.What secret does Sydney Carton tell Lucie and what promise does he make?

2.What is Jerry Crunchers illegal occupation?

3.What happens to the man who assassinated the Marquis?

4.Why does Madame Defarge wear a rose when Basard is in the shop?

5.What is the real purpose of Madame Defarges knitting?

6.What happens to Dr. Manette when Darnay tells him his real name?

7.How did Mr. Lorry and Miss Pross get rid of Dr. Manettes bench and tools?

8.What happens to the Marquis chateau?

9.Why does Darnay go to France?

10.Why is it dangerous for Darnay to be in France?

 

Section 4: Book 3, The Track of a StormChapters 1-6

 

1.What is Charles Darnays real name?

2.What is the grindstone used for?

3.How does Madame Defarge treat Lucie when they meet?

4.Why do the revolutionaries respect Dr. Manette?

5.What was the guillotine?

6.What is the carmagnole?

7.Why does the tribunal free Charles Darnay?

8. How does Dickens feel about the revolutionary mob?

 

Section 5: Book 3 , The Track of a Storm Chapters 7 15

 

1.How does Jerry Cruncher know that Cly the Spy is not dead?

2.What is different about Sydney Carton when he appears in France?

3.What does Sydney think about as he walks around Paris that night?

4.Why is Dr. Manette listed as one of the Evermonde brothers accusers?

5.How did Dr. Manette meet the Evermonde brothers?

6.Who were the two patients he was brought to see?

7.How did the Evermonde brothers feel about their actions?

8.What did Dr. Manette decide to do about the Evermondes crimes and what resulted from his actions?

9.Why is Madame Defarge so eager for revenge on the Evermonde family?

10. How does Sydney Carton feel in his last hours?

 

 

Study Guide 2

 

 

 

SHORT ANSWER STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS - A Tale of Two Cities 

I(1-4) 

1. Dickens describes England and France in 1775. How does he compare them? (1) 

2. Both kings are described as having large jaws; what is Dickens telling us about them? (1) 

3. Why are the Dover mail drivers and passengers so apprehensive of each other? (2) 

4. How does Dickens describe human beings? (3) 

5. Explain the meaning of "recalled to life." (4) 

6. Identify Jarvis Lorry. (4) 

7. Why does Lucie faint upon hearing Mr. Lorry's story? (4) 

I (5-6) 

1. Dickens uses the broken cask of wine's spilling in the street to foreshadow what future  event?  

(5) 

2. What is the significance of so many "Jacques" in Defarge's wine shop? (5) 

3. Who are seen peeping through a hole in the wall at Dr. Manette? (5) 

4. Why has Defarge allowed them to look in? (5) 

5. What is Dr. Manette doing when Mr. Lorry and Lucie first see him? (5) 

6. Describe Madame Defarge. (6) 

7. What is Dr. Manette's mental state? (6) 

8. Identify One Hundred and Five, North Tower. (6) 

9. How does Lucie react to Dr. Manette? (6) 

II (1-4) 

1. What does Jerry Cruncher object to his wife doing? (1) 

2. Who is Charles Darnay? (2) 

3. Identify Mr. Stryver. (3) 

4. Who is Mr. Carton? (3) 

5. Why is Darnay acquitted? (3) 

6. How does Mr. Carton feel about himself? (4) 

II (5-8) 

1. What name does Stryver call Carton? (5) 

2. What words does Dickens use to describe Stryver and Carton? (5) 

3. What does Carton actually do for Stryver? (5) 

4. How does Dickens describe the Manettes' home? (6) 

5. How does Dickens describe the privileged class in France? (7) 

6. What feelings does Monsieur the Marquis have toward the child his carriage has run 

    down? (7) 

7. What is the countryside of France like? (8)

 

 

II (9-12) 

1. Charles visits his uncle the Marquis and informs him that he renounces his name and property. 

    Why does Charles Darnay do this? (9) 

2. In the conversation between the Marquis and Charles, Dickens gives a hint that at one time 

    the  Marquis was able to have someone imprisoned. Who? (9) 

3. Why was the Marquis killed? (9) 

4. Why doesn't Dr. Manette want Charles to reveal his true name? (10) 

5. How does Stryver view his marriage to Lucie? (11) 

6. Describe Carton's responses to Stryver's self-flattery. (11) 

7. How does Stryver react to the certainty that his suit will fail? (12) 

II (13-16) 

1. What promise does Sydney Carton make to Lucie? (13) 

2. What "fish" does Cruncher go fishing after? (14) 

3. Why are Cruncher's fingers always rusty? (14) 

4. Who was the doomed man the road-mender told the Jacques about? (15) 

5. What register does Madame Defarge keep? (15) 

6. Why does Madame Defarge wear a rose in her hair? (16) 

7. Why is it ironic that John Barsad should come that particular day? (16) 

8. Who else's name is Madame Defarge knitting? (16) 

II (17-21) 

1. Why does Dr. Manette cobble for nine days after Lucie and Charles are married? (18) 

2. What does Dr. Manette allow Lorry and Miss Pross to do? (19) 

3. Why does Lucie ask her husband to speak kindly toward Carton? (20) 

4. Lucie's fanciful thought years ago of the echoes of a multitude of footsteps becomes a reality 

   in France. What has occurred? (21) 

5. What metaphor does Dickens use to describe the mob? 

6. Who is The Vengeance? (21) 

II (22-24) 

1. Why was grass put in Foulon's mouth? (22) 

2. Why does Mr. Lorry have to go to Paris? (24) 

3. Why does Darnay go to France? (24) 

4. Why is it foolish of Charles Darnay to go to France? (24)

 

 

III (1-4) 

1. Why is Charles imprisoned? (1) 

2. Why does the crowd at the grindstone take up Dr. Manette's cause to free Charles? (2) 

3. Why does Madame Defarge wish to see Lucie and the younger Lucie? (3) 

4. What change has occurred within Dr. Manette? (4) 

III (5-8) 

1. What is the Carmagnole? (5) 

2. What caused the jury to acquit Charles? (6) 

3. How must Miss Pross and Jerry Cruncher perform the household shopping? Why? (7) 

4. Why is Charles arrested again on the day of his release? (7) 

5. Where does Miss Pross find her brother? (8) 

6. Who identifies Solomon Pross as John Barsad? (8) 

7. What does Carton want from Solomon Pross (Barsad)? (8) 

III (9-11) 

1. Why is Mr. Lorry appalled at Cruncher? 

2. What arrangement has Carton made with Barsad? (9) 

3. Dr. Manette worked to free Darnay during the first imprisonment. Who appears to be 

    quietly working now? (9) 

4. Who is the other person that the court claims has denounced Darnay? (9) 

5. Who is Madame Defarge in Dr. Manette's letter? (10) 

6. Why is Charles condemned to die? (10) 

7. How has Carton changed since he landed in France? (11) 

III (12-15) 

1. Where does Madame Defarge plan to end her vengeance? (12) 

2. Why does Carton have Darnay write the letter? (13) 

3. How does Cruncher change? (14) 

4. Why is Miss Pross in a "queer condition"? (14) 

5. Sydney Carton said he would die young because of a dissipated and wasted life. How was 

    he both right and wrong? (15) 

6. How is Madame Defarge cheated? (15) 

7. What words about the future are attributed to Carton at the end of the novel? (15)

 

 

Characters

Principal Characters  Dr. Alexander Manette  -   A doctor who is imprisoned by the French in the Bastille for 18  years and then "recalled to life" one day. Lucie Manette         -          His daughter. Jarvis Lorry   -       A loyal employee of Tellson Bank who brings Dr. Manette back to London  and remains the faithful friend of the Manettes. Charles Darnay (a.k.a Charles D' Aulnais)  -   A French aristocrat who denounces hisnobility and moves to London, where he is tried for treason and acquitted and afterward marries Lucie Manette.  He returns to Paris and is sentenced to death as the        book's third Marquis St. Evremonde. The Marquis St. Evremonde     -      In the beginning of the book, Charles Darnay's uncle, who runs over Gaspard's son and is murdered by him.  Before that, Charles's father. Madame Therese Defarge         -     A woman largely responsible for the French revolution, a wine  shop owner's wife who knits the names of her victims. Ernest Defarge     -     Her husband, also at the head of the Revolution. Sydney Carton      -   A lawyer who takes advantage of his resemblance to Darnay to get him acquitted.  He is in love with Lucie, so he trades places with Charles in the Bastille and dies in his place. C.J. Stryver         -    His boss, who is an insolent fat man who does nothing for himself.  He  decides to marry Lucie but gives up. Miss Pross          -     Lucie's companion, she is deafened when she shoots Miss Pross and kills her. Jerry Cruncher        -      A resurrection  man, or grave robber. Solomon Pross (a.k.a John Barsad)      -    Miss Pross' brother, who sneaks Carton into the prison to trade places with Darnay.  He also calls himself John Barsad and spies on and accuses Darnay in his first trial. The Three Jacques (the Jacquerie)      -      Revolutionaries.  Jacques Four is Monsieur Defarge.   Jacques Five is the mender of Roads.

 

 

Important places

London                    Where the Manettes lived Paris                    Where the Revolution takes place, especially St. Antione Tellson Bank          Where Jarvis Lorry and Jerry Cruncher work Bastille                    The French prison that is first taken over by the revolutionaries Old Bailey          Where Darnay is tried in London The wine shop          In Paris, owned by the Defarges where Dr. Manette is brought and where most revolutionary planning takes place

Themes life and death love and sacrifice resurrection war and revolution justice anf revenge dualism (twins) family money and power the strife of the poor revenge faithfulness peace and war causes of revolution power and abuse of power RESURRECTION/REDEMPETION/REBIRTH    This is one of the main themes in the novel, supported by several characters throughout.  The main resurrectionists are Jarvis Lorry, Jerry Cruncher and Sydney Carton.  Jarvis Lorry is responsible when in the beginning Alexander Manette is "recalled to life".  In this case, Dr. Manette has been buried alive in the Bastille for 18 years, and he is freed by Lorry.  Jerry Cruncher serves both in paralell and in opposition to the real resurrectionists.  He is an "honest tradesman" or "resurrection man".  Both are euphemisms for grave robber.  Cruncher serves the useful function of reminding us that the dead do not often stay dead- especially when he digs up Roger Cly and no one is there!  Sydney Carton build up to his role throughout the novel.  By dying in Darnay's place, he resurrects him.  Carton is redeemed when he trades places with Darnay, leaving his better self on the earth behind him.    LOVE AND HATE    These contrasting themes can be treated alone or together- I like to discuss them together becuase in the novel there are contrasting forces that fight for victory.  There is the love of the family between Lucy and her father, and then Lucie and her husband and daughter.  There is the love of a friend, which is shared by the Manettes, the Darnays and Lorry as well as Sydney Carton.  There is also the not-to-be- forgotten romantic love, as expressed between Carton and Lucie, Lucie and Darnay, and briefly Lucie and Stryver.  Love is shown as a bond that holds families together and strengthens with hardship.  Hate, on the other hand, is seen as a destructive force that tears people apart.  The Defarges represent hate- along with the Vengence and their revolutionaries- the Jacques five.  The revolution, symbolizing hate, is a destructive force that rips families apart- the aristocrats are killed, and Darnay is condemned.      REVENGE AND VENGENCE    Quite the opposite of love and redemption, revenge and vengence are the motivators for many events in the novel.  The Marquis attempts to get revenge against Charles, Madame Defarge tries to get her revenge against the aristocrats, and the vengence is always by her side.  With revenge comes violence, and the revolution is a form of revenge.  The blood that the knitting Madame Defarge tries to spill from the Manettes and Darnays is only prevented by love.    REVOLUTION/WAR/DEATH    Apart from revenge or redemption is the plain blood and death that the revolution brings.  The instruments of the revolution make bloody everything they touch- as the wine casket falls and spills red wine and we see BLOOD written in big letters.  Blood spills through the streets of France, both literally and figuratively.

THEMES RESURRECTION Resurrection may be the single most important theme in A Tale of Two Cities.  Whys is it important?  Who are the principal resurrectionists?  What was Dickens trying to tell us?  Dr. Manette is "recalled to life" by Jarvis Lorry when he is released from prison, Charles Darnay is resurrected by Sydney Carton when he dies in his place, and Jerry Crucher is the resurrection farce (he is a graverobber).  That and so much more.    RESURRECTION THEME Starting from the very beginning when Lorry sends the message back to the bank that reads, "Recalled to Life" the theme becomes significant.  Dr. Manette is "resurrected" when he returns from prison.  Darnay is "resurrected" when he is acquitted from an almost certain execution at his first trial.  After the revolution begins in Paris, there is an aristocrat who feigns his own death and is then found alive.  He could be referred to as "resurrected."  Cruncher and his associates are resurrection men.  They in a literal sense dig up bodies.  In the idea of the people rising up in revolution is in itself a resurrection.  The people are miserable and living in squalor, which they revolt to end and live in the happiness and freedom promised in resurrection and eternal life.  Anything like this is a good example of resurrection. Does that help answer your question?    Resurrection is arguably the theme of A Tale of Two Cities.  There are several resurrections in this book.  The most famous, of course, is at the end when Carton is executed for Darnay.  Other examples- the grave robber (Jerry Crucher) is a farce for a resurrectionist.  These "resurrection men" are "honest tradesmen".  They are the ultimate oxymoron.  The idea was to rob new graves and sell the parts to doctors as autopsies were sort of new.  Dr. Manette was the living dead, and he is resurrected by Jarvis Lorry.  In a way, Lorry is also resurrected himself when he realizes that he has spent all of his life looking after the bank, and there are more important things in life than business.     CARTON AND DARNAY Sydney Carton discovers what he could have been when he meets Charles Darnay.  He says: "I am a disappointed drudge.  I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me".  However he is given a chance by fate (the beginning of his rebirth) because he looks like Darnay.  He is in love with Lucie, but he aids her as a friend.  When he takes the place of Darnay and dies on the guillotine, he makes the ultimate sacrifice.  This is the greatest resurrection in that all that was good in him (i.e. his love for Lucie) lives on in Darnay, and he is now defined not for what he was (i.e. a drunkard) but by his single greatest act.  His rebirth begins when he meets Lucie and becomes a better person despite himself, but he is so set in his ways that it cannot be completed until he dies for her.  He is thus born again in his death.    QUOTES ON RESURRECTION "recalled to life"   "I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall never die: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die"  This is obviously a quote from the Bible, but it was read at Carton's father's funeral and Carton repeats it to himself.  There is a strong Christian theme running through this book (not surprising).  "It is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known"   ". . . Charles Darnay seemed to stand in a company of the dead. Ghosts all! The ghost of beauty, the ghost of stateliness, the ghost of elegance, the ghost of pride, the ghost of frivolity, the ghost of wit, the ghost of youth, the ghost of age, all waiting their dismissal from the desolate shore, all turning on him eyes that were changed by the death they had died in coming there."

Symbols in the French Revolution: -the wine barrel that falls in the street symbolizes the peasant revolt -the carriage and the chocolate symbolize the excesses of the aristocracy -the blood in the fountain symbolozes where the casualties were coming from (i.e. the aristocrats) -Madame Defarge's knitting: the ruthless involvement of the women in the French Revolution -the wood cutter and mender of roads, as well as Gaspard and Jaques (a term for any confederate): involvement of normal people in the revolution