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Tale of Two Cities

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Saved by James Kanach
on October 9, 2010 at 9:41:34 pm
 

 

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.   

 

 

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