Tale of Two Cities Study Guide

Brian Neaves

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Tale of Two Cities Study Guide

Plot summary:

1)  It is 1775 in France, and a mailman names Jerry Cruncher has a message for dr. Jarvis Lorry. The message says that Lorry should wait for a young woman at Dover, and Lorry responds with the message, “Recalled to Life”.

2)  Lorry escorts Lucie, who did not know about her father, to her father’s house, Dr. Mannette, who is insane because of his long time in the Bastille. Lorry tells Lucie that her love can recall Mannette to life, and indeed she does.

3)  Scene switch: Charles Darnay is in court for treason against England, defended by Stryver. The case goes badly until Sydney Carton, friend of Stryver, walks in and the jury sees that they do not really know who committed the crime. Lucie and Dr. Manette watch the proceedings.

4)  After the trial, Carton goes out to eat with Darnay and asks him how it feels to have the affections of such a wonderful lady as Lucie. Carton resents Darnay because Darnay is everything Carton could have been.

5)  Scene switch: In France, M. Evremonds runs over a small child and curses the plebians as he rides to his mansion. Darnay is his son, and he meets with Evremonde. Darnay leaves, curses him and the entire family, wanting nothing to do with their aristocracy. M. Evremonde is found dead the next morning, by “Jacques.”

6)  After a year, Darnay asks for permission to marry Lucie. He tell Manette that he will reveal his true identity if he says yes. Carton pledges his love to Lucie and tells her that she has made him want to live a better life. John Barsad, an English spy, is in the Defarge’s wine store. Madame Defarge is knitting a registry of who to kill.

7)  In Paris, Darnay tells Mannette who he really is, and Mannette has a 9-day relapse into making shoes. He soon rejoins the couple on their honeymoon. Carton asks for Darnay’s friendship, and Darnay says that he is welcome anytime.

8)  The French Revolution has begun, and Darnay gets a letter from Gabelle, who is imprisoned by the revolutionaries, asking for help. Darnay goes off to help the man, even in the great danger of returning to France.

9)  The revolutionaries arrest Darnay as an immigrant as soon as he arrives. Lucie and Mannette follow Darnay in hopes of saving him. While Darnay is in jail awaiting his trial, Mannette uses his influence with the revolutionaries to convince them to let him go.

10) Darnay is acquitted, but then arrested the same night by the Defarges. Carton comes to Paris with John Barsad and an idea of how to save Darnay.

11) At Darnay’s trial, Defarge produces a letter written by Mannette saying why he was imprisoned. Mannette was a doctor who was employed by the Evremonde brothers to care for a raped woman and a stabbed boy. They imprisoned him so that he couldn’t leak. Darnay is sentenced to execution for the crimes of his ancestors.

12) At the wine shop that night, Carton overhears plans to capture and kill Lucie and her daughter. Mme Defarge is actually the sister of the boy who was killed! Carton gets the Mannettes out of France and tricks Darnay into switching clothes with him, drugs him, and gets Barsad to carry him away to his family. Carton is killed, and his mediocre life is redeemed by his great deed. Mme Defarge dies by her own gun as she tries to pass Miss Pross in entering the Mannettes house.

Character Summaries:

Charles Darnay: Darnay is a truly courageous, honest man. He is the estranged son of Marquis Evremonde, who he disowns. Darnay hates the unjust French social system and lives in England. He shows courage in trying to help Gabelle and honesty in telling Mannette who he really is.

Sydney Carton: He is an alcoholic attorney working with Stryver. At the beginning of the story, he seems to have no goal in life and no plans in getting any, until he loves Lucie. He then morally surpasses Darnay, the man that he resented because he is what he will never be.

Doctor Mannette: He is a physician who was held 18 years in the Bastille and became partially insane, making shoes to distract himself from being in prison. Once he meets Lucie, he eventually becomes a kind, loving man who cares most of all for Lucie’s happiness.

Lucie Mannette: Lucie is a one-sided symbol of compassion. Her “golden threads” refer to purity, and the way that she recalls her father to life and turns Sydney around show the power of compassion.

Madame Defarge: A primary leader in the Revolution, she is entirely bloodthirsty and spends much of her time knitting the registry of those to die.

Msr. Defarge: He is committed to making a better society in France and shows a kindness towards Mannette.

Miss Pross: she is the servant who raised Lucie. She is tough and fiercely loyal to her mistress. She personifies order and loyalty, and so she is the foil to Mme. Defarge, who is the epitome of the violent chaos of the revolution.

Gabelle: a servant in the Evremonde estate. Imprisoned, Darnay goes to save him.

Settings:

1)  London, where the Mannette’s home is. Things are calm, and the Telleson’s bank is nearby.

2)  The government, business and home in Paris is not safe. The courts are wildly unjust, the businesses are meeting-places for revolutionaries, and homes are being invaded. Much is chaos.

Symbols:

The broken wine cask: The red wine symbolizes the blood that will flow in the streets. The reaction of the people in the street, which is to rush for the wine, is a symbol for the hunger they have for rights and freedom.

Madame Defarge’s knitting: her seemingly peaceful activity symbolizes the attitude of the revolutionaries in Paris.

Motifs:

Doubles: There are many doubles in the book, such as Darnay and Carton, Lucie and Mme. Defarge, the fact that the action happened in two cities, and the two opposing factions in the revolution. The doubleness helps emphasize the themes of the works by playing on assumptions made based on the contrasting characters.

Themes:

In order to be a hero, sacrifices must be made.

-Carton dying, Darnay risking his life, revolutionaries turning over the government. Things would have ended a lot differently if it was not for personal sacrifice.

The power of the individual is almost infinite.

-Lucie turning her father around, Carton’s compassion keeps family together. Lucie also gives meaning to Carton’s life. The murder of Mme. Defarge’s brother changed her life forever.