, Research Paper
A Tale of Two Cities
Book One: Chapter One/The Period
In this chapter we learn about the time that the story is taking place. It is taking
place in 1775 and will happen in both France and England. The state of France is terrible
now. France has been on the decline and is now close to being bankrupt with little food for
the people that are living there. In England the situation is not as bad, but it could be
better. They are having problems with America. In the major cities of these countries there
is much crime. Mail is being stolen and so is furniture and jewels. The upper class has been
told to stay is at night as not to be attacked and have their goods stolen from them.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book One: Chapter Two/The Mail
There are several passengers traveling on a mud filled road with the Dover mail. It
is a dark and gloomy night. There is mud everywhere and they need to walk out of the cart
because the horses can’t make it up the hill. All of the passengers, including the coachman,
Tom, and the guard, Joe, are suspicious of highwaymen. The guard is carrying a pistol.
Finally the horses bring the coach over the hill. Then the passengers begin to get back into
the cart when the sound of a horse galloping is heard. The men stop and the messenger
says he is looking for Jarvis Lorry, and employee of Tellson’s Bank of London. Jerry, the
messenger is permitted to come up and he tells Jarvis to “Wait at Dover for Mam’selle.”
Jarvis replies by saying “Recalled to Life”. Jerry finds this odd, but leaves with the
message. Jarvis gets back into the cart and then they leave. Then the messenger gives to
the message to somebody in the Temple Bar and the chapter closes.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book One: Chapter Three/The Night Shadows
Jerry Cruncher is one his way back to London to deliver Lorry’s message. The
message and the night shadows bother Jerry so he keeps on stopping at alehouses to drink.
While Jerry is going back to London Jarvis Lorry is in the bumpy mail coach. It is night
and he is trying to sleep, along with the other passengers. Dickens then talks about how
each one of these men are different with there own secrets. Lorry is dreaming about
digging up a dead man. He finds out that the man has been buried alive for 18 years and
doesn’t know if he can live. He also is going to meet a lady, which is probably the person
that Jerry is taking the message too. Lorry doesn’t like these dreams and he keeps on
waking up and going to the window so the breeze and rain can hit him in the face. Finally
it is day and the shadows and dreams are gone. He then thinks how horrible it must be to
be buried alive for 18 years. Of course this person wasn’t literally buried alive, but was in a
jail for this long amount of time.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book One: Chapter Four/The Preparation
Mr. Lorry arrives at the Royal George Hotel, and is the last person to leave the
mail carriage. He goes up to his room where he can have a shave and get into some fresh
clothes. Jarvis is around 60 years old. He goes downstairs and has breakfast. Then he
spends the day on the beach in Dover. When nightfall arrives Jarvis goes up to his room
and has some wine. He is waiting for Lucie Manette.
Lucie arrives and Jarvis goes to see her. They have met before when she was two
and Jarvis took her across the Channel as an orphan 15 years ago. They talk and Lorry
keeps on saying that this is business. He talks about Lucie’s childhood and her family
history. Then he tells her that her father, Dr.Manette of Beauvais, is not dead. He has been
in a jail for 18 years and was just released. Now he is old and different. He doesn’t even
know his name. As of now he is in Paris staying with an old servant. Lucie says that she is
going to see a ghost and faints. With this Jarvis calls for help and Miss Pross comes in/
She throws Mr.Lorry across the room and tells the servants to get some salts. Then she
goes over to Lucie and we find out that she will accompany Lucie and Mr.Lorry to Paris.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book One: Chapter Five/The Wine-Shop
The chapter opens in Paris. It is in a wine shop in a poor part of the suburbs called
Saint Antoine. Somebody has smashed a keg of wine open and everyone is running to get
some. A man named Gaspard takes the wine and writes the word blood with his finger.
Monsieur Defarge tells him to take it somewhere else. Then we meet Madame Defarge.
She is a scary lady and loves to knit. There are also three men named Jaques in the shop
who Defarge takes to an adjacent building. Then he takes Jarvis Lorry and Lucie Manette
upstairs to see Dr.Manette. The three Jaques try to take a look in, but Defarge tells them
to go. Then Defarge, Lorry, and Lucie enter the room and see Dr.Manette in the room on
a bench. He is making shoes.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book One: Chapter Six/Shoemaker
Dr.Manette has forgotten everything that he knew before he went to prison. He
doesn’t even remember his name and only states his inmate number and location. Then he
reunites with Lucie. It is a very emotional meeting and Dr.Manette starts tearing out his
hair. Then Lucie rocks him. Although he doesn’t recognize her or know who she is he
recognizes her golden blonde hair as something familiar. This makes her a reference to an
angel. While the two are reuniting Defarge and Mr.Lorry have gone outside to talk about
travel arrangements. Lucie, Dr.Manette, and Lorry leave Paris under the stars. Lorry is
then reminded about his first trip at night and the question that kept on lingering in his
head.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book Two: Chapter One/Five Years Later
The year is now 1780 and five years have gone by since we last met anyone. We
get a description of Temple Bar and Tellson’s. Tellson’s Bank is an old, dingy place run by
old men, and everything there is also old and dingy. It is a small dark place. Then we get
introduced to Jerry Cruncher Jerry wakes up in his small apartment and finds his wife
praying in the corner. Jerry throws a boot at her because he feels her prayers are
interfering with his trade. After breakfast Jerry and his son go down to the bank. His son is
a spitting image of him. Jerry has to go on a message and Young Jerry takes his seat
wondering why his father’s nails are always rusty.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book Two: Chapter Two/A Sight
Jerry Cruncher is sent to the Old Bailey by a banker at Tellson’s. There he is to
give a note to the doorman who will let him in. In the court he will be Mr.Lorry’s
messenger. This case is for treason. The defendant is Charles Darnay and it is said that he
has been giving information about British troop movement to the French. His punishment
for this is quartering. He takes everything very bravely and only flinches once when he
looks up into a mirror on the ceiling. Then he notices Lucie and Dr. Manette. He asks who
they are. Most people are staring at Lucie and the old man who is obviously her father.
Then the court gets ready for action.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book Two: Chapter Three/A Disappointment
The chapter opens up with a speech from the Attorney-General. He is going on
about his two great witnesses and how guilt Darnay is. Then he calls up John Barsad.
He asks Barsad some questions that make him seem trust worthy, but then there is a
cross-examination. Stryver makes him look like a liar. Next is Roger Cly. Stryver has it
known that he is a known thief and friend of Barsad. Next is Jarvis Lorry. He says he
doesn’t know who he was riding in the coach with and that Darney was on the packet-ship
going from France to England with him. Lucie is then brought up and says that he was
helpful, but was using a false name and spoke with two Frenchmen before he left. The
Doctor remembers nothing due to his illness at the time. Finally Mr. Stryver points out
that Sydney Carton and the prisoner look exactly the same. This makes another witness
not sure of the identity. He then makes it known that Mr. Darney often travels between
England and France of family business which he can’t disclose. The chapter ends with
Darney being acquitted and Jerry Cruncher going to Tellson’s to tell them.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book Two: Chapter Four/Congratulatory
Dr. Manette, Lucie, Stryver, and Mr. Lorry all gather around Charles Darney and
congratulate him on his acquittal. Then we see that Dr.Manette still suffers sometimes and
goes into his dark stages. Lucie, the “golden thread” helps to bring him about. This is
another way of mentioning the color of her hair. Then we learn a little about Mr. Stryver.
He is stout, loud, red, and bluff. After that there is a little exchange between Lorry and
Carton. Everyone then goes, but we can see that Carton is a little hostile towards Darnay.
He is jealous and Carton also likes to drink. When left alone Carton goes and looks in the
mirror. He looks at his reflection and notices the resemblance to Darnay. Then he starts to
think about what he could have been, and sometimes is.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book Two: Chapter Five/The Jackal
In this chapter Stryver is with Carton. It becomes obvious that Carton is really the
person that does most of the legal work and prepares it for Stryver. Carton becomes upset
and gloomy. Then Stryver offers a toast to Lucie. After talking some Carton then leaves
Stryver’s place. While outside he sees a mirage of what he could be. The mirage then
disappears and he goes home. When he gets there he starts to cry on his pillow.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book Two: Chapter Six/Hundreds of People
The chapter opens with a description of the Manette’s home. It is very quaint on a
corner street in Soho. There is some French about the house, but it is in England. Mr.
Lorry is on his way over there. He is now a good family friend and often spends time with
the Manette’s. When he gets there he spends some time wondering about and meets Miss
Pross. They talk about how sometimes Dr.Manette just starts walking around at night, and
how he still has his workman’s bench. Miss Pross also talks about all of the suitors coming
to get Lucie. We also learn about Miss Pross’ loyalty to her brother Solomon, who took all
of her money and had left.
After this discussion Lucie, and Dr.Manette come home from a walk they took.
They all eat dinner and then go outside for a drink on the lovely evening. Soon they are
joined by Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay, who both visit often. Then Darnay brings up
how somebody wrote the word DIG in the wall in the Tower of London. This begins to
upset Dr.Manette and it starts to rain. They all go inside and can here the echoes of
hundreds of people rushing by to get out of the rain. Then after awhile Mr.Lorry, Darnay
and Carton leave on their separate ways.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book Two: Chapter Seven/Monseigneur In Town
The chapter opens up at a party of the Monseigneur in his little hotel. The
members of the party are ignorant people, and are in a sense fakes at their professions.
We then learn of another man there who goes by the name of the Farmer-General. This
man married the Monseigneur’s wife, and collects the taxes for Monseigneur. He is
extremely rich. After a while the party ends and they all leave. On the street we meet
Monsieur the Marquis. He is leaving the party and orders his coach to fly through the
streets. On his way he kills a child and the driver stops. The father is extremely upset and
The Monsieur just throws him a gold coin like that is what he child is worth. This father is
the tall-thin joker Gaspard. After this Defarge comes over and tells Gaspard it is okay, and
it is better of the child was killed in an instance. Then the Marquis throws Defarge a coin.
Defarge throws it back. When Marquis asks who did it nobody moves except Madame
Defarge, who just looks at him while knitting. He calls them all dogs and says he would
like to kill the coin thrower. Then he leaves and Dicken’s talks about the running fountain
and rivers and how soon the people will run their course.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book Two: Chapter Eight/Monseigneur In The Country
Monsieur the Marquis is driving through the little village outside of his chateau. It
is very poor and the people are dying. When he arrives at the fountain in town he notices
the mender of roads that he saw on the hill. He asks why the mender gave him a look and
he said because there was a man on the bottom of the carriage. From the description it
seems as if this was Gaspard. They tall about this for a while and then the Monsieur tells
the people to turn him if they see him. The Marquis also tells Gabelle, his tax
collector/postmaster to keep an eye on the mender of roads, who has a blue cap. Then he
meets a lady whose husband, the wood cutter, has died. He wants the Monsieur to put a
little stone on the grave with his name. The Marquis just leaves and goes home. There he
is waiting for Monsieur Charles from England. This is probably Charles Darnay.
A Tale of Two Cities
Book Two: Chapter Nine/The Gorgon’s Head
In this chapter we get a description of the chateau. There are many stone heads all
over it and it is very elegant. Then it becomes apparent that Charles Darnay is the Marquis’
nephew. They meet and have a big dinner. From the Marquis attitude and sayings it is
clear that he likes oppression and will uphold the family honor. Charles disagrees with this,
and renounces the chateau and France. The uncle also asks if Darnay knows a Doctor with
a daughter in England. Darnay answers yes, and a smile appears across the face of the
Marquis. They go to sleep and when Charles wakes up there is something wrong. The
Marquis has been stabbed in the heart, and is dead. There is a letter that says that it is from
the Jaques.
Scott Levine Mr.Holbrook
English 10H Period1 3/11/97
A Tale of Two Cities
Book Two: Chapter Ten/Two Promises
It has been a year since the Marquis was murdered. Charles Darnay has taken up
the occupation of a French professor/tutor. He enjoys teaching the children and realizes
that he has to work in order to make a living. It seems that Mr.Darnay is also deeply in
love.
On this day he finds himself going to Soho and the Manette’s house. When he gets
to the house Mr.Darnay only finds that Miss Pross and Lucie have gone out and the
doctor is the only one home. Charles sits down and begins to talk with the Doctor about a
serious issue. Apparently Charles is interested in the love of Lucie and wants to marry her,
but wants Dr.Manette’s consent. He realizes that Lucie has a tight relationship with her
father and he says that he is not trying to break them up, and that this will not interfere
with Lucie’s love for her father. After some hesitation Dr.Manette agrees, and gives his
consent.
Charles asks if Lucie has any other suitors. When the Doctor tells him that Carton
or Stryver may be interested. Darnay then asks Dr.Manette to promise him that if the
topic of Lucie’s marriage or Mr.Darnay arises the Doctor will support Mr.Darnay, and not
try to influence against him. Dr.Manette agrees to this. Then Charles starts to tell him
about his family and why he is in England. This bothers the Doctor and he starts to yell
stop. When he calms down he makes Mr.Darnay promise to him that he will not speak of
this again until the morning of Lucie’s wedding to him. That is, if she marries him. Charles
agrees with him, and then the Doctor tells him to leave because they may be home soon.
Willfully, Charles leaves.
When Lucie and Miss Pross return Lucie looks for her father. She hears him in his
room and, she hears a light hammering sound. When she looks inside her father is making
shoes. She yells and then calls to him, like in prison. For a long time they walk back and
forth together. Then the Doctor is relaxed and he sleeps.
The title of this chapter comes from the two promises that were made. The first
about the Doctor supporting Charles, and the second about Charles past. There are a few
questions we are left with at the end of the chapter. One would be why did Dickens call
the Doctor “Doctor of Beauvais” when this name was only used before his prison
sentence? Also, why does the Doctor start to make shoes after Darnay talks about his
family? Another question is who will end up winning the heart of Lucie?
A Tale of Two Cities
Book Two: Chapter Eleven/A Companion Picture
The chapter opens up in Stryver’s place. Sydney has been hard at work finishing