A Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities

Why the French Revolution began Why the French Revolution ended What was happening in England during the French Revolution Why this book is important The Bastille The guillotine Charles Dickens PS – library books will be due 12/10 (just before we finish it) Background we need:

Get into your groups Draw a topic card Research your topic Create a 4-5 slide keynote with the most important information Email it to Mrs. Russell-Read Be prepared to present it to the class Small Groups (chosen for you)

Holy moly we have A LOT of reading to do in a short time. Many of you will be gone part of next week, we Thanksgiving after that, and then it won’t be long until midterms. • Look on PHSiTeach for the Pacing Guide. • You may ALWAYS read ahead (I recommend it). This is the minimum to keep up in class. • Yes, it is a lot. You also have quite a bit of time off in the near future. Use it wisely! After presentations:

Take notes as you read. I am not going to suggest what to look for in the reading – yet. In part 1, I want you to notice what seems to be important in the story. How can that be a developing theme? How does Dickens use events, characters, dialogue, and description to “teach” us something? We won’t have a lot of discussion about the novel until after the reading for Part 1 is due. Take notes as you read if you have questions or observations! Annotations

On PHSiTeach, under documents: • Helpful reading websites • http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7869 • Read it aloud • http://www.sparknotes.com/nofear/lit/a-tale-of-two-cities/book-1-chapter-1-the-period/ • Puts the original text right next to a modern text version Helpful Websites

Dickens released this in chapters, not as an entire novel. The chapter titles are almost an outline of the story. Themes and symbols develop rapidly in the first part. Interesting info:

England and France 1775 Part 1: Recalled to Life - Setting

Explanation of happenings in England and France. • France was extremely violent and indiscriminant killings were common. • This was a country deeply in debt. • England was less violent but still riddled with crime (highwaymen) and harsh punishments on even the lowliest criminals • The guillotine became commonplace. Part 1: Recalled to Life – Ch. 1

Mr. Jarvis Lorry • works for Tellson’s Bank • Jerry Cruncher • odd-job man for bank Part 1: Recalled to Life - Ch. 2 Characters

Mr. Lorry is in England enroute to an inn to meet someone. Mr. Cruncher stops him to give him a message. Lorry responds with the cryptic “Recalled to life.” Part 1: Recalled to life – Ch. 2

Mr. Lorry is reflecting on the bank, his work there, and this mission that he is currently pursuing. He imagines he is talking to a ghost (he has someone in mind) and asks the ghost if he wants to be “recalled to life.” He also cryptically mentions a “her” that the ghost may want to meet. Ch. 3 (no new characters)

Lucie Manette – a young woman from London Miss Pross – Lucie’s maid Ch. 4 - characters

Lucie meets with Lorry thinking it is business about her dead father’s estate. He tells her the truth: her father is alive and staying with former servants in France. Lorry is to take her to see him. Chapter 4

Monsieur and Madame DeFarge: former servants of the man upstairs and current owners of a wine shop. A white-haired man upstairs (to be revealed in chapter 6) Ch. 5 Characters

Wine spills in the street (big time foreshadowing!!!!) MonsierDeFarge calls all 3 men at a table “Jacques” – this is code for “revolutionaries”, and he sends them to the 5th floor. He walks Lucie and Mr. Lorry up the stairs to see a white-haired man. DeFarge admits that he sometimes sneaks people to see the man because it is good for them to see. Ch. 5

Lucie approaches her father, the white-haired man who is making shoes. He responds to questions with an “unused” voice. He recognizes her hair for he has a few strands of similar hair wrapped up. He thinks Lucie is his wife. Lucie’s presence causes a wave of emotions and he collapses. Lucie insists that they take him back to England immediately. Ch. 6 (no new characters)

(Psst. Titles are frequently hints!) Themes: what do we see developing?

Think of a teacher you have (or have had) at PHS that you want to thank. (It can’t be me.) Explain why you enjoy their class. BE VERY SPECIFIC. Generalizations are nice, but the specifics are what make it special. Sign your name and turn it in. I will put it in their mailbox. Write a teacher a thank you letter

5 years later: 1780 Back and forth between England and France Part 2: The Golden Thread

New (ish) Characters: • Jerry Cruncher – again. • Young Jerry Cruncher • Jerry starts his day by yelling at his wife and accusing him of praying against him. • Goes to work (sits outside of Tellson’s) and waits with his son to be sent on an errand. • He sent to the courthouse to await further instructions. • His son wonders why his dad’s hands are always covered in rust. Ch. 1 Five years later

Character: Charles Darnay Jerry is sent to assist Jarvis Lorry who is at a trial for a young man accused of treason. Charles Darnay is accused of telling British secrets to the French king. Dr. and Miss Manette are at the hearing to be witnesses against Darnay. Chapter 2: A Sight

John Basard and Roger Cly – witnesses against Darnay Mr. Stryver – defense attorney Sydney Carton – Stryver’s assistant Basard and Cly are shot down by Stryver because they are less than pristine in character Lorry knew Darnay from a shared carriage ride 5 years ago (remember that?) The Manette’s shared a ride back from France on a cargo ship with Darnay. It is pointed out that Darnay and Carton look a lot alike. Ch. 3 A Disappointment

The jury deliberates and comes back with an acquittal. Congratulations all around. Lucie is mentioned as “the golden thread” that ties her father’s past to his present. Carton “requests” Darnay join him for dinner. Carton is drunk and asks Darnay if being tried for his life is worth Lucie’s sympathy. (Jealous much?) We learn that Carton doesn’t like his life and sees no joy in it. Ch. 4 Congratulatory

Stryver and Carton work very well together. They frequently meet in the evening and work late into the night. Stryver points out that Carton leads a very unhealthy life. Stryver also points out that Lucie is pretty cute. Carton acts uninterested, but Stryver wonders if he means it. Ch. 5 The Jackal

Miss Pross is back. It’s 4 months later. Miss Pross tells Mr. Lorry that she is upset (jealous) of all of the attention from “hundreds of people” she believes that Lucie is getting. There are only 3 that she sees: Stryver, Carton, and Darnay. Chapter ends with some foreshadowing. Ch. 6 Hundreds of People

Back in France . . . We meet Monseigneur. No other name is given. He is among the wealthy, but is running out of money (no wonder). This chapter really expresses the extravagance of the wealthiest and titled people. His carriage runs over a small child. He throws a gold coin to settle the issue. He never understands the anger of the crowd. Madame and Mr. DeFarge are in the crowd. Ch. 7 Monseigneur in Town

As he travels to his chateau in the country, we observe his heartlessness to the starving people on his land. Ch. 8 Monseigneur in the country

The monseigneur’s nephew shows up. We know him as Charles Darnay, but that is not his real name. He does not tell us his real name. No love between the two. Darnay says he wants nothing to do with the family wealth. Darnay is gone the next morning and the monseigneur is dead. Ch. 9 The Gorgon’s Head

Darnay asks Dr. Manette for Lucie’s hand in marriage. • Promise 1: Dr. Manette will not tell Lucie he has asked so that he doesn’t sway her true feelings. • Promise 2: Darnay wants to tell his real name to Dr. Manette. Dr. Manette won’t ask for it until the wedding day. Ch. 10 Two Promises

Stryver tells Carton he is thinking of asking for Lucie’s hand in marriage. She would be a good companion and he would be a good catch. Carton is not happy about this. Stryver suggests Carton settle down with someone who will take care of him since he is going to be a train wreck soon and will need someone to take care of him. Ch. 11 A Companion Picture

Stryver is going to ask Lucie to marry him, but stops by to see Lorry first. Lorry suggests that his request would not be welcomed and offers to feel out the waters for him. Lorry comes back with an answer that reinforces what he thought. Stryver gets “mean girl” about it. Ch. 12 The Fellow of Delicacy

Carton has a private conversation with Lucie. Says she has given him reason to think about living again. She does not return his interest. He says he would give his life for her. Insists he will never speak of this again. Ch. 13 The Fellow of No Delicay

Jerry and Jerry Jr. again Jerry heads out late at night – again. Jerry Jr. follows him and discovers his father is stealing bodies from the cemetery. His father is a “resurrection man.” Ch. 14 The Honest Tradesman

Resurrection and Death Sacrifice Violence in Revolution Themes

Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes Doubles (Darnay and Carton) Opposites (light and shadows) Motifs

A Tale of Two Cities