The document summarizes 30 questions and responses about Charles Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities. Some key details include:
1) Dickens started with contradictions to show differences between nobles and peasants at the time.
2) Tellson's Bank sent Mr. Lorry to escort Lucie Manette to Paris after her father, thought dead, was discovered alive.
3) Defarge kept Dr. Manette alone in a room to avoid traumatizing him, as he had been imprisoned alone for 18 years.
4) Carton hates Darnay due to jealousy over his successful life and love from Lucie, foreshadowing Carton's sacrifice for Darn
Ecosystem Interactions Class Discussion Presentation in Blue Green Lined Styl...
A tale of two cities
1. 1.Why did Dickens start his novel with so many contradictions?
He wanted to give us a view of the differences between the people at the
time. The nobles were living in comfort while the peasants were living in
misery and poverty.
2.What caused Tellson's Bank to send a massage after Mr. Lorry?
It was to tell him to wait at Dover for Lucie Manette to accompany her to
Paris because she wanted to travel under his protection.
3."Came back to life." Comment.
That was Mr. Lorry's answer to Tellson Bank's message. Mr. Lorry knew that
Dr. Manette whom they thought was dead, was found alive in Paris after
spending 18 years in prison. He and Lucie had to go there to bring him back
to life as if he were dead.
4."It will be his ghost, not him." Comment.
Lucie said these words to Mr. Lorry at Dover when he told her that her
father was still alive. She meant that he'd be another person not himself
because of the long terrible years he'd spent in prison.
5.Why were Mr. Lorry and Lucie going to France?
2. Mr. Lorry was going to identify Dr. Manette if he could and Lucie was going
to bring him back to life.
6.Why was Dr. Manette kept alone and locked up in a room above the
wine shop?
He was kept alone because he’d been locked up alone in a cell in the Bastille
for 18 years, so he got used to it. If the door of his room was left open, he’d
be afraid.
7.“One Hundred and Five, North Tower.” Comment.
Dr. Manette said this in answer to Defarge’s question when he asked about
his name. It was his cell number in prison and the name he knew himself for
18 years.
8.“No, no, you are too young.” Comment.
Dr. Manette said this to Lucie when she and Mr. Lorry went to him in Paris.
He lost his memory in prison. On seeing Lucie, he thought she was his wife.
But then he realized that she couldn’t be his wife because she was too young.
9.What was Darnay accused of in England?
3. He was accused of being a French spy who travelled from England to France
to tell the French king information about the English army.
10.Who were the main witnesses in Darnay’s trial?
They were John Barsad who said that he’d seen important plans and lists
about the English armies in Darnay’s pockets. There was also a small red-haired
man who had seen Darnay at a hotel in a town where there were many
soldiers and ships.
11.How was Darnay set free?
Mr. Stryver, the lawyer, proved that they were spies and liars. Also the
great similarity between Carton, Mr. Stryver’s assistant, and Darnay spoilt
one of the witnesses’ testimony.
12.What was Carton’s attitude towards Darnay? What were the reasons
behind him?
Although Carton and Darnay looked like each other, Carton hated Darnay
because he felt that Darnay was better than him. Darnay had a good job and
many friends but Carton lived alone. Also Carton was jealous of Darnay
because he felt that Lucie loved him.
13.”Dead! Killed!” Comment.
Gaspard shouted these words at the Marquis when his coach killed his child.
He was very sad and angry at the Marquis. He meant two things; first that
4. his child was dead because the Marquis’s coach killed him. Second it was as if
he was promising to kill the Marquis himself.
14.”I can’t understand why you people can not take care of yourselves
and your children …… I hope my horses are not hurt.” Comment.
The Marquis said this to the people of St. Antoine after his coach had run
over a child and killed him. He didn’t care for the child but for his horses
only. This proved that he was cruel and that the nobles treated the people
badly.
15.”Be brave …… your child has died quickly, and without pain. It is
better to die like this than to go on living in these terrible times.”
Comment.
Defarge said this to Gaspard after the Marquis’s coach had killed his child.
He was trying to comfort him saying that it was better for the child to die
at once without pain than to live in poverty and misery. It showed that the
nobles treated the people badly.
5. 16.”Drive him fast to his grave. This is from Jacques.” Comment.
These words were written on a piece of paper around the handle of the knife
by which the Marquis was killed. Gaspard revenged for the death of his
child. This showed that the people would revenge on the nobles when the
French Revolution broke out.
17.”There is a man who would give his life to keep someone you love
alive and close to you.” Comment.
Carton said this to Lucie when he went to her and confessed his love towards
her. He promised her that he was ready to give up his life for her and for
anyone that she loved.
18.What does Caryon’s promise foreshadow?
It foreshadows the great sacrifice Carton would make at the end of the
novel as he’ll be executed instead of Darnay so as to let Lucie live happily
with her husband.
19. What happened to Dr. Manette after his daughter’s marriage?
He lost his memory. He remembered nothing except his old days when he
used to work as a shoemaker. For 9 days he remembered nothing about his
present and couldn’t even recognize Mr. Lorry or Miss Pross.
6. 20.“Oh, What shall we do? He doesn’t know me and is making shoes
again.”
Miss Pross said this to Mr. Lorry when Dr. Manette had lost his memory
after Lucie’s marriage. Miss Pross was troubled and didn’t know what to do
or what to say to Lucie.
21.Why did Defarge call himself and the other men “Jacque”?
They were called Jacques because they were preparing in secret for the
revolution against the nobles. France at the time was full of spies so they
kept their names hidden so as not to be discovered.
22.What was the decision made after the mender of roads’ story?
When the Jacques heard the mender of roads’ story, they decided to put
the castle and all of the family of Evremonde on the list.
23.”Every name is carefully knitted into her work. Nothing can be
forgotten.” Comment.
Defarge said this about his wife to the Jacques when they asked if the list
was safe. Madame Defarge had such a strong memory that she never forgot
a name registered in her memory. She learned all the names by heart while
knitting.
7. 24.How did Barsad try to trap Defarge?
When Barsad saw Defarge, he wanted to know if Defarge was one of the
Jacques or not so he called him Jacque but Defarge corrected him by saying
his name was Ernest Defarge.
25.Defarge was once successful in trapping Defarge. Discuss.
When Barsad told Defarge that Lucie Manette whose father he’d helped
once, was going to be married to one of the Evremonde, Defarge became sad
and the spy noticed this.
26.”I hope that Miss Manette keeps her husband away from France.”
Defarge said this to his wife when he knew that Lucie was going to marry
Charles. He hoped that Charles would never come to France because the
revolution was about to happen.
27.What did Defarge do when the Bastille was taken?
8. He grapped one of the guards and asked him what “105 North Tower” meant.
Then he ordered him to take him there and searched the cell carefully.
28. Why did the people attack the Bastille at the beginning of the
revolution?
Because it was the symbol of injustice. They wanted to free the prisoners
who were imprisoned without trials, to destroy the records which had the
names of the prisoners and to destroy the instruments of torture.
29.”At last, it has begun, my dear.” Comment.
Defarge said this to his wife when the revolution broke out. He meant that
at last what they have dreamt of for years happened at last. It meant how
much hatred Defarge and the others had for the nobles.
30. “It’s tonight, Jacque.” Comment.
One of the Jacques said this to the road mender. He was talking about the
Marquis’s chateau which would be burned down tonight.
9. 1-What is the significance of the blown down tree?
*After Larry was reported missing, mother planted a tree to remember
him. When the wind blew down that tree, she felt that something bad
was going to happen.
2-What was Frank working on?
*He was working on Larry’s horoscope to find out if November 25th was
his lucky day.
3-"But I know one thing. Dad. We've made a terrible mistake with
mother." Comment.
*Chris said that to his father. He felt that both of them made a terrible
mistake when they made mother believe they too think that Larry was
still alive.
4-Why did Chris invite Ann to his house? How did he want his father
to help him?
*Chris invited Ann to his house to ask her to marry him. He wanted his
father to help him in making mother agree upon the marriage.
10. 5-"She think he’s coming. You marry that girl and you’re pronouncing
him dead." Comment.
* Keller said that to Chris when he told him that he was going to marry
Ann. He didn't want Chris to tell mother because she believed that Larry
would come back one day. This marriage would mean that Larry was dead.
6-“I like it an hour a day. If I have to grub for money all day long
at least I want it beautiful.” Comment.
*Chris said that to his father when he was talking about business and
money. Chris wanted to have something to work for, a family, something
to give himself to.
7-“No more roses. It’s so funny…..everything decides to happen at
the same time.” Comment.
*Mother said that to Chris. So many things connected with Larry
happened at the same time (his tree blew down, Annie came to the house,
her dream about him…). All this meant to her that he was still alive.
8- What dream did mother have about Larry?
* She dreamt she saw Larry flying his plane very low. Suddenly he
started to fall and cried Mom, Mom. She tried to stop him but couldn't.
9- "We never took up our lives again. We're like at a railroad
station waiting for a train that never comes in." Comment.
11. *Chris said that to his mother trying to tell her it was time they forgot
all about Larry. Larry was like a train that would never come back.
10-Why did Kate resent the marriage between Chris and Ann?
*She resented it because she believed that Larry was still alive. If they
got married, it would mean that he was dead.
11- Why did Kate want Keller to stop the jail game?
*She wanted him to stop playing that game because it was as if he was
confessing his crime
12-What gave Kate hope that Larry was still alive?
*First they didn't find his dead body. Second many soldiers and pilots
who came back home after many years. Third the horoscope proved that
the day he was missing was his lucky day.
13-How did Keller behave when he was acquitted and returned home?
*He got out of the car walking in front of the people with a smile on his
face. He felt he wasn’t guilty at all. After fourteen months he became a
respected man, bigger than before.
14-“The man was a fool, but don’t make a murderer out of him.”
Comment.
12. * Keller said that to Chris about Steve. He meant that Steve was a little
man of a weak character who was only afraid but he meant no harm.
15- What was Steve's crime?
*It was selling cracked cylinder heads to the army air force. This caused
the death of 21 pilots and the crash of their planes.
16-How did Chris feel about Steve?
* Chris was so angry at Steve and wished to have him killed because he
considered him a murderer.
17- Was Steve the kind of man who would do such a crime on his
own? Prove it.
*No, he wasn't. He was like a frightened rat who would never buy or do
anything on his own. He wasn't the kind of man who would take
responsibility.
18- Ann thought it was lovely to be back, but she wasn't going to
stay. Why?
13. *Ann was happy to be back to her town but she wasn't going to stay
because she felt that Kate didn't welcome her and wanted her to go
away.
19- What was Chris ashamed of?
*He was ashamed of himself. During the war his men were brave and
killed themselves for each other. When he came back, he felt ashamed of
himself to be alive while his men were dead.
20-"He's worried. When he's worried, he sleeps We don't know
anything. You've got to protect us." "Comment"
*Mother said this to Chris. Keller was worried about himself and his
family. He was afraid that Ann might open the case again.
21- What favour did Sue want from Ann? Why?
*She wanted Ann when she got married, to move somewhere else because
Chris had a strong influence over Jim. Chris was driving Jim crazy with
his idealism.
22-“I resent living next door to the Holy family. It makes me look
like a bum.” Comment.
*Sue said that to Ann. Unlike her husband, she dislikes the family.
However, she hates Chris not Joe and she resents his friendship with her
husband.
14. 23- "Do you think I could forgive him if he'd done that thing?"
Comment.
*Chris said this to Ann when she told him that she never suspected his
father. Chris was an idealistic and he could never forgive his father if he
did it.
24-Keller had his own opinion about educated people…Discuss.
*He thought that everybody was getting so educated that there would be
no one to take away the garbage.
25-What offer did Keller want Ann to make her father when she
next wrote to him?
*He wanted Ann to tell him that when he got out of prison, he had a job
waiting, for him in his shop.
26-“You know why he’s here, don’t try to kid it away.” Comment.
*Jim said this to Ann about her brother George. Jim knew that George
came to take Ann away and open the case. He wanted Ann to drive him
somewhere and talk to him alone.
********************************************
15. By/ William Wordsworth
My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began,
So is it now I am a man,
So be it when I shall grow old
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man:
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.
♣The Paraphrase:
The poet describes his happiness on seeing a rainbow in the sky.
He loves nature very much and says that our love for nature is
born with us and grows with us. He compares the continuity of
the rainbow to the continuity of man's life. He sums his philosophy
saying that a child grows to be a man, gets married and has
children of his own who grow up to be men and so on. In the last
two lines he wishes to spend all his days enjoying the beauty of
nature and showing love and respect to God.
16. ♣The figures of speech:
“My heart leaps up" is a personification. The poet compares his
heart to a person jumping wi th happiness.
17. This poem is a sonnet which is a poem of 14 lines dealing with one
idea or emotion which is usually a personal one.
The main idea:
The poet says that the most beautiful scene on earth is the city
of London in the early morning.
Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth like a garment wear
The beauty of the morning; silent , bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky,
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did the sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
18. Dem- God- the grey houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!
♣The Paraphrase:
The poet looks at London city from Westminister Bridge early in the
morning. He says it's the most beautiful scene on earth. Any who
passes by and doesn't feel this beauty must be unhappy. The beauty of
the morning is the cloak the city is wearing. This beauty is calm and
simple.
When you look at the open fields, you can see the ships sailing, towers
of churches, domes, theatres and temples. Everything is shining in the
smokeless air. Man has never seen such a beautiful sun covering the
valleys, rocks and hills. Even the river flows along at its own will. All the
people seem asleep and so does the industrial world.
♣The figures of speech:
"This City now doth like a garment wear" is a personification.
The poet likens the city to a person wearing a beautiful cloak.
"The grey houses seem asleep" is a personification. The poet
likens the houses to people who are asleep.
"Mighty heart" is a metaphor. The Poet meant the industrial
world.
19. "All that mighty heart is lying still" is a personification. The
poet likens the industrial world to a person who is lying asleep in
the early morning.
The Rhyme Scheme is ab ba ab ba cd cd cd.