A Tale of Two Cities

Chapter 1
1. Describe the social conditions in England and France.
 In both countries, there were a king and a queen who turned blind eyes to the suffering
of their people.
 The prosperity of the ruling classes increased, as did the poverty of the underprivileged.
 In both countries, people believed that nothing would change.
 In England, people were obsessed by the thoughts of ghosts or fear of being robbed at
night by those who were trusted during the day.
 In France people suffered from the unfair laws and also from taxes.
2. “Recalled to life" comment.
 This statement was the answer of Mr. Lorry to the message he had received from
Tellson's Bank. Jerry Cruncher carried a message from the bank to Mr Lorry to meet the
mademoiselle at Dover.
 He gave Cruncher this reply that referred to Dr. Manette who was believed to be dead a
long time ago but he was found alive and was kept in the house of an old servant. He
would be recalled to life with the help of Mr. Lorry & Lucie.

3. " It will be his ghost- not him!" comment.

 These words were said by Lucie to Mr. Lorry when he met her at Dover and told her that
her father whom she had thought to be dead was still alive but he was greatly changed.
He warned her that she would see a wreck of man. These words show her fear of seeing
her father so changed. It was like seeing a ghost of her father not him.
4. Summarize the chapter in 12 lines
 The Chapter started by the description of the conditions in both countries England and
France. It was the best time for the rich and the worst time for the poor.
 Mr Jarvis Lorry was on his way to Dover to meet Miss Lucie Manette to inform her that
her father whom she had believed to be dead was still alive in France. He was staying at
the house of an old servant. When she heard that, she was shocked and thought that
she would see his ghost because Mr Lorry told her that her father had changed a lot .
Therefore, they would go in a secret mission to France to bring her father to safety in
England.
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 Chapter 2
1. Describe the wine scene. What does it show?
 A barrel of red wine fell of the back of a cart on to the road and cracked open.
 A scarecrow of a man in bare feet and rags shouted 'red wine' and threw himself on the
ground to collect the wine in the cupped palm of his hand and a lot of people did the
same.
 They collected and drank every drop of wine on the ground.
 One of them used some drops of wine to write the word “BLOOD” on the wall.
 This showed how poor and hopeless the people in France were and how much suffering
they had.
2. "Do you make a show of Dr Manette, sir" comment.
 Mr. Lorry said this to Defarge when they reached the fifth floor and saw the Jacques
looking into the room of Dr Manette through a small window. Mr Lorry was angry that
Defarge let people see Dr Manette. M Defarge replied that he showed him to only few
people as he believed that it would be useful.
3. Why was the door of doctor Manette's room locked?
 Because Dr Manette lived so long in prison that he would go mad with fear if he were not
locked up.
4. "One Hundred and Five, North Tower" comment
 Dr Manette said this to Defarge when Defarge asked him about his name. Instead of
saying his name, he told them his number when he was in prison. This shows how
much suffering he experienced during his stay in the Bastille. In his mind, he believed
that he was still in prison.

5. Summarize this chapter in less than 12 lines.

 A barrel of red wine fell of the back of a cart on to the road and cracked open. A
scarecrow of a man in bare feet and rags shouted 'red wine' and threw himself on the
ground to collect the wine in the cupped palm of his hand and a lot of people did the
same. They collected and drank every drop of wine on the ground. One of them used
some drops of wine to write the word “BLOOD” on the wall.
 M Defarge took Mr Lorry and Lucie and went to a room on the fifth floor where Dr
Manette was locked. He was a very old man with white hair and white beard. He was
busy making shoes. He didn’t recognize who these people were or where he was as he
believed he was still in prison.
 Lucie and Mr Lorry took him to England to help him get better.
 Chapter 3
1. Describe the trial of Charles Darnay and discuss the case.
 The trial took place in The Old Baily which was one of the most famous criminal courts
in England.
 Charles Darnay was charged with treason or spying for the French. He was accused of
giving the French army information about the English army that was moving towards
America. Some of the witnesses like John Barsad and Roger Cly were against him. All
people were sure that he was guilty.
 Sydney Carton who was the assistant of Mr Stryver the lawyer looked like Darnay.
 Stryver made use of the resemblance between Carton and Darnay to prove that the
witnesses might have seen someone else similar to Darnay.
 As a result of this, Darnay was set free.

2. "Now look at the prisoner. Are they not almost identical?" comment
 Mr. Stryver said this to a witness during the trial of Darnay to prove that the witness
might have seen someone else similar to Darnay.
 He made use of the resemblance between Carton and Darnay .
 As a result of this, Darnay was set free.

3. " I care for no man on this earth and no man on earth cares for me" comment
 Carton said this to Darnay at the tavern where they were having dinner after the trial.
Carton asked Darnay if he thought that Carton liked him. Darnay said that Carton acted
at the court as if he loved him but Darnay believed that carton didn’t.
 Carton replied saying this sentence. He was complaining about not having good
relations with anyone.

4. In your opinion, why do you think Carton talked in a disagreeable way with
Darnay?
 I think he did that because he felt jealous of Darnay after he had seen Lucie Manette who
was very beautiful sympathizing with Darnay at the court. He may have thought that
although he looked like Darnay, Lucie cared for Darnay not for him.