A Tale of Two Cities

Nicole Yang

Comprehension Questions:
BOOK 1, CHAPTER 5 15. What are the peoples reactions to the broken wine cask? The people desperately drink the wine. They use hands, mugs, handkerchiefs to drink right off the street. 16. The spilled wine is a symbol of what? The spilled wine is a symbol of blood. 17. What is the power that has ground the people down? What does this tell us about conditions in France? The aristocrats have divine power over the peasants. There is extreme poverty among the common folk, not to mention the deprivation of many human rights that we take for granted today. 18. Describe Defarge and his wife. Defarge and his wife run a wine shop. He goes by the name Jacques as he converses with his customers. He is charismatic and knowledgeable. Madame Defarge is very attached to her knitting and is very quiet. 19. Why do the men in the wine shop refer to each other as Jacques? (Look up the word jacquerie for a hint.) Jacques is a code for the underground revolutionaries. 20. Why have Mr. Lorry and Miss Manette come to Defarges wine shop? Why was Defarge chosen for this duty? Defarge hides Doctor Manette, Miss Manettes father, who was once a political prisoner. The two will be reunited since their tragic separation when she was merely an infant. He was chosen to hide Doctor Manette because he was his former servant. 21. Why do you think Defarge shows Dr. Manette to the Jacques? As revolutionaries, he feels they should be conscientious of the unjust effects of a corrupted upper class, which would further inspire them set their movement in motion. BOOK 1, CHAPTER 6 22. What is Dr. Manette doing when they enter the room? Dr. Manette is making a pair of ladys shoes. 23. Describe the Doctors physical appearance. What does this say about his prison experience? He is very fragile and worn; life is drained from him. It shows the uneasiness and loss of self identity in prison life. 24. What physical characteristic tells us that Lucie is indeed the Doctors daughter? They both have bright eyes. 25. When the doctor compares the strands of golden hair in his locket to Lucies hair, what is his first conclusion? Does he finally figure out the truth? The Doctor denies that the lady is his daughter because the last time he saw his child, she was very smallhe lost track of time. After Lucies affectionate words and promises, he composes himself and accepts the truth. BOOK 2, CHAPTER 7

50. What kinds of people associate themselves with the Monseigneur? What does this say about what it takes to get ahead in France at this time? Monseigneur holds a respectable position in French society. He has four servants to serve him chocolate. Ones family name defines his title and wealth, which in turn, defines his capability to indulge in his pleasures. 51. Describe the accident that befalls the Monsieur the Marquis in the streets of Paris. His carriage runs over a peasant child. 52. What is the Marquiss attitude toward this accident? He is very indifferent and believes that a single gold coin will compensate this loss. BOOK 2, CHAPTER 8 53. What are the conditions in the Marquiss home village? The people are extremely poor: they use fountains to wash leaves and weeds to cook for dinner. People in their twenties look twice their age. 54. What unusual sight did the roadmender see? What prediction can you make from this? The roadmender sees a man hanging onto the bottom of Marquiss carriage. Marquis will be confronted. 55. Who is the Marquis expecting? Can you guess the identity of this person? Marquis is expecting his nephew, Charles Darnay. BOOK 2, CHAPTER 9 56. Of what does Darnay accuse his uncle? His uncle is bringing dishonor to the familys name because he is reaping the fruits of wrong (p. 122). 57. What is the Marquiss philosophy of keeping the common people under control? He believes that fear and hatred are the peasants respect for him. 58. What is Darnays opinion of his familys behavior and what does he plan to do about it? Darnay detests his familys behavior and plans to live in England in peace, where his reputation is not known. If the property were his, he claims to return it to the future generations of the common people for their suffering. 59. What happens to the Marquis, and what does the note tell us? Marquis is murdered. The note indicates that he is murdered by one of the revolutionaries (perhaps Defarge or one of his companions at the wine shop).