A Tale of

Two Cities
By: Charles Dickens

Report By: Dane Setzer

Date: August 22, 2007
Class: Acc. English
Due By: September 7th
 (1)
(P. 34) The wine was red, and had stained the ground of the narrow street in the
suburb of Saint Antoine, in Paris, where it was spilled. It had stained many heads,
too, and many faces, and many naked feet, and many wooden shoes. The hands of
the men who sawed the wood, left red marks on the billets; and the forehead of the
woman who nursed her baby, was stained with the stain of the old rag she wound
about her head again. Those who had been greedy with the staves of the cask, had
acquired a tigerish smear about the mouth; and one tall joker so besmirched, his
head more out of a squalid bag of a nightcap than it, squalled upon a wall with his
finger dipped in muddy wine-lees—BLOOD.

This passage fits the novel by giving the reader a first sensation for the upcoming
revolution that is going to take place in France. This scene depicts the villagers who come
running out of their homes to get a taste of the wine. The wine, of course, signifies the
blood that is going to be spilled during the revolution. The way the citizens scramble for
the wine gives us a good look at how the revolution will take place. Dickens describes “A
tigerish smear,” allowing the reader to foreshadow how the French citizens will lose their
humanity in search for revenge.

Dickens uses very powerful language as he describes the villagers scrambling

over each other to drink a little sip of wine, obviously portraying how much they want
revenge for the wrongs and ignorance of their country. The language paints a wild scene
in the reader’s mind, a scene in which the reader does not want to be involved. Dickens
was also successful in foreshadowing the upcoming revolution using the wine. He
symbolizes the wine as blood, blood that will be soon spilled in the streets of Paris. He
refers to this metaphor later in the book, at the end, as the revolutionaries were picking up
the dead bodies. This time, the blood symbolized wine, turning the metaphor around.
 (2)
(P. 35) The mill which had worked them down, was the mill that grinds young
people old; the children had ancient faces and grave voices; and upon them, and
upon the grown faces, and ploughed into every furrow of age and coming up afresh,
was the sigh, hunger. It was prevalent everywhere. Hunger was pushed out of the
tall houses, in the wretched clothing that hung upon poles and lines; Hunger was
patched into them with straw and rag and wood and paper; Hunger was repeated in
every fragment of the small modicum of firewood that the men sawed off; Hunger
stared down from the smokeless chimneys, and started up from the smoky street
that had no offal, among its refuse, of anything to eat. Hunger was the inscription on
the baker’s shelves, written in every small loaf of his scanty stock of bad bread; at
the sausage shop, in every dead-dog preparation that was offered for sale. Hunger
rattled its dry bones among the roasted chestnuts in the turned cylinder; Hunger
was shred into atomics in every farthing porringer of husky chips of potato, fried
with some reluctant drops of oil.

Hunger is indeed ever- present with the French villagers. With the government
not knowing of the villagers’ status, no wonder they wanted to revolt. This passage
explains one of the primary reasons the citizens had for starting the Revolution against
the ignorant politicians. Hunger represents in a symbolized way the want to over- throw
the French government coming from the people’s needs.

This passage describes Hunger as an object; an object of want from all the poor
citizens of France. Dickens personifies Hunger as dwelling everywhere, even in the
meager supply of food the French people have to eat. This passage shows that the
government was ignorant and did not care to find out problems the French people had.
The government thought that the perfect world which they created would live on forever,
same as the English. This passage explains that the government was wrong, and the
people had at least a worthy reason to revolt against the hand that fed them so little food.
 (3)
(P. 107) A quainter corner than the corner where the doctor lived, was not to be
found in London. There was no way through it, and the front windows of the
doctor’s lodgings commanded a pleasant little vista of street that had a congenial air
of retirement on it. There were few buildings then, north of the old Oxford-road,
and forest-trees flourished, and wild flowers grew, and the hawthorn blossomed, in
the now vanished fields. As a consequence, country airs circulated Soho with
vigorous freedom, instead of languishing into the parish like stray paupers without
settlement; and there was many a good south wall, not far off, on which the peaches
ripened in their season.

This passage describes the corner of London, where the doctor lives, as being
beautiful and rid of dangers. This is important to the plot because it describes a place
where everyone can be calmed and relaxed. This is where the Doctor, Lucie, Mr. Lorry,
and Charles Darnay come together to discuss various topics without the fear of the
outside world on their shoulders. It secludes them from the troubles of France and
England, and in a way it also secludes the reader. This passage offers a chance to not
think about the troubles of the book, and instead just lets the reader be secluded as well in
that tiny corner in Soho.

The descriptive language in this passage is unbelievable. It describes that tiny

corner so well; I can perfectly find myself standing right in the middle of it when I read
it. This passage definitely jumps off the page, in my opinion, as greatly detailed
descriptive language. It gives you a perfect picture painted in your mind, of what this
quiet corner of London looks like. It also sets the scene for which upcoming events shall
take place. It introduces a new setting in which the reader can also relax and become
secluded into.
 (4)
(P. 285) A very few French leagues of his journey were accomplished, when Charles
Darnay began to perceive for him along these country roads there was no hope of
return until he should have been declared a good citizen at Paris. Whatever might
befall now, he must on to his journey’s end. Not a mean village closed upon him, not
a common barrier dropped across the road behind him, but he knew it to be
another iron door in the series that was barred between him and England. The
universal watchfulness so encompassed him, that if he had been taken in a net, or
were being forwarded to his destination in a cage, he could not have felt his freedom
more completely gone.

As farther Darnay goes into France, the more he realizes that he will no longer be
able to return to England until the reason for which he went to France was finished. The
old iron doors behind him symbolize how his dignity and self-respect will not allow him
to return until he has finished the reason for coming. However, this passage also
describes France as a cage. The farther he goes, the more and more freedom he loses.
France is being described as taking this freedom from him, even though he is a loyal
citizen.

This passage in my opinion raises many intriguing questions like: why is

Darnay’s freedom being taken from him? and why must he go on until his journey is
over? and why would he not be a good citizen of France? I think this passage in a way
might be preparing the reader for the next few chapters, in which we may find the
answers to these questions. But in the meantime, all we can do is wonder about how this
passage will tie into the rest of the book.
 (5)
(P. 317) It was the popular theme for jests; it was the best cure for headache, it
infallibly prevented hair from turning grey, it imparted a peculiar delicacy to the
complexion, it was the National Razor which shaved close: who kissed La Guillotine,
looked through the little window and sneezed into the sack. It was the sign of the
regeneration of the human race. It superseded the Cross. Models of it were worn on
breasts from which the Cross was discarded, and it was bowed down to and believed
in where the Cross was denied.

This passage describes the Guillotine as becoming a very important character in A

Tale of Two Cities. This is the tool in which French citizens have regained their revenge
in their country. The French citizens regard it as sacred, even more so than the cross. This
signifies that the usual nature of the citizens is corrupt and distorted by the revolution. It
has poisoned the minds of many, and only a few are able to resist its bloodthirsty grab.

Charles Dickens uses very powerful language in this passage. He is describing the
Guillotine as being the central part of the French citizens’ lives. “It superseded the
Cross”, is some of the imagery that Dickens uses. It gives the reader a good perspective
on how much the Guillotine was worshipped, even, by the revolutionaries. So respected,
in fact, that it was more a part of people’s lives than the Cross, which signified life,
forgiveness, and harmony. On the other hand, the Guillotine signifies death, revenge, and
the struggle for power in France.
 (6)
(P. 323) There could not be fewer than five hundred people, and they were dancing
like five thousand demons. There was no other music than their own singing. They
danced to the popular Revolutionary song, keeping a ferocious time that was like a
gnashing of teeth in unison. Men and women danced together, as hazard had
brought them together. At first, they were a mere storm of coarse red caps and
coarse woolen rags; but as they filled the place, and stopped to dance about Lucie,
some ghastly apparition of a dance-figure gone raving mad arose among them. They
advanced, retreated, struck at one another’s hands, clutched at one another’s heads,
spun round alone, caught one another and spun around in pairs, until many of them
dropped. While those were down, the rest linked hand in hand, and all spun round
together; then the ring broke, and in separate rings of two and four they turned and
turned until they all stopped at once, began again, struck, clutched, and tore, and
then reversed the spin, and all spun round another way. Suddenly they stopped
again, paused, struck out the time afresh, formed into lines the width of the public
way, and, with their heads low down and their hands high up, swooped screaming
off. No fight could have been half so terrible as this dance. It was so emphatically a
fallen sport-a something, once innocent, delivered over to all devilry- a healthy
pastime changed into a means of angering the blood, bewildering the senses and
steeling the heart. Such grace as was visible in it, made it the uglier, showing how
warped and perverted all things good by nature were become. The maidenly bosom
bared to this, a pretty almost-child’s head thus distracted, the delicate mincing in
this slough of blood and dirt, were types on the disjointed time.

This dance of course symbolizes the revolution. This dance is a wild, merciless
frenzy that seems horrible to others, such as Lucie. This portrays the Revolution in every
way. Like the dance, the Revolution was not at all organized and neat, but wild and craze
in which a lot of things got out of hand. The way Lucie gets encircled by the dance also
symbolizes how she is trapped in the middle of the Revolution, unable to escape from the
madness flowing around her. With Lucie the center of emotion and compassion in the
book, she uses her love for Darnay to hold off the frightening aspects of the Revolution.

When Dickens visualizes this dance in the reader’s mind, the painting that is
presented gives the reader a good idea of the confusion that is taking place within the
revolution. It symbolizes many things that have to do with the turmoil that France is in.
During the dance, Dickens refers to Lucie being surrounded. However, Lucie did not join
them in dancing. Although she was scared and frightened, she held her own against them
and eventually they moved on. Dickens uses this symbol to relate to the battle of good
and evil. He portrays that eventually, good will hold out over evil even if the odds are in
evil’s favor.
 (7)
(P. 346) Miss Pross recalled soon afterwards, and to the end of her life remembered,
that as she pressed her hands on Sydney’s arm and looked up in his face, imploring
to do no hurt to Solomon, there was a braced purpose in the arm and a kind of
inspiration in the eyes, which not only contradicted his light manner, but changed
and raised the man. She was too much occupied then with fears for the brother who
so little deserved her affection, and with Sydney’s friendly reassurances, adequately
to heed what she observed.

In the beginning of the book, Sydney Carton was characterized as a jackal, when
compared to Mr. Stryver as being the lion. This was because Mr. Carton never lived up to
Mr. Stryver’s successes. He was set into the reader’s mind as a failure, a mean and nasty
person who picked on other people like Charles. But this passage represents Mr. Carton
as a whole new person. This new Carton is a worthy, self-respecting man who cares for
others. Miss Pross first identifies him, and then the others soon follow into realizing the
new Carton. Now, I believe Carton has succeeded his goal in life.

This passage puzzles me how a person like the old Sydney Carton can change into
the new Sydney Carton. I think it has something to do with the phrase he told Lucie
earlier in the book,”…think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to
keep a life you love beside you!” (p.178) Lucie did not know yet this was to mean, but
Mr. Carton did. He was talking about himself, and how he might one day give his own
life to save Lucie’s. This passage also goes in tune with the central theme of the book,
which is, “Recalled to Life”. Mr. Carton was recalled to life during the third book
compared to how he was in the second book.
 (8)
(P. 364) The night wore out, and, as he [Sydney Carton] stood upon the bridge
listening to the water as it splashed the river-walls of the island of Paris, where the
picturesque confusion of houses and cathedral shone bright in the light of the moon,
and the day came coldly, looking like a dead face out of the sky. Then, the night,
with the moon and the stars, turned pale and died, and for a little while it seemed as
if Creation were delivered over to Death’s dominion.

His passage describes the night as being the Creation, and the day as being the
Death. The night is where everyone can be comforted, feeling sheltered even from the
day. The day, however, is when the killing starts. During the day, most people feel
unsafe, with the revolutionaries killing hundreds of people. I think Dickens goes so far as
to describe the sun as a part of the Death Cycle. As soon as the sun rises, it kills the night
and Death starts.

I think Dickens uses great language in this passage. Comparing the moon, the
stars, and the night to Creation, and comparing the sun and daylight to death is a good
strong metaphor that fits in great with the novel’s theme. I like how he thinks the sun rose
and killed the night, and how he lets you imagine the imagery when he describes Creation
and Death sort of battling each other.
 (9)
(P. 367) In a dead silence and stillness-the prisoner under trial looking lovingly at
his wife, his wife only looking from him to look with solitude at her father, Doctor
Manette keeping his eyes fixed on the reader, Madame Defarge never taking hers
from the prisoner, Defarge his from his feasting wife, and all the other eyes there
intent upon the Doctor, who saw none of them- the paper was read, as follows.

This passage depicts the scene right before the climax. It kind of gets the reader
ready to digest the high point of the book. I believe this passage is the scene in which the
characters finally intersect each-other’s paths. All the characters’ different troubles and
events all come and form into a central, main plot line from now until the end of the
book. The reader can now start focusing on all the characters as one. With interactions
between the characters, the two countries, and the forces of good and evil, trouble is
always soon to follow.

This part of the book really starts to pick up. There’s a lot more the reader has to
pay attention to, and there is a lot more going on in terms with the characters. When
reading this passage, the reader feels a little excitement for what is next to come. For
making this excitement, Dickens was successful. He took advantage of the climax
beginning and made it even more suspenseful by adding in another main part of the book-
joining the characters together. This passage, combined with the letter, makes an
awesome beginning to the end of the book.
 (10)
(P. 369) “I, Alexander Manette, unfortunate physician, native to Beauvais, and
afterwards resident of Paris, write this melancholy paper in my doleful cell in the
Bastille, during the last month of the year, 1767. I write it at stolen intervals, under
every difficulty. I design to secrete it on the wall of the chimney, where I have slowly
and laboriously made a place of concealment for it. Some pitying hand may find it
there, when I and my sorrows are dust. . . .”

This in my opinion is the climax of the book. This is where the reader finally
knows the secret of the doctor, and the letter finally reveals the hidden connection
between the Doctor and Darnay. The writing preceding this moment has been leading up
to this part of the book, and after this the suspense will lose intensity. Now that the
doctor’s secret life in the prison has been explained, the reader can start to answer some
of the intriguing questions raised throughout the book.

This is definitely the high point of the book. Like I said before, this letter explains
many things that happened with the doctor and why some things about him were
mysterious or unexplained. This letter also sets the scene for how and why the ending
plays out through the rest of the book. The way the letter was written also has a style, a
certain hasty and fearful yet confident style that I like, because it is different from the
way the rest of the book was written.