CHARLES DICKENS

David Copperfield Pickwick Papers

Great Expectations Dombey and Son
Oliver Twist Barnaby Rudge
Nicholas Nickleby Martin Chuzzlewit
The Old Curiosity Shop Christmas Books
Hard Times Little Dorrit
Bleak House The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Our Mutual Friend
 Satirised hypocrisy and cruelty

 Focused on social criticism

 Created both life-like characters &

caricatures
 A TALE OF TWO CITIES

 Historical Novel
 Setting: Begins in 1775, action divided between London
& Paris in the first 2 books. Last book is devoted to the
Reign of Terror
 Narrator: omniscient
 COMPARISONS

 Life in England – Life in France

 Charles Darnay – Sydney Carton

 Lucie Manette – Madame Defarge

 SYMBOLS

 France & the colour red

 Wine spilled on the street
 Lion & Tiger
 Tellson’s Bank
 Knitting
Lucie Manette: angelic figure, loving heart,
pure soul, a gentle mother

Madame Defarge: cruel killer

Sydney Carton: Christ-like figure

Jarvis Lorry & Miss Pross: helpers/protectors

 Aristocrats &
Clergymen

Rising Bourgeoisie

Peasants & Workers

 RECALLED TO LIFE

 Who is recalled to life?

 How?
 Where is he now?
 What will Jarvis and Lucie do?
CHAPTER 5: THE WINE-SHOP

 Thirst

 Togetherness (men, women, children)

 The poverty

 Dancing & Laughing

 Hunger

The whole scene is parallel with the scenes after the start of the
revolution & thus gives Dickens’ message.
 THE MESSAGE

Revolution produces a more dreadful

violation of justice and humanity.
Therefore, it cannot be the solution to the
injustice in a society.
 THE SHOEMAKER

Who is the shoemaker?

Why is he called that way?

“Did you ask me for my name?”

“Assuredly I did.”

“One Hundred and Five, North Tower.”

“Is that all?”

“One Hundred and Five, North Tower.”

BOOK TWO / CHAPTER ONE

FIVE YEARS LATER…

Starts with a description of Tellson’s Bank.

What is the significance of the description?

What is the role of the bank in the action?

CHARLES DARNAY

SYDNEY CARTON
 HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE

ECHOING FOOTSTEPS

What do they symbolise?

 THE MONSEIGNEUR

MARQUIS EVRÉMONDE
How are the Marquis, Charles
Darnay, Doctor Manette, Lucie
Manette and Madame Defarge
related to each other?
How does the movement of
the Jacques begin?
 THE KNITTING
The Jacques meet again. What do they talk about?

How is it related to the knitting?

What is the function of the knitting?

How does it work?

What is the function of John Barsad?

How does the revolution begin?

 How do we witness Madame Defarge’s cruelty?

 FIRE RISES
“Monseigneur was a national blessing, gave a chivalrous tone to
things, was a polite example of luxurious and shining life […]
nevetheless, Monseigneur as a class had, somehow or other,
brought things to this. Strange that Creation, designed expressly
for Monseigneur, should be so soon wrung dry and squeezed out!
There must be something short-sighted in the eternal
arrangements, surely!”
The year is 1792.

Why do Jarvis Lorry and Charles Darnay go to Paris when

they know it is too dangerous?

How do the French refer to Charles Darnay? Why?

What is the new decree of France that Charles learns only

on the day he left England?

Why does Monsieur Defarge help Charles, Dr Manette and

Mr Lorry?
 REIGN OF TERROR
 Revenge

 Violence, Brutality, Murder, Ruthlessness

 La Guillotine

 The scene of the Carmagnole is similar to the wine-shop scene

at the beginning.
 Charles’s trial scene in France is also similar to his trial scene in
London at the beginning of the novel.
How does Sydney Carton change places with
Charles Darnay in prison?

Why does he sacrifice himself to save Charles?

“I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord.

He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet
shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in
me shall never die.”

How does the above quotation apply to Carton?