Tale of Two Cities Analysis

1.) “Drive him fast to his tomb”- This statement is used in reference to the Marquis de Evermonde. The Marquis runs over a child in Paris and is then murdered by the father of the child. The father leaves a note at the scene of the crime which reads “drive him fast to his tomb”, and bodes for the coming Revolution.

2.) Stryver- Stryver is the Lawyer of Charles Darnay, who is a key character in the story. Many parts of the story are spent in the courtroom, where Stryver is present.

3.) The wood sawyer- The wood sawyer is also the mender of roads. He represents the common man. The common class was an important part of the Revolution.

4.) Monseigneur- Monseigneur represents the aristocracy. The aristocracy was obsessed with money and quite corrupt. The Monseigneur is money crazed and corrupt. He is important to the portrayal of the aristocrats and their contribution to the cause of the revolution.

5.) Knitting- The knitting referred to is done by Madame Defarge. Throughout the story, she is knitting a list of people to kill. This is an important piece of the story.

6.) Mr. Lorry- Mr. Lorry is the first character we meet in the book. He is responsible for the reunion of Dr. Manette and Lucie. He is also significant throughout the story because he is a consistent element who helps to tie the story together.

1.)What was unjust about the arrest and condemnation of Darnay?

During the Revolution, aristocrats were being arrested for money. Charles Darnay, also known as Charles Evermonde, was arrested only because of his aristocrat last name. He did not want this name or the corruption behind it. Charles was a good man who was arrested for simply having the wrong last name. It was indeed an unjust arrest.

2.) Give four examples of the motif “recalled to life”.

The motif of this story appears many times. Its first appearance is when Dr. Manette and Lucie are reunited. Dr. Manette’s life was miserable. He feels as though he is recalled to life when he meets his daughter. Another example is when Charles Darnay is in court for the first time. If guilty, he would have been put to death, but the appearance of Sydney Carton is so similar to Darnay’s, that he is set free. A third example is when Sydney Carton meets and falls in love with Lucie. He is a miserable man who believes in nothing, but he falls in love with Lucie and this brings the good in him out. My final example occurs when Charles is in prison the final time. He received the death sentence, but was recalled to life when Sydney takes his place under the guillotine. The motif in this story is obvious.

3.) Contrast London and Paris in the book.

London and Paris were both corrupt, but London’s conditions were better. In London and Paris there were corrupt leaders. In London there was a lot of crime and highway robberies. The laws in both places were unfair. At this time London was experiencing the Industrial Revolution, while France was not. All in all, London had better conditions because the people were not revolting against