10 Questions
What motif does not emerge in 'A Tale of Two Cities'?
C) Jerry Cruncher’s job as a resurrection man
In what way does Dickens not warp or invert Christian ideals and symbols in the novel?
E) the guillotine as a religious symbol and object of worship
Which literary device is exemplified in Foulon’s statement 'Let them eat grass'?
E) parallelism
What elemental forces does Dickens describe to capture the power of the burgeoning revolution?
Fire and water
Who is the speaker and to whom is he/she speaking?
Manette to Lucie Manette
What is the speaker advising against?
Controlling the mincing vanities and giddiness of empty-headed girls
What sacrifice is the speaker willing to make?
Embrace any sacrifice for Lucie and those dear to her
Why does the speaker question the listener's feelings towards a man?
There is nothing in the listener to like; the listener has changed
How does the speaker describe the appearance of a chateau in daylight?
A crumbling tower of waste, mismanagement, oppression, and suffering
Who is instructing someone to hurry with a prisoner and deliver a message to Mr. Lorry?
Charles Darnay instructing Miss Pross
Study Notes
Motif "Recalled to Life"
- Emerges in Dr. Manette's release from the Bastille, Sydney Carton's change from rogue to hero, and Jerry Cruncher's job as a resurrection man
- Does not emerge in Jarvis Lorry's lifelong commitment to helping the Manettes or Charles Darnay's rescue from La Force
Warping of Christian Ideals
- Dickens warps or inverts Christian ideals and symbols in various ways, including:
- Jerry Cruncher's initials JC, despite his morally corrupt lifestyle
- The symbolic use of wine and blood
- Foulon's and Roger Cly's staged funerals
- Cruncher's abuse of his prayerful wife and work as a resurrection-man
- Does not warp Christian ideals in the guillotine as a religious symbol and object of worship
Foulon's Statement
- Foulon's statement "Let them eat grass" is an allusion to the famous quote by Marie Antoinette
Elemental Forces
- Dickens employs diction that describes fires and tidal waves to capture the power of the burgeoning revolution
The Guillotine
- Dickens portrays the guillotine as:
- Replacing the cross
- A deprecatory theme for jests
- Manned by Samson, a black-hooded executioner
- Made by and purchased from Britain, an irony that Dickens underscores in his warning
- Personified as a female
Speakers and Their Interlocutors
- "My dear friend, I have a charmed life in this city...": Sydney Carton to Charles Darnay
- "You cannot control the mincing vanities and giddiness of empty-headed girls...": Mr. Lorry to Lucie Manette
- "For you, and for any dear to you...": Sydney Carton to Lucie Manette
- "Do you particularly like the man?...": Sydney Carton to Charles Darnay
- "To the eye (this chateau) is fair enough...": Charles Darnay to the Evremonde family
- "Man, man! Have I sworn by no solemn vow already...": Madame Defarge to The Vengeance
Chapter Titles
- "Drawn to the Loadstone Rock" reveals the inevitability of the characters' fate, illustrating Dickens' purpose of highlighting the characters' helplessness against the forces of history.
Test your knowledge of 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens with this multiple-choice quiz. Choose the best answer for each question related to key motifs and themes in the book.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
