Quote Response

Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities because he was looking for a way to let all of his emotions out since there was a lot going on in his life. At the time that he was writing the novel his father and two of his daughters died. He was going through a hard time and found comfort through literature. He used a lot of symbolism and imagery to show his feelings in a way that connected with his time period. He also used descriptive writing and colloquial dialogue. His diction can be difficult to understand at times because he was thinking about so much all at once and since the language was different.

Practice Questions on "A Tale of Two Cities"

1.       Why were the drivers of the mail coach afraid to stop and receive the message?

·         They fear that it is a highway robber.

2.       What do the three men in the wine shop call one another as a code name?

·         The Jacques.

3.       What did all of the people do when the wine cartoon fell and broke?

·         They all went and drank from it, the woman used handkerchiefs to soak it up and feed their babies and the man used their hands to drink it.

4.       What object does Doctor Manette keep to escape “in spirit” during his time in jail?

·         A Lock of his wife’s hair.

5.       What skill did Doctor Manette develop during his time in jail to pass time.

·         Shoemaking

6.       What does the broken wine cask in France represent?

·         The bloodshed of the French Revolution.

7.       What was Darnay being tried for in court?

·         For being a spy and informing the enemy of the plans they had to attack.

8.       Which character does Dickens compare a jackal to?

·         Sydney Carton

9.       What does Carton do after Darnay leaves?

·         He curses his own imagine in the mirror.

10.   What does Carton claim about his life?

·         That he has no choice but to live in “rust and repose.”