A Tale of Two Cities Pages 335 - End

The inhumanity of the 'revolutionaries' is unbelievable. It is exemplified by Jacque three when he states, talking about Lucie being put to death by the guolltine,"She has a fine head for it, I have seen blue eyes and golden hair there, and they look charming when Samson held them up." This is a woman, a wife, a mother they are speaking of, how can they be so heartless??

In this final part we see, and are told, how utterly horrific Madame Defarge has become. She does not even trust her own husband anymore, and thus decided to exclude him from her plan of condemning Lucie and little Lucie. Although the Evermondes changed her life greatly as a young girl, it is sad to see someone become so consumed with something that happened so long ago that their life is revolved around nothing but hate and revenge.

I believe that Madame Defarges plan is to condemn Lucie and little Lucie by accusing them of making a plan with Darnay while he was in prison by standing outside his tower and supposedly 'signing' words to him. This all comes from the wood sawyer, the man Lucie was always cordial to and gave drinking money to.

Although it goes unsaid, Miss Pross is also alot like Sydney Carton, she would do anything for Lucie. In fact, she also sacrifices for her, by shooting Madame Defarge. She didn't sacrafice her own life, but I believe she would if she had to, but she did sacrafice her piece of mind for she will always be haunted by her killing of Madame Defarge.
Once again, Miss Pross brings comic relief in to the story by never hearing anything again after the gun shot.

I like the way Dicken's ended the novel with the thoughts of Sydney Carton even though he was dead. It gave an insight into what he was thinking just before his death. Carton knew that what he was doing would be remembered by the Evermondes for generations to come. He knew his acts would be cherished by Lucie and Darnay and that the Doctor could like a long life as he should; and I think as long as Carton knew he gave all these other people a "life they loved" he had lived a fulfulling life himself.

Tale of Two Cities Pages 297 - 335

We are finally able to read the letter that Dr. Manette buried in his cell so many years ago. Not only did it explain the reason for his captivity, but also made a connection to the relevant times.

The dieing boy, which we later find out is Madame Defarges brother, tells Manette that the two men took him and his siter because they are nobles and thus have the right. He only wanted his sister because they liked her, I think?? The boy was merely trying to rescue his sister. One of the men is the Marquis and the other his brother, Darnay's father. It all makes sense now, because if you think back to when Darnay was talking to the Marquis in the chateau, he called him his uncle. The boy forshadowed, back then, that he and his family would pay for this, which they are doing now.

So, after Dr. Manette tries to save the siblings, and fails, he returns to his house and writes a letter about what he has witnessed. This is the confusing part, is he writing a letter to like the minister, thinking that they will never do anything about it, but it will just make himself feel better?? In the midst of his letter writing, Darnay, as a young boy, and his mother show up on Manette's doorstep. She disagreed with her husband and thier doings and wanted to find the other sister of the two siblings, who is really Madame Defarge, and help her. Darnay's mother asks Darnay, "though wilt be faithful, little Charles?. He replies, "Yes." Is this the promise to his mother he is talking about when he has his conversation with his uncle, the Marquis, in the chateau?? Also, another connection is revealed in that Defarge, as a young boy, was Dr. Manette's servant, which is why he took care of him and looked after him so much in prison and when he was realeased.

In the end, the minister never recieved his letter, but instead it was intercepted by the Marquis, and they subsequently send him to his "living grave." I can tell the end is coming near becuase so many connections are being made. Somehow everybody is connected, even in the past.

After the trial, when Carton visits Lucie and leans down and kisses her, he whispers " A life you love." What does that signify?? Does it have something to do with the promise he made her?? Little Lucie is the one that heard it, so I feel that we may only be hearing part of the comment he made to her.

Carton proceeds from Lucie's house to go to the wine shop. At first I think the Defarges are suspicious, but I don't believe they act up it. Carton is able to overhear though and finds out that the Sawyer of the woodshop was a spy for them, which we should have known, he was a mender of the roads and was in with the Jacques. Maybe everyone else picked up on that, but I had forgotten he was a Jacque. Their discussion was a bit confusing, but after reading on I believe Carton hears that Madame Defarge wants every last member of the Evermondes killed, which includes Lucie, Dr. Manette, and little Lucie (they all have relations to Darnay) to get revenge for her siblings.
This whole time we have all thought the Defarges were just blood hungry killers for no reason, when in reality she has, if it can be possible, a good reason for wanting them dead. I guess it just reminds us that everybody usually has a motive for doing what they do. It is just easy to judge someone, and hate them, and assume they don't have a reason just because we don't know about it.

Finally, Carton's plan is revealed (Arielle is right!). He exchanges places with Darnay and then has it arranged to have Darnay, Mr. Lorry, and his family leave for England right away because Dr. Manette had papers that allowed them to leave yet. How did he get those, though? Also, what happened to Mr. Cruncher and Miss Pross?? Don't they get to go back to England, too??

As Carton is waiting in line at the guolltine(spelling?) he converses with a poor seamstress. I don't know if she has any real relevance to the story, but he made a comment that she was dying for someone else- who? her husband?

In the end, they successfully leave Paris and are on their way to England, but constantly fear that they will be persued. I think that is kind of like the price they have to pay in cheating the system. They recieved Darnay's life, but must pay by living in fear of being caught for the rest of thier lives.

Tale of Two Cities Pages 246 - 297

The very first chapter of this section foreshadows the ultimate betrayal by the Defarges. When the Defarges brings a letter from Dr. Manette to Lucy that says he is alright, Lucy feels that the Defarges will not be kind to him, and she ends up being right.

The story really comes full circle, and we find out the true reason for Dr. Manette putting forth so much effort to help Darnay when he says, "As my beloved child was helpful in restoring me to myself, I will be helpful now in restoring the dearest part of herself to her." Dr. Manette feels this is finally how he can repay his daughter for everything she did for him.

The revolution is becoming unbelievably violent, but Dr. Manette is still confident after 1 year and 3 months that he will be able to free Darnay. He has such confidents because of his time in the Bastille, which once again comes full circle because he is able to use his tradgedy to help another.

At the end of "The Wood-Sawyer", who was Mr. Lorry talking to? Why were they talking about Darnay? It didn't say much, but it left me a bit confused and feeling like I needed to pick up on something I didn't understand? Did anybody understand what was being said??

I believe that the revolution has caused the Defarges to become nothing but blood hungry murderers! What is wrong with them!! They hardly know Darney, and have a very good connection to his wife and his father-in-law, yet they still want him dead when everyone else in Paris was O.K. with him being acquitted. I think its like in the book 1984, they have become so caught up with killing and thinking that they are doing good things that they don't even know the difference between right and wrong anymore, they can't distinguish between the good prisinors and the bad ones.

It started to get a bit confusing when Mr. Stryver and Solomen showed up. All in all, I believe that Solomon was the man, John Barsad, who came into the wine shop and angered the Defarges. The book also said that he was a witness at Darnay's trial, I don't remember that though. Also, he is a friend of Roger Cly, thus he has been a spy for both England and France. At first, when Miss Pross saw her brother, I thought it was going to be comic relief'; apparently I was wrong about that one! What I was really suprised about, though, is when Carton just showed up in the middle of the street! What reason did he have to come to Paris??

So, finally, Sydney, Solomon, and Jerry go visit Mr. Lorry. I believe their intent, because Solomon is an official, is to scare him into helping Darnay by threatening to reveal that he is a spy. In the end, all they could get was a promise that if the trail went bad, they would have access to Darnay one time?? I'm not sure what good that would do, but at lease they have Solomon to work with.

What was so significant about the phrase Carton kept repeating," 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." Does he believe that he is the one that can save Darnay??

In the end, Dr. Manette's letter is coming back to haunt him! It is a good lesson in the fact that you should always be careful what you say because you can't take it back!

Tale of Two Cities pages 204 - 246

In "The Sea Still Rises," the title cleary depicts what the chaper is about. The Jacques and their army are not finished when they discover 'old Foulon' is in town. I presume that old Foulon is Roger Cly for Mr. Defarge made reference to how this man's funeral was faked. Also, the people didn't like when they thought he was dead, thus the reason for the enraged fury when they found out he was still alive and in Saint Antoine.

In the next chapter, I first thought the mender of the roads and the traveler, who are both Jacques, were planning to set the prisinor who hangs above the fountain free, but in the end they just burn down the chateau where the marquis used to reside. Is this just another act against the royal people, or was there more significance to it??
This is the first time that we are introduced to Monsieur Gabelle. At this point, I was a bit confused on what his role was and why he didn't want it to happen. Later in the story, though, we are able to connect that he was there to sort of make sure there were no acts against the government and royal family, but when the mender of the roads burns down the chateau, they think Gabelle had something to do with it, and send him to prison.

Three more years pass since the burning of the chateau. The war still continues and many changes have taken place. Monseigneur has fled, the court is no longer in action, and the Royalty has been "suspended," which is ironic considering, who suspends Royalty?? Aren't they the ones in charge??

The situation with Temple bank being a safe place for the high class French to go and not be in danger confused me a little bit. I mean, I understand that the bank feels they owe them something for these rich people are probably what has kept the bank alive, but this is a time of war, why would the bank want to put themselves in the middle of such turmoil??

In the next couple of chapters, we move into a big part of the story. At first, only Mr. Lorry has to travel to the Tellson's bank in France to deliver a document so important that he must do it himself, and Darnay is worried for his health and safety because of his age and the war. Darnay also admits to himself, while with Mr. Lorry, that he sometimes feels bad for leaving his fellow Frenchman. This is a foreshadow that he may possible have a change of heart and is thinking of going back to France. When Darnay recieves the letter from Gabelle, who is now in prison in France, he finally realizes that he must stop being a coward and go to Paris and do whatever he can to salvage what is left of his name, and his country. I was surprised he didn't tell Dr. Manette when he left, for Dr. Manette knew of his situation as the Marquis anyways. The end of the second book talks about how Darnay has "floated away for the Loadstone Rock." What exactly is the 'loadstone rock', what does it symbolize or signify to us as a reader??

I was a bit confused when in the middle of the night these men come to Darnay and tell him he needs an escort!? Why would they care about his safety, how do they know that he needs an escort over other people. The escorts were drunk half the time anyways, which made me think at one point that they were just con artists trying to get money out of naieve travelers. Also, these men had red caps on, which are what the Jacques have been wearing, right?? So maybe these men know that Darnay is the Marquis and thus were there to assure he makes it to Paris to be put in prison??

I believe that Defarges plans to add Darnay to the registry of names for he looked at Darnay "speaking with knitted brows." I also think that it must be difficult for Defarge to have such a connection to this man through Lucie and not even think about helping him. There has to be some degree of inner conflict within Defarge.

The big mystery of this section is what "in secret" means. Darnay's prison letter is stamped with "in secret", and we later find out that it is bad news if you are in prison "in secret.". So what does it mean? When will we find out what it means?

The crowd outside Darnay's cell yelled "he made shoes" several times. This is obviously a reference to Dr. Manette, but how could this crowd of ordinary citizens possible know the connection Darnay has to Dr. Manette. So was this just in his head??
I was also surprised that Dr. Manette was looked upon as such a hero in Paris. It has been many years since has has been in Paris, he must have made quite an impact on the people of Paris. Also, I am surprised that Dr. Manette came so willingly to Paris to save a man whose family imprisoned him for 18 years. He is hearing and seeing so much that has to remind him of his time in prison, how is he so calm about it? Why is he not struggling with this situation?

Finally, there is the grindstone. First, Mr. Lorry says it is used to kill prisinors. Later, he tells Lucie that it is used to sharpen swords. Which is it? Also, what exactly does a grindstone look like?? Why would that be used to kill people with the guillotine is so close to being introduced and used??

Tale of Two Cities Pages 161 - 204

At the beginning of "Still Knitting" it is stated that "when the knife struck home (when Marquis was killed) the faces changed, from faces of pride to faces of anger and pain" I was quite confused by this for wouldn't the common people be secretly thrilled that somebody finally took revenge on the greedy and selfish Marquis?? Later on in the same chapter, a spy comes into the wine shop. I believe the Defarges know he is a spy because the mender of the roads forwarned them. This spy is obviously trying to reveal the secret "Jacques" group, for when he calls Mr. Defarge "Jacques", Mr. Defarge acts as if he has never heard this name before. I think, that since Roger Cly's funeral was faked, this spy is Roger Cly, and since he has had past encounters with the Defarges(Darney's trial and such) he is going to be able to expose Mr. Defarge and his secret group. They spy continues to tell the Defarges that Lucie is going to marry Charles Darney, and that he is now the Marquis, considering he is the nephew of the Marquis and the Marquis has been killed. I am unable to decide if the Defarges are happy or displeased with Lucie and her choice for marriage. Also, is it the fact that he is the Marquis, and nobody knows it, one of the two promises he made to Dr. Manette?? Is that what he is going to tell him on his and Lucie's wedding day?

We also learn of why Madame Defarge and all the other women knit so much. It is what replaces the feeling of hunger, the feeling of want in a society where her needs aren't even taken care of. She believes that if she stops knitting, stops the mechanical movement, her stomach will be even more "famine-pinched."

After the heartwrenching scene between Lucie and her father on the night before her wedding, Miss Pross provides comic relief by stating that she is still considering whether of not Solomon should have been the groom. Shortly after this light scene, Darney and Dr. Manette come out of the room they have been in and Darney is pale white, apparently his telling the Dr. his real name and his business didn't go as well as he thought??

It was also terrible devestating when Dr. Manette goes back to shoe-making when Lucie leaves, but it is easy to understand, for when Lucie isn't there the only thing he can remember to do is make shoes. That is what he has done when Lucie hasn't been there.

So, on the tenth day Dr. Manette is back to normal and doesn't even remember his relapse?? Thus the reason Mr. Lorry is able to question him about himself whithout Dr. Manette knowing?? I thought it was almost a full circle story when Dr. Manette was able to explain why he had his relapse when he tells Mr. Lorry that people relapse when "there has been a strong and extraordinary revival of the train of thought and remembrance that was the first cause of the malady." That is exactly what happened! Lucie was taken away from him again just like the first time when he went to prison for 18 years.

Mr. Lorry is finally able, with persistance, make Dr. Manette say it would be best to take away the tools of his trade. Without hesitation Mr. Lorry and Miss Pross do! I was so utterly suprised by this, yet am quite worried that they have made a terrible mistake, for what happens the next time Lucie leaves and Dr. Manette has another relapse, though there is not tools there for him to fill his desire??

When Lucie is talking to Darney about Mr. Carton she says "remember how strong we are in our happinesses and how weak he is in his misery." That quote struck me because is something so true, and something that we often forget even today. It is easy to take our happiness for granite, and forget how lonely people can be in their misery.

Finally, chapter 21, Echoing Footsteps. I was able to percieve that it is six years later and Lucie has a daughter! The beginning of the chapter is confusing though, what are all these footsteps she is hearing? Why are there "bad" ones in the distance?? It then goes on to tell that Mr. Defarges and the Jacques have attacked the government and set the prisinors free, I think? But in the last paragraph is states, "Now, Heaven defeat the fancy of Lucie Darnay, and keep these feet far out of her life." Are these feet, the feet of murderers and rebels the feet she is hearing in the distance at the beginning of the chapter?? This is apparently a foreshadow of hard times to come for Lucie Darnay....and thus where we will probably see Sydney fulfill his promise to her.

Tale of Two Cities Pages 118 - 161

After reading the fist chapter, I predict that Lucie will decline Darney's proposal of marriage for it would be to simple, and our love story would be over. When Lucie comes home that night she hears a "low hammering sound in his(Dr. Manette's) bedroom"-does that indicate that he is making shoes again??

I'm starting to think that Stryver is threatened or jelous of Sydney for he always has to bring him down. For instance, he brags to him how he is so knowledgeable of women and knows what they need and want, and tells Mr. Carton that he knows nothing of the society of women and should just find some young lady that will marry him and take care of him before it is too late. When Stryver tells Sydney of his plans to marry Lucie, Sydney begins to drink more and more. This is another parallel to the book 1984 and to society in general. It shows how then and now, people are unable to face difficult realities and turn to alcohol to cover the pain.
I understand why Stryver is not a suitable husband for Lucie, but was was Mr. Lorry's reasoning exactly??

I find it difficult to accept that when Mr. Lorry tells Stryver that Lucie says 'no' he just accepts it and moves on. He strikes me as the kind of man who would not take 'no' for an answer and would persist to force her to marry him, thus I think Stryver is not done with Lucie yet.

Sydney and Lucie's talk is a big tuning point in the story, for Sydney tells Lucie that at first she made him dream again of being successful, but now, when he knows he can't have her, he has become depressingly worse. It is a turning point for Sydney because he finally shows his true self to Lucie, although he says he will never talk about it again, which would make for awkward situations if you ask me. I predict, now that Lucie knows the real Sydney, her feelings are going to change towards him, and he will end up being the one that gets Lucie.

Roger Cly's funeral was a bit confusing, but I think I was able to straighten it out: since he was a spy the people didn't like him, so they stormed his hearse and "buried" him themselves with much disgrace?? We also learn an idiosyncracy(did you catch that vocab word, Mrs.H??) about Mr. Cruncher that he likes watching funerals - this foreshadows the details of his secret "job."

Finding out what Mr. Cruncher does at night was one of the most interesting part for me. First of all, before I even knew what he did, I have to say that I think he is a bit mentally unstable. Anyways, we finally know why he has rust under his fingernails, and why he has mud on his boots. What exactly though is he "fishing" for when he digs up dead people?? Is he merely taking expensive posessions like wedding rings and other such things that are burried with people?? Or is it something else??

Finally, the end was semi-confusing, although I think we are supposed to be guessing yet. The mender of the roads has this big story of a prisinor, who I am wondering if he is Dr. Manette, and he tells the Jacques what he knows, and now Monseiur and Madame Defarge are allowing him to become a Jacques, too?? This prisinor, though, ties back to Monseigneur and the Marquis, for I think he killed Marquis, but then at one point one of the Jacques says that this prisinor story happened some twenty five years ago, which makes me think it is Dr. Manette! So, all in all, confusing part, but a large part of the story that will hopefully straghten itself out in the end.

As I was reading this week, a though occured to me that Dr. Manett is the "christ-like" figure in this story. It is easy to see because he goes away for 18 years, is thought to be dead, and comes back and is now a very highly respected man. Perhpas this has no relevance to the story, but it is something we learned to look for in "lit like a professor."

Tale of Two Cities Pages 82 - 118

At the beginning of this week's reading we are introduced to another new character, Miss Pross. It took me awhile, but I eventually figured out that she is the woman who comforted Lucie when she was told at the hotel that her father was "recalled to life." Miss Pross is very protective of Miss Manette and therefore despises the scores of men who come to visit Miss Manette for she fears one of them will win Lucie's heart and Miss Pross will be no longer needed.

Miss Pross and Mr. Lorry have an interesting conversation in which we find out that Mr. Lorry knows the cause of Dr. Manette's previous opression. He also questions Miss Pross on whether or not she believes Dr. Manette know's what or whom is responsible for his previous opressions, and thus posing the question of why is Mr. Lorry so curious?? Does he not wish for Dr. Manette to know who caused such terrible years of his life??

We also leared that there is, obviously, much internal conflict with Dr. Manette as he is often found pacing back and forth in his bedroom late at night. I belive that this will be one of the main ideas in the story, his overcoming of his inability to remember and talk about his dark years, and find the reasons for which they occured.

Several times throughout these pages I found the mention of the color blue. Miss Pross lives in a blue chamber, and there was seveal mentions of Monseigneur's blue cap. Color always has a significance, especially in Dickens's work, so what does this repetative mention of blue symbolize??

One of the most interesting parts of the reading was when Mr. Darney speaks of the prisinor writing the work "DIG" on the wall, and then the men finding the burned bag and papers. It was made clear that this statement startled/bothered Dr. Manette. It was be easy to assume that the prisnor that Mr. Darney is telling about is Dr. Manette, but I think that would be too easy, I believe Dr. Manette knows something about it, but I believe there is much more too it. Also, Mr. Darney spoke of it so out of the blue that I believe he is up to something....

Rain begins to fall slowly as the group at the Manette's is departing, and rain always means something. I believe it is somewhat of a foreshadowing that a renewal or rebirth is to come for Dr. Manette for he is the only one that was ever mentioned getting wet. I didn't quite understand what was meant by the "hundreds of people coming in and out of our lives" and the footsteps that they supposedly heard, but I do think that the way Dickens used the storm to make us, the reader, able to hear and understand what the sound of rushing people is like was beautifully done.

I love the part about Monseigneur's party, for so much of the same can be found here today. He made large reference to how all the men there had these big fancy jobs, but had never actually done anything to better their field, and most hardly knew anything about their field of work. All they cared about was how they looked, that was all that mattered.

I found a correlation to the book 1984 after Monsieur ran over the young boy and it said that "Monsieur the Marquis leaned back in his seat and was just being drived anay with the air of a gentleman who had accidently broken some common thing, and had paid for it, and couuld pay for it." That completely summed up the way Monsieur the Marquis felt about the young boy, and this is exactly the problem with the society in 1984, there is no feelings towards other human beings.

I was also suprised that Defarge and his wife were present here, it makes me wonder if they will play a large role in this story afterall??

At the bottom of page 102 Dickens repeatedly used the word "ran" to describe life getting back in order, why? Perhaps to show that even though this young boy was carelessly ran over, life will not stop, it will run pass the boy and his family without even noticing them...something figurative like that I presume.

The last big thing we learned is that Mr. Darney is Monseigneur's nephew. Mr. Darney does not trust his uncle, and much talk about the state of their family name takes place. Finally, at the end, a knife was found with a note on it on Monsieur the Marquies pillow I belive. I predict that it was the father of the boy who died who has left this threat for Monsieur the Marquies.