A Tale of Two Cities — Brief Questions

Who is the protagonist?

Ans: Charles Darnay.

Why does Madame Defarge watch Charles' family?

Ans: To plan their deaths.

Who is Dr. Alexandre Manette?

Ans: Lucie's father, a former prisoner.

What was the revolution's slogan?

Ans: "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or Death."

Who is Charles Darnay?

Ans: A French nobleman who rejects his inheritance.

Why does Lucie hate the Carmagnole?

Ans: Its violence reminds her of danger to Darnay.

Who is Monsieur Defarge?

Ans: A wine-shop owner and revolutionary leader.

What does the Carmagnole symbolize?

Ans: Revolutionary violence.

Who is Madame Defarge?

Ans: A vengeful revolutionary who knits a death list.

Why is Charles re-arrested?

Ans: Denounced by three people.

Who is Mr. Jarvis Lorry?

Ans: A Tellson's Bank employee who helps the Manettes.

Who denounces Charles?

Ans: The Defarges and Dr. Manette's letter.

Who is Miss Pross?

Ans: Lucie's loyal and strong governess.

How did Manette denounce Charles?

Ans: Via a letter written in prison.

Who is Jerry Cruncher?

Ans: A bank messenger and part-time grave robber.

What does Charles write in his letter?

Ans: He accepts his fate.

Who is C.J. Stryver?

Ans: A selfish lawyer who employs Carton.

How does Madame Defarge die?

Ans: Shot by her own pistol in a struggle.

Who is Gabelle?

Ans: The Evrémondes' tax collector.

Why does Miss Pross go deaf?

Ans: From the gunshot.

Who is Gaspard?

Ans: A peasant who kills the Marquis for revenge.

What does Carton foresee for Lucie's family?

Ans: A happy future in England.

Who is John Barsad?

Ans: A spy and Miss Pross' brother.

Who does Stryver call a "mincing fool"?

Ans: Lucie.

Who is Roger Cly?

Ans: Another police spy.

What is Westminster Hall?

Ans: London's historic court.

Who is "The Vengeance"?

Ans: Madame Defarge's violent assistant.

What bank is featured?

Ans: Tellson's.

What is Madame Defarge's knitting?

Ans: A secret list of people to execute.

What is "Boz"?

Ans: Dickens' pen name.

What are the red caps?

Ans: Hats worn by revolutionaries.

What is Saint Antoine?

Ans: A poor Paris district.

What is La Force?

Ans: A brutal Paris prison.

What does the knitting symbolize?

Ans: The revolution's deadly plans.

What is the Tribunal?

Ans: The corrupt revolutionary court.

What is the chateau?

Ans: The Marquis' mansion, later burned.

Who are the "Woodsman" and "Farmer"?

Symbols of fate and death.

What do the lion/jackal represent?

Ans: Stryver (lion) and Carton (jackal).

Who are the English king and queen?

Ans: George III and Charlotte.

Who destroys Manette's tools?

Ans: Lorry and Pross.

Who are the French king and queen?

Ans: Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

What are the two cities?

Ans: London and Paris

What is Newgate?

Ans: A harsh London prison.

Who was France's king?

Ans: Louis XVI.

When does Chapter 2 begin?

Ans: November 1775.

What happened July 14, 1789?

Ans: Storming of the Bastille.

What is a mail coach?

Ans: A horse-drawn carriage carrying mail and passengers.

What type of novel is this?

Ans: Historical fiction.

What does "Wait at Dover for Mam'selle" mean?

Ans: Mr. Lorry should wait for Lucie in Dover.

Who is Lucie Manette?

Ans: Dr. Manette's daughter, Darnay's wife.

What does "recalled to life" mean?

Ans: Dr. Manette's release from prison.

Who is Sydney Carton?

Ans: A lawyer who sacrifices himself.

Who is the "short, slight, pretty figure"?

Ans: Lucie Manette.

Who looks alike?

Ans: Darnay and Carton.

Who is the "brawny, red-haired woman"?

Ans: Miss Pross.

What does the wine game foreshadow?

Ans: The coming bloodshed.

Why does Dr. Manette call himself "One Hundred and Five, North Tower"?

Ans: He lost his identity in prison.

What is Jerry Cruncher's job?

Ans: Bank messenger and grave robber.

Why does Jerry hate his wife's praying?

Ans: It interferes with his grave-robbing.

Why are Jerry's hands and boots mysterious?

Ans: They get dirty at night from grave-robbing.

Who calls himself an "honest tradesman"?

Ans: Jerry Cruncher (ironically).

Why is this ironic?

Ans: Because he robs graves.

What is Old Bailey?

Ans: London's criminal court.

What is Bedlam?

Ans: A notorious mental asylum.

What is Barsad's real name?

Ans: Solomon Pross.

What is Carton's opinion of himself?

Ans: He thinks he's worthless.

Who is the "jackal"?

Ans: Sydney Carton (does Stryver's work).

Who is the "lion"?

Ans: Stryver (takes credit for Carton's work).

What is the Tower of London?

Ans: A prison for political enemies.

Who calls Lucie "Ladybird"?

Ans: Miss Pross

What is a "farmer-general"?

Ans: A corrupt tax collector.

Who is the dead child's father?

Ans: Gaspard.

Who is the tax collector?

Ans: Gabelle.

Who were the gorgons?

Ans: Mythical monsters that turned people to stone.

What do gorgons symbolize?

Ans: Cruelty and death.

Who kills the Marquis?

Ans: Gaspard.

Why does Gaspard kill him?

Ans: Revenge for his child's death.

What promises does Dr. Manette make Charles?

Ans: To support his love for Lucie.

Who is the "fellow of delicacy"?

Ans: Mr. Lorry.

Who is the "fellow of no delicacy"?

Ans: Sydney Carton.

How does Carton declare his love?

Ans: Indirectly, saying he'd do anything for her.

What is Jerry's "fishing"?

Ans: Grave-robbing.

Why does the road-mender join the revolution?

Ans: For free drinks, not ideals.

What does Madame Defarge's rose mean?

Ans: A warning to spies.

How are Manette's tools destroyed?

Ans: Lorry and Pross burn them.

Who does Stryver marry?

Ans: A rich widow.

How many attacked the Bastille?

Ans: Thousands of revolutionaries / Paris mob.

What was found in the cell wall?

Ans: Manette's hidden letter.

How does Madame Defarge show her strength?

Ans: By beheading the prison governor.

What did Foulon say about the poor?

Ans: "Let them eat grass."

Why is Foulon's death ironic?

Ans: They stuff grass in his dead mouth.

Who burns the chateau?

Ans: Four revolutionaries.

Who was Sardanapalus?

Ans: A legendary decadent king.

Why was Gabelle jailed?

Ans: For serving the Marquis.

Why does Gabelle ask Charles to return?

Ans: To testify for his release.

What is the Loadstone Rock?

Ans: A metaphor for Paris drawing Charles back.

What is Charles' Loadstone Rock?

Ans: Paris.

Contents

Brief Questions

1. Who is the protagonist?

2. Why does Madame Defarge watch Charles' family?

3. Who is Dr. Alexandre Manette?

4. What was the revolution's slogan?

5. Who is Charles Darnay?

6. Why does Lucie hate the Carmagnole?

7. Who is Monsieur Defarge?

8. What does the Carmagnole symbolize?

9. Who is Madame Defarge?

10. Why is Charles re-arrested?

11. Who is Mr. Jarvis Lorry?

12. Who denounces Charles?

13. Who is Miss Pross?

14. How did Manette denounce Charles?

15. Who is Jerry Cruncher?

16. What does Charles write in his letter?

17. Who is C.J. Stryver?

18. How does Madame Defarge die?

19. Who is Gabelle?

20. Why does Miss Pross go deaf?

21. Who is Gaspard?

22. What does Carton foresee for Lucie's family?

23. Who is John Barsad?

24. Who does Stryver call a "mincing fool"?

25. Who is Roger Cly?

26. What is Westminster Hall?

27. Who is "The Vengeance"?

28. What bank is featured?

29. What is Madame Defarge's knitting?

30. What is "Boz"?

31. What are the red caps?

32. What is Saint Antoine?

33. What is La Force?

34. What does the knitting symbolize?

35. What is the Tribunal?

36. What is the chateau?

37. Who are the "Woodsman" and "Farmer"?

38. What do the lion/jackal represent?

39. Who are the English king and queen?

40. Who destroys Manette's tools?

41. Who are the French king and queen?

42. What are the two cities?

43. What is Newgate?

44. Who was France's king?

45. When does Chapter 2 begin?

46. What happened July 14, 1789?

47. What is a mail coach?

48. What type of novel is this?

49. What does "Wait at Dover for Mam'selle" mean?

50. Who is Lucie Manette?

51. What does "recalled to life" mean?

52. Who is Sydney Carton?

53. Who is the "short, slight, pretty figure"?

54. Who looks alike?

55. Who is the "brawny, red-haired woman"?

56. What does the wine game foreshadow?

57. Why does Dr. Manette call himself "One Hundred and Five, North Tower"?

58. What is Jerry Cruncher's job?

59. Why does Jerry hate his wife's praying?

60. Why are Jerry's hands and boots mysterious?

61. Who calls himself an "honest tradesman"?

62. Why is this ironic?

63. What is Old Bailey?

64. What is Bedlam?

65. What is Barsad's real name?

66. What is Carton's opinion of himself?

67. Who is the "jackal"?

68. Who is the "lion"?

69. What is the Tower of London?

70. Who calls Lucie "Ladybird"?

71. What is a "farmer-general"?

72. Who is the dead child's father?

73. Who is the tax collector?

74. Who were the gorgons?

75. What do gorgons symbolize?

76. Who kills the Marquis?

77. Why does Gaspard kill him?

78. What promises does Dr. Manette make Charles?