Argumentative Essay about A Tale of Two Cities

Chapter 1 – Five Years Later

1. What interval of time has passed since Dr. Manette’s release?
2. Describe the interior of Tellson’s Bank and its employees.
3. Who is the odd – job man of Tellson’s Bank? What does he do?
4. How did Mr. Cruncher refer to the year? (Anno Domini)
5. What hint is given as to Mr. Cruncher’s night occupation?
6. Describe Mr. Cruncher’s treatment of his wife.
7. Of what did his business stock consist?
8. What further hint is given by young Jerry as to his father’s night occupation?

Chapter 2- A Sight

1. What is Old Bailey?
2. What is Tyburn?
3. Describe the entrance of the prisoner.

4. Describe the prisoner.

5. What is the charge against him?

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6. What is the prisoner’s name?

7. Give an account in detail of the charges against him.

8. Who in the court- room attracts the notice of the prisoner?

Chapter 3- A Disappointment 

1. What is the name of the man who revealed the prisoner’s guilt?

2. Note the questions asked of Robert Cly. 

3. What is Mr. Lorry’s testimony?

4. What is the effect of Miss Manette’s testimony? 

5. What coincidence arises in the midst of the trial?

6. What is its effects? 

7. Who is the man involved? 

8. What is the effect of this action brought about by the prisoner’s lawyer, Mr.

   Stryver?

9. What hint of Jerry Cruncher’s night occupation is mentioned?
10. What does Mr. Stryver prove to the jury?
11. What is the outcome of the trial?
12. Had has Carton been affected by Miss Manette’s faintness?

Chapter 4 – Congratulatory

1. Why did Dr. Manette look so strangely at Mr. Darnay after the trial?
2. What is Sydney Carton’s attitude toward Lucie Manette?

Chapter 5 – The Jackal

1. Explain the title of this chapter.
2. What is the relationship between Mr. Stryver and Mr. Carton?
3. Describe Carton’s method of working.
4. Has Mr. Stryver, too, become interested in Lucie Manette?
5. Is Sidney Carton at all regretful of his wasted life?

Chapter 6 – Hundreds of People

1. What is Dr. Manette’s means of support?
2. Who frequently visits the home of the doctor and Lucie?
3. What reminder did Dr. Manette keep of his days in captivity?
4. Describe Miss Pross.
5. What s she upset about?
6. How did Miss Pross and Mr. Lorry Feel about Dr. Manette keeping his work bench and tools?
7. Did the “Hundreds of People” appear at the home?
8. Recount the incident about the Tower.
9. What effect is produced by the account of the footseps being heard?

Chapter 7 – Monseigneur Town

1. What idea of conditions in France do we get from the description of the Monseigneur?
2. How are conditions in France emphasized by the description of the Farmer – General?
3. What heartless cruelty is described in connection with the Marquis?
4. What intended comfort did DeFarge give the father?
5. What idea of compensation did the Marquis have?
6. What effect is produced by the presence of Madame Defarge with her knitting?

Chapter 8 – Monseigneur in the Country

1. What evidence of poverty is shown?
2. What request of Monseigneur is made by the poor woman?
3. Is her request granted?

4. Relate the incident of the road mender.

5. About whom did the Monseigneur inquire as he reached the door of his chateau?

Chapter 9 – The Gorgon’s Head

1. What is a gorgon?
2. Describe the relationship between Charles and his uncle.
3. Is Charles in sympathy with the deeds of his family?
4. What is the effect of their discussion on the uncle?
5. Exactly what takes place at the end of the chapter?

Chapter 10 –Two Promises

1. What is Charles Darnay’s occupation in England?
2. How successful is he?
3. Note his conduct in his interview with Dr. Manette in which he declares his love for Lucie.
4. Does Dr. Manette respond favorably to Mr. Darnay?
5. Does Dr. Manette wish Charles Darnay to reveal his identity?
6. What is the effect of the interview on Dr. Manette?

Chapter 11- A Companion Picture

1. What is Stryver’s opinion of himself?
2. Does his name reflect his character?
3. How does Stryver feel about Miss Manette?
4. What is his advice about Carton’ s marrying? Why does he give it?

Chapter 12- The Fellow of Delicacy

1. What is Mr. Lorry’s reaction to Mr. Stryver’s announcement of his intention to propose to Lucie?
2. How did the matter proceed?
3. What is the outcome of the discussion?
4. Did Mr. Stryver feel that he would not be accepted?
5. How did he react when Mr. Lorry came to report?

Chapter 13 – The Fellow of No Delicacy

1. What is Sidney Carton doing at the beginning of the chapter? Why?
2. What effect do Lucie’s words have upon him?
3. What are his closing words to her?

Chapter 14 – The Honest Tradesman

1. To whom does this title refer?
2. What hint is there in the enthusiasm of the son for the funeral?
3. How does the sight of the funeral impress Mr. Cruncher?
4. Whose funeral was it?
5. Describe the scene that follows when the crowd learns that it is the funeral of a spy.

6. What further hints are there of Jerry’s trade?

7. What did he announce on returning home?

8. What does he announce on returning home? 

9. Note his warning to Mrs. Cruncher. 

10. Note the effect on the son of the father’s words. 

11. What did young Jerry do?

12. What did young Jerry discover?

13. Describe the “fishing” and the tools used.

14. How did young Jerry react on seeing the object of the fishing?

15. What inferences as to the success of the “fishing” expedition did young Jerry make the following morning? Why?

16. Note the conversation between father and son on their way to Tellson’s Bank.

Chapter 15 – Knitting

1. What important item in the story’s plot is revealed in this chapter?
2. What determines this action?
3. Who is included in the registering?
4. How is the registering in order to keep it a secret?
5. Who relates the fate of the assassin?
6. Why did DeFarge take the road mender to see the royalty and nobility?
7. What does Madame DeFarge tell the man seated next to her in the public conveyance when he asked her what she was knitting?

Chapter 16 – Still Knitting

1. What is Barsad doing in France?
2. Were French police in league with the revolutionists? What shows this idea?
3. What fate is in store for Barsad?
4. What made DeFarge depressed?
5. What reasoning did his wife use?
6. What is the function of the rose?
7. What does Madame’s description mean?
8. How successful is Barsad in trying to get information about the people’s attitude about the assassin Gaspard’s execution?
9. Explain DeFarge’s reaction to being addressed as Jacques.
10. What effect did Barsad’s news of the approaching marriage of Miss Manette ad Charles Darnay have upon Monsieur and Madame DeFarge?
11. Does Madame Defarge have any pity?

Chapter 17 – One Night

1. What does Dr. Manette tell Lucie?
2. What kind of wedding will it be?
3. Where will Lucie and Charles live after the wedding?

Chapter 18 – Nine Days

1. Whom had Miss Pross hoped would marry Lucie?
2. Where is the honeymoon to be spent?
3. What did Dr. Manette do after the bridal couple had left?
4. Who watches over the doctor?
5. How long did Dr. Manette remain thus?

Chapter 19 – An Opinion

1. Did Dr. Manette think it would happen again?
2. What becomes of the shoemaking tools, leather, and bench?
3. Is it with Dr. Manette’s permission?

Chapter 20 – A Plea

1. What does Carton ask of Darnay?
2. What does Darnay reply?
3. How does Lucie feel about Carton?

Chapter 21- Echoing Footsteps

1. Why the title of this chapter?
2. What did Stryver ask Darnay, and what did Darnay answer?
3. What is Stryver’s comment?
4. What happens in Paris?
5. What cell did DeFarge demand to see?
6. How many prisoners are released?

Chapter 22 – The Sea Still Rises

1. What news does DeFarge bring to the wine shop?
2. What is done to the victims of the mob?
3. What did Madame DeFarge mean by her reply – “Eh, well, almost”—to DeFarge’s remark, “At last it is come, my dear! ?

Chapter 23 – Fire Rises

1. What is the tocsin?
2. What happens at the chateau?

Chapter 24- Drawn to the Loadstone Rock

1. What is a “loadstone”?
2. Where does the French nobles gather in London?
3. Who is going to Paris to retrieve bank records?
4. Who is going with him, and in what capacity?
5. How does Stryver feel about the French nobles?
6. What was in the letter addressed to the Marquis St. Evermonde, and who wrote it?
7. What did Darnay do?
8. What task did Darnay entrust to Mr. Lorry?
9. What two letters did Darnay write?