10 Questions on A Tale of Two Cities

1.  What two cities is Charles Dickens talking about?

- The two cities are London, England and Paris, France.

2.  When does this novel take place?

- This novel begins in the year 1775, during the French Revolution.

3.  In the beginning of the novel, why doesn't the driver of mail stop Jerry Lorry?

- The Dover mail coach drivers think that Mr. Lorry will rob the passengers.

4.  Where did Lucie think her father was?  What actually happened to Lucie's father?

- Lucie thought her father was dead.  When really, he was imprisoned for 18 years for being a witness to a murder.

5.  What did Doctor Manette do while he was imprisoned?

- He learned the trade of shoe making.

6.  Who is Mr. Lorry?

- Mr. Lorry is a man that delivered a note to Lucie and they both found Lucie's father.

7.  What is the difference between Charles Darnay and Sydney Carlton?

- These two man are completely different.  Sydney Carlton is an alcoholic, indifferent man.  Darnay however, is a very nice, responsible man.

8.  What does the spilled wine mean?

- The word "blood" in spilled wine is a foreshadowing that there might be spilled blood in the streets.

9.  What literary technique does Charles Dickens use in the beginning of the novel?

- He uses anaphora in the very first sentence in the novel.

10.  What are the diction and syntax in A Tale of Two Cities?

- The diction is very colloquial and descriptive.  His sentences were long and he used imagery as a literary technique.