Setting & History
These are the two cities in which the novel primarily takes place.
What are Paris and London?
Dr. Manette spent eighteen years imprisoned in this famous French prison.
What is the Bastille?
She is Dr. Manette's loving daughter and represents hope, kindness, and compassion.
Who is Lucie Manette?
This theme is demonstrated when Sydney Carton gives his life to save Charles Darnay.
What is sacrifice?
This word means a lack of fairness between individuals or groups.
What is inequality?
This major historical event provides the background for the novel.
What is the French Revolution?
Charles Darnay rejects his family's title and wealth because his family gained its power through these actions.
What are cruelty and injustice?
He initially believes he is worthless and has wasted his life, but eventually makes the greatest sacrifice in the novel.
Who is Sydney Carton?
This theme is demonstrated when the French peasants suffer under the wealthy aristocracy and eventually rise up against them.
What are inequality and oppression?
This word describes the ability to recover from difficult experiences and continue moving forward.
What is resilience?
This wealthy social class held power and privilege before the revolution.
What is the aristocracy?
This is the reason Charles Darnay is arrested when he returns to France during the Revolution.
What is his aristocratic family background?
He rejects his aristocratic family's wealth because he believes people should be judged by their actions rather than their social position.
Who is Charles Darnay?
This theme involves the difference between punishing wrongdoing fairly and hurting others because of anger.
What are justice and revenge?
This word means cruel or unfair treatment that limits another person's freedom.
What is oppression?
This city represents greater stability and the rule of law, in contrast to the violence and disorder of revolutionary France.
What is London?
This document reveals the terrible crimes committed by the Evrémonde brothers and helps explain Dr. Manette's imprisonment.
What is Dr. Manette's written account of the Evrémonde family's crimes?
She seeks revenge against the Evrémonde family because of the terrible crimes committed against her family.
Who is Madame DeFarge?
This theme is demonstrated when Dr. Manette recovers from his imprisonment and when Sydney Carton finds meaning in his life through his final actions.
What is resurrection or transformation?
This word describes the process of becoming free from guilt, blame, or wrongdoing.
What is redemption?
Dickens describes hunger, poverty, and suffering among the French peasants to explain why this event, which is seen as the beginning of the French Revolution, took place.
What is the storming of the Bastille?
At the end of the novel, Sydney Carton saves Charles Darnay by doing this.
What is taking Darnay's place at the guillotine?
After eighteen years in prison, this character struggles psychologically and returns to making shoes, but gradually recovers through his daughter's love and support.
Who is Dr. Manette?
Dickens suggests that a revolution can begin as a response to legitimate injustice but become destructive when this desire takes control of people.
What is revenge?
This word describes punishment or revenge for wrongdoing.
What is retribution?