A TALE OF TWO

BOOK 2 CITIES

Analysis
“Stranger things than
that will happen when it Book 2 of A tale of two cities gives us an insight on what will be happening in
does come,” answered the future of characters present in this book.The title “The golden thread”
madame. “I have them
both here, of a certainty; refers to Lucie manette who connects her family together like a thread and
and they are both here how this part of the book revolves around her.
for their merits; that is
enough.” Lucie may not be the character who gets the most screen time in this novel,
but Dickens makes sure that we all know she’s its heart. Lucie unites Sydney
to Charles, Doctor Manette to Charles, and Mr. Lorry to the family in general.
Lucie becomes the reason that Charles escapes the grasp of the Republic’s
"justice."

Book Two takes place five years after the events of Book One. It
focuses on Charles Darnay, a French emigrant who denounces his
aristocratic heritage for a new life in England. Darnay, whose real
surname is Evrémonde, is on trial for treason—but is spared by the
intervention of Sydney Carton, a young, alcoholic attorney who
happens to be nearly identical to Darnay. Dr. Manette, who made a
full recovery from his trauma-induced memory loss, builds a
successful medical practice in his home near Soho. Darnay, unaware
that his father and uncle were responsible for Dr. Manette’s long
imprisonment, falls in love with Lucie Manette, and the two marry.
The novel’s preoccupation with revolutionary sentiment deepens as
the French peasantry buckles under increasing oppression from the
aristocracy. The French Revolution begins, and Darnay decides to
rescue his uncle’s longtime servant, Monsieur Gabette, from Paris.
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Themes:
Imprisonment: Nearly every character in the novel battles against some form of imprisonment. In the
case of Doctor Manette and Charles Darnay, this imprisonment is quite literal. But subtler, psychological
confines torture other characters as much as any stone cell. Sydney Carton, for instance, cannot seem to
escape his listlessness. Darnay struggles to free himself from the legacy of his family history. Lorry tries to
unshackle his heart from its enslavement to Tellson’s Bank. Finally, although Manette long ago escaped the
Bastille, in this section he battles the tormenting memories of his years there.

Love and sacrifice:Lucie manettes love for her father does not diminish and she devotedly serves her
father by taking care of him in his old age.Similar love and devotion can be seen in Sydney Carton.Cartons
love is more romantic ,rather than that given to family.His love towards Lucie is pure and honest. He vows to
protect and sacrifice anything for her and her loved ones.

Revolution: Much of the action of A Tale of Two Cities takes place in Paris during the French
Revolution, which began in 1789. In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens shows how the tyranny of the French
aristocracy—high taxes, unjust laws, and a complete disregard for the well-being of the poor—fed a
rage among the commoners that eventually erupted in revolution. Dickens depicts this process most
clearly through his portrayal of the decadent Marquis St. Evrémonde and the Marquis' cruel treatment
of the commoners who live in the region under his control.

Stylistic Devices:
Symbolism and imagery:
Lucies golden hair: Lucie is the "golden-haired doll" who charms just about everyone she meets with her
beauty. She’s got yellow hair, as you’ve probably guessed. More interestingly, however, Dickens uses her
hair color as an image that binds her family together. She becomes the "golden thread" that unites her father
with his present, not allowing him to dwell too much on the horrors of his past.

Knitting: When we first meet Madame DeFarge, she is described as knitting quietly while other events go on around
her. Later in the story, we know that she is actually one of the main villains of the story, and that her knitting has a
sinister aspect. We later discover that she is knitting a registry of all who are enemies of the Revolution.
Another symbolic use of the idea of knitting is that of the Fates from Greek mythology. These goddesses were in
charge of weaving the thread of life that determined each child's lot in life. They also determined the time of death. In
some way, Madame DeFarge is knitting the fate of doomed men of France as she knits their names into her registry.
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