A Tale Of Two Cities

A Tale Of Two Cities

by Charles Dickens

The Intro (1775) 

by Jarvis Lorry

A Tale of Two Cities is a book with a lot of twist and turns with a very surprising conclusion. It starts off with the introduction of I, Jarvis Lorry. I am described as a "business man of 60," I was given notice that I must meet Lucie Manette from Jerry Cruncher while on his journey to Dover, England. When Lucie and Lorry meet he has word that her father, Mr.Manette, is alive and that she can bring him back to life through love and compassion. Stunned at the news Lucie passes out. You'll come to find out that I play a major role in putting the family back together.

Meanwhile in France 

by Lucie Manette

The changes setting from Dover, England to a Saint Antoine, a poor suburb of Paris. Here we meet two characters, Mr. and Mrs.Defarge. The Defarges own a wine shop in this poor suburb. Lorry and I enter the wine shop and are eyed by the Defarges. Mr.Defarge pretends to not see us and continues talking to the 3 men he was having a conversation with, using the code name "Jacques." After a short while he sends the 3 men up to a chamber on the fifth floor of the wine shop. When he sees this, Lorry asks if he can speak with Mr.Defarge and after a few exchange of words, Lorry and I are led up a series of steep stairs. There they see the 3 men from earlier, eyeing Mr.Manette in his filthy quarters. Mr.Defarge says he shows this "to whom the sight is likely to do good." Defarge opens the door and reveals Mr.Manette, described a white- haired man, busily making shoes.

When asked his name, Mr.Manette says, "One Hundred and Five, North Tower." I approaches him, and he notices my golden blonde hair, and opens a knot of rag that he wears around his neck, where he keeps a strand of similar golden hair. At first Mr. Manette mistakes me for  for his wife. After an elaborate exchange of words, Manette breaks down. I urge that arrangements are made for his departure to England. Due to Manette's bad health, Lorry protest, but Lucie says that it is safer than a continued stay in Paris. Defarge agrees and gets the group into a coach.

Five Years Later 

by Charles Darnay

We jump ahead and it's now 1780. We begin to learn about Jerry Cruncher, a Tellson's bank employee. We see how interacts with his family and what his daily life is like. In this particular scene he is described to live in a small apartment, in a bad London neighborhood. He starts the day by yelling at his wife because she sees her praying and thinks that she is praying against him. At about 9 am, Cruncher and his young son camp outside Tellson's Bank, where they wait for the bankers' instructions. When Cruncher receives a message he leaves to do the job, while his son sits there, wondering why is father's fingers are always rusty.

The bank clerk tells Cruncher to go to the Courthouse and wait for further instruction from Lorry. In this scene you are introduced to me. I am standing trial for treason. I am being charged for releasing information to the King of France, saying that England plans to send armed troops to fight in the American colonies.

Mr.Stryver is in the middle of cross-examining witness's when he gets handed a note from his young colleague, Sydney Carton. Stryver argues whats on the note which brings the courts attention to how similar Darnay and Carton look. This means that the court is unable to identify me as a spy, so the jury leaves to converse and returns with an acquittal for me.

Doctor Manette, Lucie, Lorry, Stryver, and I leave the courtroom. I kiss Lucie's hand and then thank Stryver for his work. Lucie and Stryver exit, and Sydney Carton joins the group, drunk as always. Lorry gets mad at him because he doesn't take his job seriously. The group breaks and Carton and I go to a tavern. When the reach the tavern, Carton says "Is is worth being tried for one's life, to be the object or sympathy and compassion..?" I tell him that he's been drinking to which he replies with "I am a disappointed drudge sir. I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me."

REVOLUTION!!!!

by Mr.Defarge

Travel through France proves tough for Darnay. Hostile revolutionaries often stop Darnay to question him. Upon his arrival, revolutionaries confine him to a prison called La Force. The guards hand Darnay over to me with the instructions "In secret." I ask him why he chose to return to France in the age of "that sharp female newly-born...." (Guillotine reference).

Fearing that Lucie and Manettes's presence could compromise the bank's business, Lorry rushes Lucie, her daughter and Miss Pross to a nearby lodging. Jerry Cruncher is left to guard them. Back at Tellson's I approach Lorry with a message from Manette. Following his instruction's Lorry leads me to Lucie. I give her a note from the imprisoned Darnay, which urges her to be positive. Lucie turns to Madame Defarge and begs her to show Darnay mercy. My wife coldly says that the revolution will not stop for the sake of Lucie or her family.

During this time, revolution has sparked in France. We are revolting against all the wealthy land owners that impoverished us and left the wealth for themselves. With the introduction of our new weapon, the Guillotine, mass extermination of the rich has been relatively easy.

Final Hour

by Sydney Carton

Charles Darnay has been tried and found guilty due to the wrong doings of his family. After the hearing he is rushed back to his cell where he is awaiting execution the following. Lucie gets to hug him one last time, and then I escort her back to her apartment. I tell Manette to try and influence the rebels one last time with the prosecutors and then meet me at Tellson's. Even though me and Lorry feel certain that there is no hope for Darnay.

I go to the Defarge's wine shop. The Defarges are stunned at how much I resemble Darnay. I over hear Madame Defarge's plan to accuse Lucie of spying and her daughter. Defarge himself thinks that her plan isn't necessary. But she wants to kill the heirs because Darnay's uncles killed her parents.

When I make it back to Tellson's I tell them that they have to leave quickly. Alone in the street that night, I uttered a final good-bye and blessing to the love of my life, Lucie.

52 people have been chosen to die the next day. Darnay is prepared to meet his death bravely. I appear at the door to Darnay's cell. I trick Darnay into switching clothes with me, wrote a letter of explanation, and the I drug him. I order John Barsad to take Darnay to the carriage waiting outside Tellson's Bank. At 2 pm gaurds take me from my cell and i wait in a long line. A poor seamstress, falsely sentenced to death realizes that I am not Darnay and asks, "Are you dying for him?" I reply "and his wife and child." Me and the young seamstress meet the guillotine. She kisses me and goes calmly to her death. I then go to mine. My closing words, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known."

Madame Defarge's Cartoon's

Hand drawn picture of the Revolution

The Decapitation of Sydney Carton