A Tale of Two Cities Study Questions for Book the Second
1. Describe Tellson’s bank.
It is old fashioned, dark, and ugly; “the triumphant perfection of inconvenience.”
2. What job did Jerry perform for the bank?
He performed odd jobs and was the messenger.
3. What did Jerry object to his wife doing?
He objects to his wife praying because he thinks she is praying against him..
4. What is the Old Bailey?
The Old Bailey is the courthouse.
5. Describe Charles Darnay. Of what is he accused?
Darnay is 25 years old, handsome, and has dark hair and eyes..
6. What were the people in the courtroom hoping for?
The people are hoping for an execution..
7. Who are John Barsad and Roger Cly?
They are paid witnesses, but they are also spies.
8. Explain how Stryver was able to get Darnay acquitted.
He discredited the witnesses and presented a witness who looked like Darnay.
9. What is still bothering Dr. Manette?
He still worries about the time he spent in prison.
10. Why did Mr. Lorry become angry with Mr. Carton?
He becomes angry because Carton indicates he had no use for businessmen.
11. What is the relationship of Stryver and Carton?
Stryver is the pompous barrister (lawyer). Carton, who does the work, is ignored.
12. Why is Carton so disconsolate?
He feels very unworthy and discouraged about himself.
13. Who lives in a house by Soho Square?
The Manettes
14. How does Dr. Manette now spend his days?
He spends his days seeing patients.
15. Who is Solomon, and what happened to him?
Solomon is Miss Pross’s brother who took all her money and disappeared.
16. What upsetting news did Charles bring Dr. Manette?
Charles tells Dr. Manette that a letter had been found in an old dungeon.
17. What does the chocolate in chapter 7 symbolize?
The life of leisure led by the wealthy.
18. What tragic accident took place in Saint Antoine?
A child was killed by a racing carriage owned by the Marquis. The Marquis only
stops to check and see if his horses are unharmed.
19. What do the Defarges do in the midst of this accident?
Mr. Defarge tries to comfort Gaspard and throws the coins back into the carriage of
the Marquis while Mme. Defarge knits.
20. Who is the nephew of the Marquis?
Charles Darnay.
21. How are the Marquis and his nephew different?
The Marquis is heartless and cold; he only cares about material wealth. Charles
has relinquished his inheritance because he hates how the peasants are treated.
22. What happens to the Marquis?
He is stabbed (killed) by Gaspard, the father of the child run over by the Marquis’s
carriage. He leaves a note signed by “Jacques.”
23. How is Charles Darnay making a living? Why must he work?
He is a French teacher (tutor); he must work like everyone else since he
relinquished his inheritance.
24. What promise does Darnay make to Dr. Manette?
He will reveal his family name on the morning of his wedding day.
25. What does Dr. Manette do after Charles leaves?
He begins hammering at his shoemaker’s bench.
26. What do we learn about Stryver in chapter 11?
He wants to marry Lucie. He asks Lorry about this prospect.
27. What news did Mr. Lorry have for Stryver?
He told him it would not be a good idea to propose to Lucie.
28. What does Carton ask of Lucie?
He asks her to keep his confession a secret.
29. What does Carton’s confession reveal about his personality?
He is sensitive, romantic, and has low self-esteem.
30. What promise does Carton make to Lucie?
He will lay down his life for her or one she loves.
31. Whose funeral occurs in chapter 14?
The funeral of Roger Cly.
32. What does Jerry Cruncher do for his second income? What does he say he is doing?
He is a grave robber, but he tells his family he is going fishing.
33. Why do you think Jerry beat his wife in chapter 14?
He thinks she is responsible for his grave robbing not going as planned.
34. What story does the mender of roads relate?
He tells about the execution of Gaspard.
35. Who came into the wine shop and what news does he bring?
John Barsad comes into the wine shop to tell them that Charles Darnay is going to
marry Lucie Manette.
36. Does Mme Defarge trust him? How do you know?
No, she picks up the rose when he enters the tavern, and she does not reveal her
sympathy for the revolution.
37. How does Lucie’s father feel about her marriage?
He feels happy for her but sorry for himself.
38. Where will Dr. Manette live after the wedding?
He will live at the house in Soho with Charles and Lucie.
39. What did Charles Darnay tell Dr. Manette the morning of the wedding? How did it affect
the doctor?
He revealed his true family name. Dr. Manette becomes pale and later has a
relapse.
40. What did Sydney Carton ask of Darnay?
He asks to be friends with him so he can be close to Lucie and her family.
41. What did Lucie have to say about Carton? What did she ask of Charles?
She thinks Carton is kind and has potential. She asks Charles to befriend him.
42. How many children have Lucie and Charles had? What tragedy occurred involving one of
the children?
They have two children – one daughter, Little Lucie and one son, but the son dies.
43. What happens in France during this time?
The revolution begins – The Storming of the Bastille.
44. Why do you think Defarge searched 105 North Tower?
He knew that was Manette’s old prison cell.
45. What is Mme. Defarge’s role in the revolution?
She leads the women and beheads a guard.
46. Who is The Vengeance?
Madame Defarge’s right hand woman who is very mean.
47. Why was Foulon hated so much?
He once told the people to eat grass.
48. Who is Gabelle? What happened to him?
He is the tax collector, postmaster, and caretaker of the chateau; he is captured and
jailed.
49. What has Mr. Lorry decided to do?
He will go to Paris to protect Tellson’s bank
50. Who writes to Charles from France? What does he want?
Gabelle writes to Charles to help him gain his release from prison
51. What is Charles’ “Loadstone Rock”?
France
It is old fashioned, dark, and ugly; “the triumphant perfection of inconvenience.”
2. What job did Jerry perform for the bank?
He performed odd jobs and was the messenger.
3. What did Jerry object to his wife doing?
He objects to his wife praying because he thinks she is praying against him..
4. What is the Old Bailey?
The Old Bailey is the courthouse.
5. Describe Charles Darnay. Of what is he accused?
Darnay is 25 years old, handsome, and has dark hair and eyes..
6. What were the people in the courtroom hoping for?
The people are hoping for an execution..
7. Who are John Barsad and Roger Cly?
They are paid witnesses, but they are also spies.
8. Explain how Stryver was able to get Darnay acquitted.
He discredited the witnesses and presented a witness who looked like Darnay.
9. What is still bothering Dr. Manette?
He still worries about the time he spent in prison.
10. Why did Mr. Lorry become angry with Mr. Carton?
He becomes angry because Carton indicates he had no use for businessmen.
11. What is the relationship of Stryver and Carton?
Stryver is the pompous barrister (lawyer). Carton, who does the work, is ignored.
12. Why is Carton so disconsolate?
He feels very unworthy and discouraged about himself.
13. Who lives in a house by Soho Square?
The Manettes
14. How does Dr. Manette now spend his days?
He spends his days seeing patients.
15. Who is Solomon, and what happened to him?
Solomon is Miss Pross’s brother who took all her money and disappeared.
16. What upsetting news did Charles bring Dr. Manette?
Charles tells Dr. Manette that a letter had been found in an old dungeon.
17. What does the chocolate in chapter 7 symbolize?
The life of leisure led by the wealthy.
18. What tragic accident took place in Saint Antoine?
A child was killed by a racing carriage owned by the Marquis. The Marquis only
stops to check and see if his horses are unharmed.
19. What do the Defarges do in the midst of this accident?
Mr. Defarge tries to comfort Gaspard and throws the coins back into the carriage of
the Marquis while Mme. Defarge knits.
20. Who is the nephew of the Marquis?
Charles Darnay.
21. How are the Marquis and his nephew different?
The Marquis is heartless and cold; he only cares about material wealth. Charles
has relinquished his inheritance because he hates how the peasants are treated.
22. What happens to the Marquis?
He is stabbed (killed) by Gaspard, the father of the child run over by the Marquis’s
carriage. He leaves a note signed by “Jacques.”
23. How is Charles Darnay making a living? Why must he work?
He is a French teacher (tutor); he must work like everyone else since he
relinquished his inheritance.
24. What promise does Darnay make to Dr. Manette?
He will reveal his family name on the morning of his wedding day.
25. What does Dr. Manette do after Charles leaves?
He begins hammering at his shoemaker’s bench.
26. What do we learn about Stryver in chapter 11?
He wants to marry Lucie. He asks Lorry about this prospect.
27. What news did Mr. Lorry have for Stryver?
He told him it would not be a good idea to propose to Lucie.
28. What does Carton ask of Lucie?
He asks her to keep his confession a secret.
29. What does Carton’s confession reveal about his personality?
He is sensitive, romantic, and has low self-esteem.
30. What promise does Carton make to Lucie?
He will lay down his life for her or one she loves.
31. Whose funeral occurs in chapter 14?
The funeral of Roger Cly.
32. What does Jerry Cruncher do for his second income? What does he say he is doing?
He is a grave robber, but he tells his family he is going fishing.
33. Why do you think Jerry beat his wife in chapter 14?
He thinks she is responsible for his grave robbing not going as planned.
34. What story does the mender of roads relate?
He tells about the execution of Gaspard.
35. Who came into the wine shop and what news does he bring?
John Barsad comes into the wine shop to tell them that Charles Darnay is going to
marry Lucie Manette.
36. Does Mme Defarge trust him? How do you know?
No, she picks up the rose when he enters the tavern, and she does not reveal her
sympathy for the revolution.
37. How does Lucie’s father feel about her marriage?
He feels happy for her but sorry for himself.
38. Where will Dr. Manette live after the wedding?
He will live at the house in Soho with Charles and Lucie.
39. What did Charles Darnay tell Dr. Manette the morning of the wedding? How did it affect
the doctor?
He revealed his true family name. Dr. Manette becomes pale and later has a
relapse.
40. What did Sydney Carton ask of Darnay?
He asks to be friends with him so he can be close to Lucie and her family.
41. What did Lucie have to say about Carton? What did she ask of Charles?
She thinks Carton is kind and has potential. She asks Charles to befriend him.
42. How many children have Lucie and Charles had? What tragedy occurred involving one of
the children?
They have two children – one daughter, Little Lucie and one son, but the son dies.
43. What happens in France during this time?
The revolution begins – The Storming of the Bastille.
44. Why do you think Defarge searched 105 North Tower?
He knew that was Manette’s old prison cell.
45. What is Mme. Defarge’s role in the revolution?
She leads the women and beheads a guard.
46. Who is The Vengeance?
Madame Defarge’s right hand woman who is very mean.
47. Why was Foulon hated so much?
He once told the people to eat grass.
48. Who is Gabelle? What happened to him?
He is the tax collector, postmaster, and caretaker of the chateau; he is captured and
jailed.
49. What has Mr. Lorry decided to do?
He will go to Paris to protect Tellson’s bank
50. Who writes to Charles from France? What does he want?
Gabelle writes to Charles to help him gain his release from prison
51. What is Charles’ “Loadstone Rock”?
France