A Tale of Two Cities

1. What specific examples does Dickens give to show that both England and France were struggling with crime and injustice?

2. Why do you think the rulers in both countries couldn't see the warning signs of coming trouble, even when problems were happening right in front of them?

3. Why does everyone on the mail coach act so suspicious of each other, even though they're all just trying to get where they're going?

4. What makes the guard's hypervigilance rational rather than paranoid in this situation?

5. What does Dickens mean when he says every person is a 'profound secret and mystery to every other'? How do we see this play out with the three travelers in the coach?

6. Why does Dickens use so much imagery about banks, vaults, and buried treasure when describing human relationships? What connection is he making?

7. Why does Mr. Lorry call himself a 'mere machine' when talking to Lucie about her father?

8. What does Lorry's careful grooming and preparation reveal about how he handles difficult situations?

9. What does the broken wine cask scene reveal about the living conditions in Saint Antoine, and why do people scramble for wine mixed with mud?

10. Why does Defarge show the imprisoned doctor to his revolutionary friends, and what effect is this supposed to have on them?

11. What physical signs show us that Dr. Manette has been broken by his imprisonment, and what one thing does he still keep from his past life?

12. Why does seeing Lucie's golden hair trigger something in Dr. Manette when nothing else Mr. Lorry tried worked?

13. Why does Jerry Cruncher get so angry when his wife prays, and what do his muddy morning boots suggest about his nighttime activities?

14. How does Jerry's behavior demonstrate the pattern of blaming others when we feel guilty about our own choices?

15. Why does Dickens describe the Old Bailey courthouse as a 'deadly inn-yard' and what does this tell us about how justice was delivered in 18th-century England?