A Tale of Two Cities: A Reader's Guide to the Charles Dickens Novel

By Robert Crayola

A Tale of Two Cities is the bestselling novel of all time. With this new guide, you will have an even greater understanding of the book. Included in this guide: a biography of author Charles Dickens, a look at the book's context, its literary elements, detailed chapter summaries, analysis, and suggestions for essays. This is the definitive guide to A Tale of Two Cities -- concise, easy to understand, and guaranteed to add to your enjoyment of this classic story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Crayola
• Release date: Feb 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311327949

Robert Crayola

Robert Crayola is the author of numerous educational guides and videos, plus the following works: COMICS Prince Pander (2014) The Pubic War (2015) Batman LSD: The Living Nightmare (2016) Star Wars: Vader & Son (2016) ILLUSTRATED BOOKS & STORIES William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience (2011) The Little Girl and the Little Boy (2016) The Past is Still Happening (2016) There Is No Government (2016) SHORT FICTION Savage Tales (2013) DRAMA 18 Plays For Untalented Actors (2012) NONFICTION Cheat Codes For Life (2010) FICTION Dr. Jew (2010) Ueda Sensei Solves Crimes of Depravity and Perversity (2011) Ueda Sensei Vomits on the Garbage of Humanity (2012) Ueda Sensei Castrates the Insidious Underground (2013) SHORT TEXTS Prayer Magic: Conversations With Reality (2008) Vipassana Meditation: My Experiences at a 10-Day Retreat (2012) ALBUMS Alpha Cat (2011)

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A Tale of Two Cities:

A Reader's Guide to the Charles Dickens Novel

by Robert Crayola

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014 Robert Crayola

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/robertcrayola

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CONTENTS

Introduction

The Elements of Literature

Context: The French Revolution

Major Characters

Chapter Summaries & Commentary

Critical Questions & Essay Topics

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

Since its publication in 1859, A Tale of Two Cities has become one of Charles Dickens's most well-known works. It has sold over 200 million copies (making it the bestselling novel of all time), and been adapted into movies, radio dramas, TV shows, stage productions, comics, and an opera. It has some of the most famous lines ever written in the English language, and its characters, particularly the reluctant hero Sydney Carton, are among the most beloved of Dickens's creations. Originally published in weekly installments in magazine format, the book comes together as a powerful whole.

This guide is designed to help you navigate this remarkable book. The modern reader faces hurdles that a 19th-century reader didn't face. This guide will put the book in context, clarify difficult terms and passages, and give you easy access to the story. All important plot details will be revealed in this guide, so if you don't want spoilers read the book first and then use this guide for deeper understanding.

Before we look at the novel itself, let's examine the life of its author, Charles Dickens.

AUTHOR: Charles John Huffam Dickens was born in Portsmouth (the south of England) on February 7, 1812, the second of eight children. He had a great love of reading growing up, and enjoyed a generally good childhood. His father was a clerk however, and accumulated debts that forced him into debtors' prison. Most of Dickens's family joined the father in prison (a common practice then), but Charles stayed out to work ten-hour days to help the family pay off their debt. This harsh boyhood, spent laboring in poor conditions at a warehouse, would influence his fiction for the rest of his life. He would use the memories to criticize child labor.

An inheritance eventually allowed Dickens's father to be released from prison. Dickens returned to school and went on to work as a clerk until he was able to begin employment as a reporter. He published under the name Boz, and with the publication of The Pickwick Papers in 1836-37, he caught the public eye.

Dickens launched into numerous projects after this, writing novels, plays, and editing. He married Catherine Hogarth in 1836, and their first child was born the year after.

His growing popular success allowed him to journey to the United States, where he was also popular. He wrote American Notes from these experiences, and was decidedly critical of slavery.

Dickens's later novels showed less comic elements and more serious themes, making him the chief social critic of his day. He continued to write novels heavily, while also participating in theater productions. It was at this time that he fell in love with the actress Ellen Ternan. He made the decision to separate from his wife, despite having ten children with her and going strongly against conventions of the era. The exact nature of his relationship with Ellen Ternan remains debated to this day.

In 1865 Dickens was a passenger in a train crash. He survived with little harm, but the trauma from the crash had a great effect on him, reducing his output. His final work was The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which went uncompleted. After a series of health complications, he suffered a stroke in 1870 and died the next day. He was interred at Westminster Abbey.

THE ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE

STRUCTURE: The novel is divided into three sections (referred to as books), totaling 45 chapters.

SETTING: The two cities referred to in the title are London, England, and Paris, France. They are the