A Tale of Two Cities Study Q's

1.  Where does the novel take place, and in what time period?

-England & France in 1775

2.  Describe the journey of the three travelers.

-Making their way to Dover in late November of 1775, the dangerous journey forces the travelers to hike alongside their carriage.

3.  Who does Mr. Lorry meet in his dreams while riding in the mail coach?

-He imagines visiting a ghost's grave, whose body has lain buried for over eighteen years.  Informing the ghost that he had been recalled to life, Mr. Lorry repeatedly asks him if he cares to live.

4.  Why does Mr. Lorry travel to the Royal George Hotel in Dover?

-Arriving as a well-dressed businessman of 60, he is scheduled to meet Lucie Manette from London there.

5.  What news does Mr. Lorry deliver to Lucie?

-Lucie had believed her father to be dead, but the Lorry reveals to her the news that he has been found alive.

6.  Where do Mr. Lorry and Lucie travel together to meet Lucie's father?

-Saint Antoine, Paris

7.  Once in Paris, where does the couple go?

-They enter a wine shop owned by Monsieur Defarge.  Defarge leads Mr. Lorry and Lucie to a steep staircase, which they climb and go to the back of the hall.

8.  What do Lucie and Mr. Lorry find upstairs?

-A white-haired man sits busily making shoes.

9.  How does the shoe-maker turn out to be?

-The shoe maker is Lucie's father, however, he no longer remembers his identity.

10.  What makes the shoe-maker remember who he is?

-As Lucie leans down to talk to her father, the sight of her golden curls allows him to remember his identity.  He keeps a knot of rag around his neck that holds a similar golden curl, which is likely to be Lucie's.