A Tale of Two Cities
109: “it is your deliberate opinion that the young lady at present in question is a mincing Fool?” for not marrying the emblem of all perfection, Stryver? J He is so clueless, self-centered, and rude.
113: “Young women have committed similar follies often before, and have repented them in poverty and obscurity often before. In an unselfish aspect, I am sorry that the thing is dropped, because it would have been a bad thing for me in a worldly point of view. In a selfish aspect, I am sorry that the thing is dropped, because it would have been a bad thing for me in a worldly point of view.” He turns it so her likely rejection of him has become his rejection of her, as if Mr. Lorry had advised him not to propose because Lucie were troublesome, instead of the truth that Mr. Lorry advised him not to propose because Lucie wasn’t interested in Stryver.
115: “I am like one who died young. All my life might have been.” Carton
115-116: “all you can ever do for me is done. I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul. . . I have had unformed ideas of striving afresh, beginning anew, shaking off sloth and sensuality, and fighting out the abandoned fight . . . but I wish you to know that you inspired it.”
117: “In the hour of my death, I shall hold sacred the one good remembrance—and shall thank you and bless you for it” Carton
117: “When you see your own bright beauty springing up anew at your feet, think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you.” Carton
Ironic contrast in chapter titles: Stryver sees himself as a fellow of delicacy because he finesses his proposal and then avoids it by thinking he’s saved himself, when really Mr. Lorry has saved Lucie from an awkward moment. Really, Stryver is rude and abrupt and has no delicacy.
Carton sees himself as being without delicacy and without hope, but in this chapter, he reveals his true self, confesses his love for Lucie, but asks for nothing in return, except that she keep his secret that he loves her from a far and would do anything to save her or someone she loves
In truth, Stryver = no delicacy , Carton = delicacy, but titled the opposite
Ironic title again: what is Jerry’s job? Repetition of honest. Fishing metaphor p. 123: “The fished with a spade at first. . .”
Why is his wife always praying against his success?
Goes to dig up the coffin of Roger Cly (testified against Darnay), but finds it empty.
Mender of Roads is recruited into the Jacquerie. Tells the story of how Gaspard is hung for the murder of the Marquis. Hung over the well so the water is poisoned and the entire town suffers. 131
132: “the shadow struck across the church, across the mill, across the prison—seemed to strike across the earth, messieurs, to where the sky rests upon it!” shadow of the gallows
132: “To be registered as doomed to destruction . . . The chateau and all the race”
“Knitted, in her own stitches and her own symbols, it will always be as plain to her as the sun . . . the knitted register of Madame Defarge.” What is the register?
John Barsad the spy visits the wine shop and can’t get any info out of the Defarges, but he reveals to them that Lucie will marry Charles Darnay, nephew and heir to the Marquis.
142: “after all our sympathy for Monsieur her father, and herself, her husband’s name should be proscribed under your hand at this moment, by the side of that infernal dog’s who has just left us?” Defarge cannot persuade his wife that perhaps the register should be amended. What does this suggest for the future?