December 2, 2005
To do this exercise today, you need to have the WWW.LMSRiptides.com site open and the Dickenss site open. Just split your screen. You also need to have Word open to type out your answers. Do your artwork on a separate sheet of art paper.
As we launch off into the world of Dickens, let's pause a minute and study the man who wrote this and other masterpieces. Go to this site
and read the six sessions. When you open the site select the link, "Life of the Author" under the heading "Life and Family." (http://www.helsinki.fi/kasv/nokol/dickens.html).
Session One:
Answer a few questions:
1. Where was Dickens born?
2. What was his father like?
3. What was his most humiliating moment as a young boy?
4. Sketch the face of the young Dickens. (We will compare it to his time-worn face later).
Session Two:
1. Name several ways the young Dickens entertained himself and his co-workers.
2. What metaphor does Dickens use to describe his aspirations for success with his first book, Sketches of Boz.
3. What was the epithet used by Dickens of himself in his book?
4. What was the epithet of his long time illustrator?
5. Quote Miss Mitford's comments about The Pickwick Club.
6. Sketch Dicken's wife.
Novel Questions:
Book I--Chapters 1-6:
1. Relate one incident of violence in these "worst of times."
2. Why did Jerry, the horseman, stop the mail coach?
3. What did the message say and what do you think it meant?
4. What was the banker dreaming about as he rode the mail coach to Dover?
5. Where is Dover?
6. Explain this sentence: "There will be a packet to Calais tomorrow, drawer?" p.24.
7. Name the hotel in Dover where Mr. Jarvis Lorry resided and the name of his particular room.
8. Miss Manette is described on page 27. Sketch a picture of this very important character labeling her key features on the drawing.
9. Explain the good news about Lucy Mannette's father presented to her by Mr. Lorry.
10. Name the suburb where the casket of red wine was spilled.
11. Explain this quote on page 38: "But the time was not come yet; and every wind that blew over France shook the rags of the scarecrows in vain, for the birds, fine of song and feather, took no warning."
12. Sketch the wine-keeper and his wife labeling the descriptive elements mentioned in the novel (39-40).
13. Where was Dr. Manette?
14. Why did Monsieur Defarge become angry when he led Jarvis Lorry and Lucy to the room?
15. What was Dr. Manette doing in his secluded room?
16. Why did the door remain locked to the room he was in?
17. What name did the shoemaker give for himself?
18. Write Dr. Manette's exact words in response to this question: "You remember the place, my father? You remember coming up here?"
Begin January 3--Read one chapter a day until Book Two is completed.
Chapter 1--Five Years Later
1. Describe the mood and setting of Tellson's Bank.
2. What happened when a new young employee joined the bank?
3. Who was Mr. Jerry Cruncher and what did he do?
4. How did Mr. Cruncher interpret the Latin phrase, "Anno Domini"?
5. Sketch a picture of the inside of the bank, especially the teller's area.
6. Why were Cruncher's boots often dirty in the morning?
7. Describe the TONE in the passage on rookie tellers that begins, "Cramped in all kinds of dim cupboards . . ."
8. Define the word "Aggerawayter."
Chapter 2--A Sight
9. Describe the Old Bailey
10. Explain the word, "quartering" often issued by a judge for punishment.
11. What was the purpose of the letter given to Jerry Cruncher by the teller?
12. How did Jerry get Mr. Lorry's attention when he arrived at the Bailey?
13. List 7 adjectives that describe Mr. Charles Darnay.
14. What was the charge against Darnay?
15. What event caused the hard-hearted court-spectators to suddenly feel pity for the prisoner?
16. SOL 8.5.10 What does this figurative language mean in the closing sentence at the end of the chapter: " . . . as Mr. Attorney-General rose to spin the rope, grind the axe, and hammer the nails into the scaffold"?
Chapter 3--A Disappointment
17. State succinctly the Attorney-General's case against Mr. Darnay.
18. State succinctly the Solicitor-General's case.
19. List the witnesses called by the Solicitor-General, Mr. Stryver.
20. How did Mr. Carton discredit the two witnesses?
21. How long did it take the jury to reach a verdict?
22. What was the jury verdict?
1. Here is an ornate hackney coach (Book 2:chapter 4). Go to this site and write down three facts about the origin of the hackney coach.
2. What is the occasion for the coach in chapter 4?
3. Elucidate the character of Sydney Carton based on your glimpses of him in chapters 3-4. Draw traits from both chapters to fully describe him using a Venn Diagram for each chapter.
4. "Bacchanalian propensities" is mentioned in chapter 5. A. Explain the context where this phrase is found. B. Locate the Vocabulary Unit and List where I taught you this word. Unit___/List ____.
5. Write out the sentence with the great "sunflower" simile on the opening page of chapter 5.
6. Explain the metaphor of the "Jackal."
7. Explain how the two lawyers spent the evening together at Stryver's house. What was their study routine?
8. Explain the sad, transitory vision Sydney had as he left Stryver's house. Rewrite these last two paragraphs of chapter 5 in your own words.
Chapter 6
1. Visit Soho Square in London and write down five observations from the panoramic view.
2. Visit Clerkenwell where Mr. Lorry lived and give three historical facts about the area. Click the "history" tab.
3. Describe Miss Pross quoting various lines from the text.
4. What did Miss Pross mean by "hundreds of people"?
5. During the storm everyone sat quietly and head the echo of footsteps. What does this mean and what does it foreshadow?
Chapters 9-10
1. What mythological story is behind the Gorgon's head? Write down two facts from this site about the Gorgon.
2. What symbolism does this figure convey in our story?
3. What is the basic philosophy of the Marquis toward life?
4. How does Darnay differ?
5. What is the meaning of the dagger in the heart mentioned in the last paragraph?
6. Why is Monsieur Gabelle hoisted up "behind a servant on horseback" and swiftly galloped off?
7. What were the two promises made in chapter 10?
Chapters 13-14
1. What did Sydney Carton say to Lucy that was so touching?
2. What unique promise did Carton make to Lucy? Quote the sentence from the book. ("O Miss Manette . . . ").
3. A brief study of Depression: click Understanding Depression--click Look, Listen, Learn--click What Patients Say--Summarize one patient's stituation.
4. What was one small part of Jerry Cruncher's income? ". . . a small part of his income was derived from the pilotage of timid women . . . ".
5. Why was Jerry so interested in funerals?
6. What is a "bear-leader"?
7. Sketch the old church of Saint Pancras.
8. What happened here? (Don't forget to sketch the brick wall and iron fence. Are they mentioned in the book? Why?).
Chapters 15-16
1. Explain the meeting between Defarge and mender of roads as they gathered in the upper room where Dr. Manette used to stay.
2. What was the punishment for Gaspard?
3. Why was Defarge so interested in the tale of the mender of roads?
4. Explain the meaning of the changes of facial expressions on the stone faces of the Marquis's mansion mentioned on the opening page of chapter 16.
5. What information was Barsad trying to collect when he visited the Defarge wine shop?
6. Research the guillotine. Click History and write down three facts about the early use of the guillotine. Then click Construction and sketch the 1792 model.
Chapters 17-19
1. What was Lucy's one worrisome concern about her marriage to Charles?
2. What dreadful matter happened for 9 days?
3. Explain the nature of Dr. Manette's condition during the 9 days.
4. What happened to the shoemaker's bench and why?
Chapters 20-21
1. What was Carton's one request to Charles and why did he make it?
2. Whatever happened to Stryver? Describe his family.
3. What tragedy befell Lucy's son? Quote a sentence or two to explain.
4. What happened at the Bastille? Describe the peasant revolt here.
5. Write three Bastille quiz questions from this Bastille site.
6. What happened to the governor of the Bastille?
7. Explain this sentence at the end of chapter 21:"But, in the ocean of faces where every fierce and furious expression was in vivid life, there were two groups of faces--seven in number--."
Chapters 22-24
1. Find the first mention of the Hotel de Ville in chapter 23. Quote the sentence.
2. Who was being held there?
3. What kind of place is the Hotel de Ville pictured here?
4. Who was Foulon and what happened to him?
5. What is the connection between grass and Foulon?
6. Why didn't anyone come to help extinguish the fire at the chateau?
7. Why was Gabelle on his rooftop?
8. How much time passes between chapter 23 and 24?
9. Why does Mr. Lorry feel compelled to journey into dangerous Paris?
10. Why does Darnay feel compelled to journey into dangerous Paris?
11. Explain the meaning of this sentence: "Yes. The Loadstone Rock was drawing him, and he must sail on, until he struck. (Scroll down a little on this page).
Here is an engraving of Ajib scaling the Loadstone Rock in the Arabian Nights.
Book 3: The Track of the Storm
Chapters 1-5
1. What decree was recently passed pertaining to emigant property?
2. Which prison was Charles assigned to?
3. Give a brief history of the prison. (Scroll down to the map on this link).
4. What does "in secret" mean as part of Charles' sentence?
5. Sketch a simple diagram of the size of Charles' prison cell.
6. Read and discuss the meaning of the grindstones in the final paragraph of Book 3: Chapter 2.
7. Who were Mr. Lorry's surprise guests in Paris?
8. Copy the contents of the letter Charles wrote to Lucy. "Dearest--. . ."
9. List 3 popular jokes about La Guillotine circulating in Paris (chapter 4).
10. What biblical name was the Guillotine operator called?
11. What is the history of the Carmagnole? Sketch the costume. Find a student learning French and translate one verse of the song.
1. Describe the great tragedy of this chapter and the deeper issues that led to it.
2. How could it have been prevented?
3. Cite several just criticisms of the Monseigneur.
4. How does this character relate to the issues of the French Revolution?
5. What was the chief cause of poverty among the working people?
6. List 5 main taxes coomoners paid?
7. What was the poor woman's petition?
8. Express her petition in your own words as if you were her (75 words).
9. What was the commotion about a man hanging under the carraige?
1. Who does Mr. Stryver plan to marry?
2. What three assets does he think he has to offer a wife?
3. What advice on matrimony does he give to Sydney Carton?
4. Write out Mr. Stryver's wedding proposal for him. Perhaps he will read it to Lucy under a romantic moon. (75 words--very romantic).
5. Mr Stryver wanted to take Lucy to Vauxhall Gardens for his proposal. (Look at the first two black and white pictures of the gardens describing what you see in detail in each photo. ----Next read a little of the history and give three important historical dates in the evolution of the Gardens).
6. What objections did Mr. Lorry have to this idea of marriage between Stryver and Lucy?
7. Mr. Stryver seems to have changed his mind later that night. What happened?
The Conciergerie Prison in Paris. It was part of the first palace of the kings of France. This palace became the first prison in France in 1391 and became famous during the French Revolution: in 1793 and 1794, 2780 men and women were sentenced to death and detained in the Conciergerie until they left for the Concorde square where they were beheaded. Marie-Antoinette, queen of France and sister of the king of Austria, was among them.Chapters 6-8
12. Describe the use of the "great chair" mentioned near of chapter 6.
13. Who were the two witnesses that had caused Charles to be arrested the second time?
14. Explain the "Card Game" detailed in chapter 8. Who were the players and what was the outcome?
Chapters 9-10
15. What one concession did Carton win from the spy, Barsad?
16. Explain this passage?: "Go and see him when he has a good batch. Figure this to yourself, citizen; he shaved the sixty-three to-day, in less than two pipes! Less than two pipes. Word of honour!"
17. What Bible verse is Carton repeating over and over?
18. Sketch the famous bridge that Carton stood upon (p. 319) leading to the Island of Paris.
19. Who were the three accusers of Darnay?
20. Where did Defarge find the incriminating paper he used in court against Charles?
21. Write a 200 word explanation of the contents of the paper found in Dr. Manette's cell. (Extra credit on your book 3 test. Just give it me when you take the test).
Chapter 11-15
22. What relation was Therese Defarge to the dying peasant girl?
23. How did Carton subdue Darnay in his cell?
24. Who discovered Carton's disguise and intention?
25. Describe the confrontation between Madame Defarge and Miss Pross.