The Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens

Wholeness: In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens expands the Victorian issues of reform, evolution, and self-knowledge to include the extremes of individual and society. The means and need to change for both individual and nation are explored. “Smaller and the smallest, larger than the largest.”

Main Points

A Tale of Two Cities

SCI

1. With the rise of education, the novel was very popular during this era and was used to promote the ideas and causes of the time.          2. Dickens combines realism and idealism to create a diversity of characters in the novel. Some characterizations became caricatures, the exaggeration emphasizing a particular trait and perhaps adding humor.         3. The use of “foils” or doubling allows Dickens to emphasize his important themes. The optimism of the age drives the choices of many of his characters.

1. Growth occurs outwardly (visibly) and inwardly (subtly).      2. In all spheres of living, we see that togetherness of differences is the nature of life.      3. Creative intelligene brings together opposite values--un-manifest and manifest, silent and active (colorless sap analogy).

 

A Tale of Two Cities: Vocabulary Development

From Memorize.com

A Tale of Two Cities Vocabulary 

Group 1 guillotine: wooden structure with a metal blade used for executions tumbrels: two-wheeled carts used to transport the condemned to their deaths tremulous: trembling cessation: stoppage, the end of activity piscatory: related to fish or fishermen lethargy: fatigue; state of tiredness provender: food or provisions inexorable: unstoppable, unalterable

Group 2 inscrutable: unreadable, hard to figure out lamentation: weeping, expression of grief pecuniary: financial mused: ponder, think about feigned: pretended incumbent: imposed as an obligation incommodious: inconvenient efficacy: effectiveness

Group 3 aphorism: an adage or short saying demur: a legal objection immolate: to sacrifice, as in burn at the stake asseveration: strong statement carrion: decaying flesh deprecatory: belittling, apologetic convivial: welcoming, friendly indictment: condemnation, accusation

Group 4 infamy: notoriety, disgrace unimpeachable: faultless, irreproachable plaintive: mournful slovenly: sloppy antipathy: hostility, dislike insolent: impudent, rude impediment: obstruction rejoinder: response

Group 5 stealthily: furtively, secretly despondency: dejection, hopelessness staid: sober, conservative imputation: a legal charge or accusation compunction: a mental discomfort, uneasiness emulative: imitative, copying escutcheon: a shield, which displays a coat of arms sumptuous: lavish, luxurious

Group 6 propitiate: to appease or conciliate obsequiousness: groveling behavior, pathetic eagerness to please trenchant: distinct, clear cut adjure: to command or charge under oath traversed: crossed or passed through zealous: passionate, fervent ascertained: determined, discovered spectre: ghost

Group 7 deferentially: respectfully moroseness: sadness, gloominess of mood incorrigible: unredeemable; uncorrectable in behavior ostentatious: showy, pretentious magnanimous: generous remonstrance: objection, protest self-abnegation: self-denial, lack of self-consideration ubiquitous: present everywhere at the same time

Group 8 altercation: loud quarrel sallow: unhealthily yellow assiduously: with great persistence and care transitory: fleeting, temporary irresolute: indecisive, unsure dubious: doubtful, uncertain superciliously: arrogantly, condescendingly amicably: agreeably, good-naturedly

A Tale of Two Cities Audio Book

A Tale of Two Cities (1935)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7  

Part 8

Part 9  

Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13
Part 14
Part 15



Teaching A Tale of Two Cities