A Tale Of Two Cities ch 5-6

11/13/13 A Tale Of Two Cities ch 5-6

Summary: In chapter the writer describes the streets of Saint Antoine, where poor people scramble for spilled wine on the side of the curb. He is sure to tell of the sorrow faces and grey buildings. We are introduced to Monsieur Defarge and his wife, the winesellers, and Lorry and Miss.Manette are taken to a locked door to meet an insane man, Mr.Manette.

In chapter 6 Lorry, Miss.Manette, and Defarge try to talk to the mad shoemaker locked in the room. They notice that he isn't totally gone. The daughter and father stay the night up in the room together until the 4 depart the next day to England.

Quote: “..the children had ancient faces and grave voices; and upon them, and upon the grown faces, and ploughed into every furrow of age and coming up afresh, was the sign, Hunger.”

Significance of Quote: Dickens uses this to describe Paris. Compared to England, it is rather starved and grey and sad. The people are poor and hungry,as said in this quote. The way he describes the streets of Paris remind me of Les Miserables. The “children had ancient faces and grave voices” means that they are dirty and sad, very thinned out like a person nearing their death. This paragraph was really sad.

Reflection: Dickens is making France sound like a place where only bad things happen; like the hungry people on the streets, and the british men that go mad there. Throughout these chapters people refer to France as “dirty” “poor” “hungry” and wanting people to leave it for their own good as soon as possible. Dickens is creating a huge difference between France and England; France being poor and grey, and England being rich and colorful.

Question: How was Miss.Manette so sure that her father wouldn't jab at her with the shoemaker's knife when she made her move to talk to him?