Book 2 Overview
Book 2 takes us 5 years into the future, and develops more characters that will come into play later. The scene describes Tellson's bank, for which Mr. Lorry and Cruncher work. We follow Cruncher on an errand to the Temple Bar, the local courthouse where there is a trial going on. The trial is that of Charles Darnay, who is accused of treason against England. Lorry and the Manettes are there as witnesses against him, as well as the two "patriots" Roger Cly and John Barsad. Darnay's defense team consists of lawyer Mr. Stryver, and his assistant, Sydney Carton. They argue that the Manettes have no evidence, and that the other two aren't reliable because they are untrustworthy. Carton also strikingly resembles Charles Darnay, which is brought up during the trial. The jury finds Darnay innocent, and Carton invites Darnay to have a drink with him. While Carton is drunk, he reveals that he despises Darnay because he represents what Carton could've been. The next day, we learn more about Sydney Carton from his conversation with Mr. Stryver. Carton is drunk again and not in a good mood. Stryver starts talking about how Carton could be a very successful man, but he lacks ambition. Later, Carton ends up crying himself to sleep over his wasted life. 4 months after, Lorry visits the Manettes’ house and has a conversation with Ms. Pross, Lucie’s caretaker. He asks her about Dr. Manette’s shoemaker’s bench, and why he still has it. Ms. Pross also tells Mr. Lorry about the many men who seek to marry Ms. Pross, and how none of them are fit for her. When Lucie, Manette, and Darnay arrive, Darnay tells a story that Dickens uses to foreshadow. Darnay talks of a prisoner in the Tower of London who had wrote a letter, but all that was left of it was ashes. Manette is alarmed but quickly recovers. More foreshadowing comes when Carton arrives and Lucie tells them how she thinks that all of the echos in the alley outside of their home are the sounds of people that will come into their lives. There are many echos indeed!
Chapters 7, 8, and 9 all take us to France. The Monseigneur, who is like a governor of sorts, is throwing a party. He is so pampered that he needs 4 men to serve him a drink. Marquis Evrémonde is a guest at the party and when he decides to leave, he has his carriage driver drive wildly through the narrow streets. The carriage hits and kills a peasant boy. His father, Gaspard, is very distraught and Defarge tries to comfort them. The Marquis throw them some money, but a coin is thrown back. The disdain towards him from the peasants is apparent. The Marquis drives back to his palace, but not before he talks to a road mender who is staring at his carriage. The road mender tells him that a man was hanging under his carriage. The Marquis thinks nothing of it, and goes on his way. Later that night, Charles Darnay shows up at the Marquis palace. We learn that he is actually the Marquis' nephew and an Evrémonde. Darnay doesn't want anything to do with the Marquis and renounces his inheritance to the Marquis' position. He also renounces his family name because of the injustices that have been done to the peasants. The next morning, the Marquis is dead with a knife in his chest, courtesy of 'Jacques'.
Chapter 10 jumps 1 year into the future. Darnay has been teaching French , and he feels a strong love for Lucie. He professes his love for her to Dr. Manette, and says he will honor their special bond. Manette agrees to tell Lucie what Darnay has said if she ever asks. Hours after, Lucie finds Manette
making shoes again. He needs her help to recover. The next day, Mr. Stryver tells Carton that he wants to marry Lucie. Stryver sets off to propose, and stops to tell Mr. Lorry. Lorry objects, which angers Stryver greatly. Stryver sees no reasonable argument why Lucie would not marry him. Lorry is still against it, but agrees to see if it is possible for the Manettes to accept his offer. He brings Stryver news later that they wouldn't, which he reluctantly accepts, and the whole matter is behind them. Later, Sydney Carton happens to talk privately with Lucie. He confesses all his feeling to her, including his feelings of a wasted life and how she makes his life worth living. She offers to help him, but he declines while stating that he would do anything for her, including giving up his life. This provides a lot of insight into details of their characters.
Chapter 14 develops Cruncher more. He observes a funeral procession with his son, Little Jerry. The funeral is surrounded by an angry crowd that are shouting things like, "down with the spies". This funeral is for Roger Cly, the witness from the trial. When they get home, Cruncher tells his family that he's "going fishing" that night. When he goes, Little Jerry sneaks out of the house after him, and observes his father digging up the fresh grave. What he sees frightens him so much that he sprints home, imagining that the coffin is chasing him all the way there. When the next morning comes around, Little Jerry announces that he want to be a 'resurrection man', exactly like his father.
Chapters 15 and 16 take place in Paris where we learn the fate of the man who was hanging under the Marquis' carriage. The road mender meets with Defarge and the Jacques's to tell them that the man under the carriage was the dead boy's father, Gaspard. He was the one who had killed the Marquis. Able to hide for many months, the man was eventually found, and hung over the town's well, much to the objections of the townspeople. The Jacques all agree that the entire family of the Marquis should be eliminated. We also learn that Madame Defarge has been knitting a code the tells her all the names of the aristocrats to be killed. They take the mender of roads to see the royals proceed through the city. He becomes very passionate in supporting them, which is good for the revolution, because the aristocrats still think that the peasants love them. When they get back, a spy enters the wine shop. It is John Barsad, who tries to find more information out about the revolution by pretending to support it. The Defarges play the fool and knit his name into the list. Barsad tells how Dr. Manettes daughter is marrying an Evrémonde. The Defarges knit his name onto the list too, promising to kill him if he ever comes to Paris.
Back in England, Lucie and Darnay get married and go on their honeymoon. After they leave, Manette loses his mind again and goes back to making shoes incessantly. Lorry and Miss Pross try their best to bring him back to normal, but it takes Manette ten days to recover on his own. He doesn;t recall anything from his mindless state, so Mr. Lorry asks him for advice on help a 'friend' of his. They end up deciding that destroying his shoemakers bench is for the best, and Mr. Lorry and Miss Pross do so once Dr. Manette goes to visit Lucie and Charles on their honeymoon. Chapters 20 and 21 show the passage of time. Carton comes and goes as he pleases, Lucie and Charles have a daughter and a son; Little Lucie and Little Charles, but their son dies. It is not too sad a time because the boy was old enough to know that he was going to heaven. The story changes abruptly as the revolution begins in Paris and the Defarges lead the storming of the Bastille. Defarge mans cannon during a long and tough battle that sees victory in the end. Defarge uses one of the surrendering guards to take him to Dr. Manettes cell, where he searches for something. He returns to the mob, just in time to see them murdering the guards. About a week later, they find an aristocratic man by the name of Foulon that once told the peasants to eat grass. He is found by a mob led by Madame Defarge and her friend known as 'The Vengeance'. This scene shows the twisted wickedness of the peasants. After the grotesque hanging and mutilation of Foulon, the children and parents play and celebrate as if it were nothing serious.
The revolution spreads quickly from thereon. The mobs make there way from one rich estate to another, and make their way to the Marquis' former home and they set it on fire. The caretaker of the home, Gabelle, whom Darnay appointed to be kind and not collect taxes from the townspeople, is chased by the mob to his rooftop. He spends the night up there, with the Marquis' home burning in the background.
3 more years go by, and the revolution in France is still taking place. Tellson's bank is very busy transferring money from French accounts to ones in England. Mr. Lorry has been selected to travel to their French branch in order to make sure that bank records aren't being destroyed. A letter comes into Tellson's bank addressed to the Marquis St. Evrémonde, but no one can locate him. Darnay doesn't want anyone to know that it is really him, so he says that he knows him and will deliver it to him for Lorry. The letter is from Gabelle, who urgently requests that Darnay come to France and acquit him from jail. Darnay knows that Gabelle is running out of time and will surely be killed if he is not released soon. So Darnay plans to go to France as well, but separately from Lorry. He doesn't let anyone know, but writes them a letter to be opened once he has left. He leaves, and this is how Book 2 ends: with great anticipation. Continue on to Book 3
Book 2 takes us 5 years into the future, and develops more characters that will come into play later. The scene describes Tellson's bank, for which Mr. Lorry and Cruncher work. We follow Cruncher on an errand to the Temple Bar, the local courthouse where there is a trial going on. The trial is that of Charles Darnay, who is accused of treason against England. Lorry and the Manettes are there as witnesses against him, as well as the two "patriots" Roger Cly and John Barsad. Darnay's defense team consists of lawyer Mr. Stryver, and his assistant, Sydney Carton. They argue that the Manettes have no evidence, and that the other two aren't reliable because they are untrustworthy. Carton also strikingly resembles Charles Darnay, which is brought up during the trial. The jury finds Darnay innocent, and Carton invites Darnay to have a drink with him. While Carton is drunk, he reveals that he despises Darnay because he represents what Carton could've been. The next day, we learn more about Sydney Carton from his conversation with Mr. Stryver. Carton is drunk again and not in a good mood. Stryver starts talking about how Carton could be a very successful man, but he lacks ambition. Later, Carton ends up crying himself to sleep over his wasted life. 4 months after, Lorry visits the Manettes’ house and has a conversation with Ms. Pross, Lucie’s caretaker. He asks her about Dr. Manette’s shoemaker’s bench, and why he still has it. Ms. Pross also tells Mr. Lorry about the many men who seek to marry Ms. Pross, and how none of them are fit for her. When Lucie, Manette, and Darnay arrive, Darnay tells a story that Dickens uses to foreshadow. Darnay talks of a prisoner in the Tower of London who had wrote a letter, but all that was left of it was ashes. Manette is alarmed but quickly recovers. More foreshadowing comes when Carton arrives and Lucie tells them how she thinks that all of the echos in the alley outside of their home are the sounds of people that will come into their lives. There are many echos indeed!
Chapters 7, 8, and 9 all take us to France. The Monseigneur, who is like a governor of sorts, is throwing a party. He is so pampered that he needs 4 men to serve him a drink. Marquis Evrémonde is a guest at the party and when he decides to leave, he has his carriage driver drive wildly through the narrow streets. The carriage hits and kills a peasant boy. His father, Gaspard, is very distraught and Defarge tries to comfort them. The Marquis throw them some money, but a coin is thrown back. The disdain towards him from the peasants is apparent. The Marquis drives back to his palace, but not before he talks to a road mender who is staring at his carriage. The road mender tells him that a man was hanging under his carriage. The Marquis thinks nothing of it, and goes on his way. Later that night, Charles Darnay shows up at the Marquis palace. We learn that he is actually the Marquis' nephew and an Evrémonde. Darnay doesn't want anything to do with the Marquis and renounces his inheritance to the Marquis' position. He also renounces his family name because of the injustices that have been done to the peasants. The next morning, the Marquis is dead with a knife in his chest, courtesy of 'Jacques'.
Chapter 10 jumps 1 year into the future. Darnay has been teaching French , and he feels a strong love for Lucie. He professes his love for her to Dr. Manette, and says he will honor their special bond. Manette agrees to tell Lucie what Darnay has said if she ever asks. Hours after, Lucie finds Manette
making shoes again. He needs her help to recover. The next day, Mr. Stryver tells Carton that he wants to marry Lucie. Stryver sets off to propose, and stops to tell Mr. Lorry. Lorry objects, which angers Stryver greatly. Stryver sees no reasonable argument why Lucie would not marry him. Lorry is still against it, but agrees to see if it is possible for the Manettes to accept his offer. He brings Stryver news later that they wouldn't, which he reluctantly accepts, and the whole matter is behind them. Later, Sydney Carton happens to talk privately with Lucie. He confesses all his feeling to her, including his feelings of a wasted life and how she makes his life worth living. She offers to help him, but he declines while stating that he would do anything for her, including giving up his life. This provides a lot of insight into details of their characters.
Chapter 14 develops Cruncher more. He observes a funeral procession with his son, Little Jerry. The funeral is surrounded by an angry crowd that are shouting things like, "down with the spies". This funeral is for Roger Cly, the witness from the trial. When they get home, Cruncher tells his family that he's "going fishing" that night. When he goes, Little Jerry sneaks out of the house after him, and observes his father digging up the fresh grave. What he sees frightens him so much that he sprints home, imagining that the coffin is chasing him all the way there. When the next morning comes around, Little Jerry announces that he want to be a 'resurrection man', exactly like his father.
Chapters 15 and 16 take place in Paris where we learn the fate of the man who was hanging under the Marquis' carriage. The road mender meets with Defarge and the Jacques's to tell them that the man under the carriage was the dead boy's father, Gaspard. He was the one who had killed the Marquis. Able to hide for many months, the man was eventually found, and hung over the town's well, much to the objections of the townspeople. The Jacques all agree that the entire family of the Marquis should be eliminated. We also learn that Madame Defarge has been knitting a code the tells her all the names of the aristocrats to be killed. They take the mender of roads to see the royals proceed through the city. He becomes very passionate in supporting them, which is good for the revolution, because the aristocrats still think that the peasants love them. When they get back, a spy enters the wine shop. It is John Barsad, who tries to find more information out about the revolution by pretending to support it. The Defarges play the fool and knit his name into the list. Barsad tells how Dr. Manettes daughter is marrying an Evrémonde. The Defarges knit his name onto the list too, promising to kill him if he ever comes to Paris.
Back in England, Lucie and Darnay get married and go on their honeymoon. After they leave, Manette loses his mind again and goes back to making shoes incessantly. Lorry and Miss Pross try their best to bring him back to normal, but it takes Manette ten days to recover on his own. He doesn;t recall anything from his mindless state, so Mr. Lorry asks him for advice on help a 'friend' of his. They end up deciding that destroying his shoemakers bench is for the best, and Mr. Lorry and Miss Pross do so once Dr. Manette goes to visit Lucie and Charles on their honeymoon. Chapters 20 and 21 show the passage of time. Carton comes and goes as he pleases, Lucie and Charles have a daughter and a son; Little Lucie and Little Charles, but their son dies. It is not too sad a time because the boy was old enough to know that he was going to heaven. The story changes abruptly as the revolution begins in Paris and the Defarges lead the storming of the Bastille. Defarge mans cannon during a long and tough battle that sees victory in the end. Defarge uses one of the surrendering guards to take him to Dr. Manettes cell, where he searches for something. He returns to the mob, just in time to see them murdering the guards. About a week later, they find an aristocratic man by the name of Foulon that once told the peasants to eat grass. He is found by a mob led by Madame Defarge and her friend known as 'The Vengeance'. This scene shows the twisted wickedness of the peasants. After the grotesque hanging and mutilation of Foulon, the children and parents play and celebrate as if it were nothing serious.
The revolution spreads quickly from thereon. The mobs make there way from one rich estate to another, and make their way to the Marquis' former home and they set it on fire. The caretaker of the home, Gabelle, whom Darnay appointed to be kind and not collect taxes from the townspeople, is chased by the mob to his rooftop. He spends the night up there, with the Marquis' home burning in the background.
3 more years go by, and the revolution in France is still taking place. Tellson's bank is very busy transferring money from French accounts to ones in England. Mr. Lorry has been selected to travel to their French branch in order to make sure that bank records aren't being destroyed. A letter comes into Tellson's bank addressed to the Marquis St. Evrémonde, but no one can locate him. Darnay doesn't want anyone to know that it is really him, so he says that he knows him and will deliver it to him for Lorry. The letter is from Gabelle, who urgently requests that Darnay come to France and acquit him from jail. Darnay knows that Gabelle is running out of time and will surely be killed if he is not released soon. So Darnay plans to go to France as well, but separately from Lorry. He doesn't let anyone know, but writes them a letter to be opened once he has left. He leaves, and this is how Book 2 ends: with great anticipation. Continue on to Book 3