Reading/Assignment Schedule for A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Please complete the following tasks:
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6.
Label each night’s homework with Book I: Recalled to Life, Book II: The Golden
Thread, or Book III: The Track of a Storm, the chapter number, and the chapter title.
In 2-3 sentences explain why the chapter is titled as it is.
Choose two vocabulary words you do not know and write an appropriate definition in
your own words for each one.
Provide one example of figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification,
hyperbole, and symbol) or one example of literary device (paradox, irony, parallelism,
etc.) and include the page number. Explain in a sentence or two how the quoted phrase or
sentence is an example of figurative language or literary device. See the other side of this
handout for definitions of figurative language and literary devices.
Provide one quotation that addresses a significant theme in the novel and write a 1-2
sentence explanation of how this quotation reveals this theme. Be sure to include the page
number of the quotation. Significant thematic topics include resurrection (“recalled to
life”), sacrifice, revolution, institutionalization, and love versus hate. Remember that
a theme is an insight about human life that is expressed through a literary work (ie.
Resurrection and rebirth through selflessness; The danger of revolution is it can
descend into mob rule, anarchy, and/or vengeance; Injustice in the political,
economic, or social system is unsustainable; Love conquers hate; All humans hold
secrets; The exertion of Power, Influence, or Authority…)
Provide one quotation that addresses a significant character in the novel and write a 1-2
sentence explanation of what the quotation reveals about the character. Be sure to include
the page number of the quotation. Significant characters include Dr. Manette, Lucie
Manette, Jarvis Lorry, Charles Darnay, Sydney Carton, Defarge, and Madame
Defarge.
Due Dates for Book I: Recalled to Life
Chapters
Tuesday, 8/27:
Wednesday, 8/28:
Thursday, 8/29:
Friday, 8/30:
Tuesday, 9/3:
Wednesday, 9/4:
1-3
4
In the Time of the Butterflies Test
5
6 & Quiz on Book I
Summer Reading Graded Discussions
Due Dates for Book II: The Golden Thread
Chapters
Thursday, 9/5:
Friday, 9/6:
Monday, 9/9:
Tuesday, 9/10:
Wednesday, 9/11:
Thursday, 9/12:
Friday, 9/13:
Tuesday, 9/17
Wednesday, 9/18:
Thursday, 9/19:
Friday, 9/20:
Monday, 9/23:
Tuesday, 9/24:
Wednesday, 9/25:
Thursday, 9/26:
Friday, 9/27:
Monday, 9/30:
1-2
3
4-5
6
Puyallup Fair
7-8
9
10-11
12-13
14
15
16
17-18
19-20
21
22-23
24
Due Dates for Book III: The Track of a Storm
Chapters
Tuesday, 10/1:
Wednesday, 10/2:
Thursday, 10/3:
Friday, 10/4:
Wednesday, 10/9:
Thursday, 10/10:
Friday, 10/11:
Monday, 10-14
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8
9-10
11-13
14-15 (FINISH NOVEL!!)
Definitions of figurative language and literary devices:
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simile: an explicit comparison between two different things, actions, or feelings, using the words
“as” or “like,” as in Wordsworth’s line, “I wandered lonely as a cloud.”
metaphor: the most important and widespread figure of speech, in which one thing, idea, or
action is referred to by a word or expression normally denoting another thing, idea, or action, so as
to suggest some common quality shared by the two (examples: “He is a pig” or “Her talent is
blossoming”).
personification: a figure of speech by which animals, abstract ideas, or inanimate things are
referred to as if they were human, as in Sir Philip Sidney’s line, “Invention, Nature’s child, fled
stepdame Study’s blows.”
hyperbole: exaggeration for the sake of emphasis in a figure of speech not meant literally. An
everyday example is the complaint “I’ve been waiting here for ages.”
paradox: a statement or expression so surprisingly self-contradictory as to provoke us into
seeking another sense or context in which it would be true (although some paradoxes cannot be
resolved into truths, remaining flatly self-contradictory, e.g. Everything I say is a lie).
verbal irony: a discrepancy between what is said and what is really meant, as in its crude form,
sarcasm.
dramatic irony: this type of irony occurs when the audience knows more about a character’s
situation than the character does. The audience, therefore, is able to foresee an outcome contrary to
the character’s expectations.
situational irony: a discrepancy between what one would naturally expect and what is actually
the case (e.g. Yesterday the fire station was burnt to its very foundation).
parallelism (parallel structure): the arrangement of similarly constructed clauses, sentences, or
verse lines in a pairing or other sequence suggesting some correspondence between them.
allusion: an indirect or passing reference to some event, person, place, or artistic work, the nature
and relevance of which is not explained by the writer but relies on the reader’s familiarity with
what is thus mentioned.
anaphora: The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences.
satire: The use of irony, satire, ridicule, or the like in exposing or denouncing vice, folly, etc..
symbol: Something used for or regarded as representing something else.
juxtaposition: Placing two things side by side for the purposes of comparison.
foil: A character presented in a work who provides contrast to another character (ie. Batman and
the Joker).