Insights into Chapter 11 (Book III)
“Dusk”
Be sure you note the titles of
Chapter 11 and 12—because they
are companion chapters: “Dusk”
and “Dark.”
Be sure you’re asking yourself how
(besides indicating the literal
setting of the day) these titles
are metaphorically representing
what is going on in plot.
On page 338, remember that
Charles has just been
condemned to die, and so “the
wretched wife” is, of course,
Lucie. The fact the she “fell
under the sentence” means that
she actually fell down when the
death sentence was delivered.
Notice the typical Victorian
melodrama that takes place as
Lucie and Charles say goodbye
to one another.
At the top of page 340, notice
carefully Dr. Manette’s
reaction to Charles’ words.
Make a prediction about what
will happen to Dr. Manette as a
result of this stress.
In the middle of page 340, we see Lucie
hold up as long as she can, and then—
when Charles is taken away—she falls
totally unconscious at her father’s feet.
Notice carefully who comes to whisk
her away from the prison—and notice
also that Lucie has no idea that this
man is even in the same country as she.
Pay attention to little Lucie’s words to
Sydney Carton at the bottom of page
340. She’s offering, of course, a bit of
foreshadowing.
At the top of page 341, notice that
little Lucie witnesses Sydney lean over
the unconscious Lucie, kiss her on the
cheek, and say, “A life you love.”
Make sure you connect this line to the
promise Sydney makes on page 155.
Book III, Chapter 12
“Darkness”
Notice the title of
Chapter 12—and notice
who the first person
mentioned in that chapter
is.
Notice on 342 and 343 that Sydney is
intentionally showing himself around
Saint Antoine—to make sure that
people know that there is someone who
looks like the prisoner Charles Darnay.
Pay attention to the fact that Sydney
has “no strong drink” in this section of
the book. He’s also shed the skin of the
jackal. Ask yourself if, indeed, Lucie
has been able to recall Sydney Carton
to life—just as she did her father.
At the bottom of page 343, notice that
Carton speaks in French—and does so in
a way that illustrates he is actually
English. Keep in mind that there is also
another character (one who looks very
much like Sydney) who speaks in the
language of these “Two Cities.”
At the bottom of page 344, Defarge
illustrates his love of Dr. Manette in
his desire to protect him.
On page 345, Madame Defarge
illustrates her contempt for the entire
group, and she communicates her own
“profound secret” at the bottom of the
page—the fact that SHE is the little
sister who had been hidden away, and
whose family had been destroyed by
the Evremonde brothers.
“The listener” in the middle of page
346 is, of course, Sydney. Keep in mind
that he’s hearing all of this. Notice also
that he thinks about killing Madame
Defarge in this moment (although he
never acts on that thought).
In the middle of page 347, we see
something wrong with Dr. Manette. Be
sure that you understand what is
wrong—and why.
Page 348 is very important. At the
bottom of this page and the entirety of
the next and onto page 350, Sydney is
making detailed plans for the family to
get out of Paris. Note the details of
that plan.
At the end of Chapter 12, we see
Sydney walk—for the last time—past
Lucie’s window. Notice the capital “F” in
the “Farewell” that he breathed toward
that window.
Chapter 13: Fifty-Two
Keep in mind the number fifty-two
(which is, of course, the title of this
chapter). Fifty-two will have a literal
and a figurative meaning in this
chapter. Keep in mind that there are
fifty-two cards in a deck of cards—and
keep in mind the connection we’ve had
to cards and gambling throughout the
novel.
“Two score and twelve” (p. 351) would,
of course, be fifty-two.
On page 353, we have Charles writing
her farewell letters; however, on 355,
his writing is interrupted by a
surprising visitor. Pay attention to this
plot development. Every single moment
of the novel has been pushing toward
this development.
On page 357, we see Sydney force
Charles to continue writing—but this
time, Charles is writing words that HE
wants said to Lucie (after everything is
said and done).
Page 358 illustrates the blackmail that
Sydney enforces on John Barsad (the
spy).
The fifty-two who are to die include a
seamstress. Pay attention to what she
recognizes about this prisoner in her
conversation with him—and how kind
Sydney is to her. (See page 360 for
this exchange.)
Pages 360 to 363 are the pages which
illustrate the family fleeing Paris.)
Note the switch from a third-person
point-of-view narrator to a first-person
point-of-view at the bottom of 362
until the end of the chapter.
By the end of the chapter, all fifty-two
cards in Sydney’s deck have been
played.