The History Book Club discussion

Hello Everyone,

The twelfth week's reading assignment is:

Week twelve: April 23rd - April 29th (2012):
Book the Third, XII, XIV, XV (pages 339 - 368)

We will open up a thread for each week's reading. Please make sure to post in the particular thread dedicated to those specific chapters and page numbers to avoid spoilers. We will also open up supplemental threads as we did for other books.

This book was kicked off on February 6th. We look forward to your participation. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Powell's and other noted on line booksellers do have copies of the book and shipment can be expedited. The book can also be obtained easily at your local library, or on your Kindle. And to make things even easier; this book is available "free" on line as either an ebook download or an audiobook. This weekly thread will be opened up either during the weekend before or on Monday of the first day.

There is no rush and we are thrilled to have you join us. It is never too late to get started and/or to post.

Becky will be leading this discussion. But since this is Becky's first time moderating a book in the History Book Club; Bentley will be co-moderating this selection.

Welcome,

~Bentley & Becky

TO ALWAYS SEE ALL WEEKS' THREADS SELECT VIEW ALL

by Charles Dickens

REMEMBER NO SPOILERS ON THE WEEKLY NON SPOILER THREADS

Notes:

It is always a tremendous help when you quote specifically from the book itself and reference the chapter and page numbers when responding. The text itself helps folks know what you are referencing and makes things clear.

Citations

If an author or book is mentioned other than the book and author being discussed, citations must be included according to our guidelines. Also, when citing other sources, please provide credit where credit is due and/or the link. There is no need to re-cite the author and the book we are discussing however. For citations, add always the book cover, the author's photo when available and always the author's link. If mentioning simply other author's, please cite the author's photo and the author's link.

If you need help - here is a thread called the Mechanics of the Board which will show you how:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2878...

Glossary

Remember there is a glossary thread where ancillary information is placed by the moderator. This is also a thread where additional information can be placed by the group members regarding the subject matter being discussed.

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7912...

Bibliography

There is a Bibliography where books cited in the text are posted with proper citations and reviews. We also post the books that the author may have used in his research or in his notes. Please also feel free to add to the Bibliography thread any related books, etc with proper citations or other books either non fiction or historical fiction that relate to the subject matter of the book itself. No self promotion, please.

by Charles Dickens

Chapter Overviews and Summaries
Week Twelve April 22 - April 29
Book the Third, XII, XIV, XIV (pages 339-368)

13. Fifty-two
In the Conciergerie, 52 people, including Darnay, wait to be executed. He writes letters to Lucie, her father and to Mr. Lorry. He sleeps, dreams and wakes to look at the guillotine. Then Carton is let into his cell and says he is on a mission from Lucie. They exchange clothes, Darnay argues but obeys. Carton dictates a letter while he gives Darnay something to drug him. The spy returns and Carton instructs him. Two others appear and take the drugged Darnay out to the coach.

Now Carton while waits his turn he meets a young seamstress accused of plots. She recognizes Carton is not Darnay and holds his hand.

Meanwhile, the coach passes the barriers with Lorry speaking and Darnay identified as Carton. They drive slowly toward the border to avoid suspicion.


14. The Knitting Done
Madame Defarge plots with The Vengeance and Jacques Three against Lucie and her daughter. The wood-sawyer, will help them. Madame will go to catch Lucie mourning and the plotters will gather later to make the charges. Madame Defarge sets out, armed.

Meanwhile, Miss Pross and Jerry are getting ready to leave by another coach. Jerry is overcome with remorse and fear for the Manette coach and promises to change his ways if they be saved. Miss Pross is puzzled but agrees to tell Mrs. Cruncher. Pross sends Jerry to get their coach to the towers.

Miss Pross is alone in the room when Madame Defarge walks in looking for Darnay's wife. They battle with eyes and words although they don't understand each other's language. Pross gets tears of rage in her eyes, Defarge tries to search the rooms. They threaten each other and then fight. Madame Defarge is dead of a gunshot wound. Pross checks the room and leaves. She throws the key in the river as she goes to meet Jerry. Miss Pross is now deaf.


15. The Footsteps Die Out Forever
The wagon loads of people going to the guillotine roll on. Carton talks to the peasant girl. The Spy sees him and admonishes him to get down. The Vengeance looks for Madame Defarge. Carton and the girl comfort each other. Carton considers what he would say if he could voice his last thoughts.

Becky, I appreciate all of your effort you have put forward in this venture. I must admit this was my first time reading the classic book and I was rather confused early on, however as the story evolved everything became a bit clearer. Your input has been a big asset to me.

Well thank you Mark! That's what we're for. Yes, A Tale of Two Cities is a bit confusing for several reasons. First off, how familiar are we 21st century readers with his era or the French Revolution?

Second, it was written to be published in serial format so his immediate audience wasn't just trying to get the whole story at once.

Also, Dickens fills in the background so slowly (it's really a part of the plot in this book) and he keeps up the foreshadowing so the suspense will build in the right direction. FInally, between those two devices the reader catches on to what's happening and is, hopefully, totally engrossed.

But best, to me, is that behind those devices, Dickens is a fine stylist who uses interesting and appropriate tropes to develop great characters and themes. That said, this isn't my favorite work by Dickens (my heart belongs to Bleak House) but it's close.

by Charles Dickens

Well now, the Dickens you say. I'm familiar with other Dickens books, but "Bleak House" is new to me. What can I say? Thanks, I've now added the 1,000 plus page book to my read section. :-)

Charles Dickens

Good! (lol) Bleak House is not your usual schmaltzy kind of Dickens, and it's not what the title sounds like - grim stuff. It's more darkly ironic, very funny at times.
by Charles Dickens

From Chapter XII when Carton appears in Darnay's cell:
"I could not believe it to be you. I can scarcely believe it now. You are not"—the apprehension came suddenly into his mind—"a prisoner?"

"No. I am accidentally possessed of a power over one of the keepers here, and in virtue of it I stand before you. I come from her—your wife, dear Darnay."

Even Dickens considers this a bit of a stretch so has Carton use the word "accidentally." And then it gets worse with the seamstress realizing that this is not Darnay -

Were you able to accommodate these stretches - did your "suspension of disbelief" (your willingness to buy into the story) hold up or were you a bit disgusted?

For me if the author can write well enough I'll buy into almost anything for the sake of a story, but the writer has to be very, very good and build up to it. Dickens can usually do it - in A Tale of Two Cities he succeeds brilliantly.

How about you all?

Chapter XIV - Miss Pross and Madame Defarge confrontation:
Each spoke in her own language; neither understood the other's words; both were very watchful, and intent to deduce from look and manner, what the unintelligible words meant.

A bit of comic relief necessary here? Spot on! But there's good story development as well, it's not JUST comic relief. Dickens is tidying up all the ends - what did you think of this scene. (I laughed out loud at the above paragraph.)

Chapter XV
Dickens writes:
Crush humanity out of shape once more, under similar hammers, and it will twist itself into the same tortured forms. Sow the same seed of rapacious license and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind.

This sounds like a warning for all cultures in all times, some kind of "universal truth" or something. It feels like a statement to the political leadership of England as was implied in the first couple chapters. Something about the Reform Bills in Parliament which Dickens strongly favored.

Thoughts on the political implications of A Tale of Two Cities?

Well we know that Dickens was very much committed to the idea of social justice, particularly for the poor, and I think he was warning that reform was badly needed because people can only take so much repression before they will, eventually, rise up.

Exactly, Ruthbie! (And I'm so sorry I didn't respond prior to this.)