A TALE OF TWO CITIES BOOK CLUB - WEEK 6 - BOOK 2 - CHAPTERS 11 - 14

A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens

Chapter 11 - A Companion Picture

We're in England.

This is one of those chapters you just have to snort laugh at. Let's just lay it all out like it is. Stryver thinks he is God's gift to women. Have you ever known anyone like that? Can you recall the loud explosions of laughter you had to try and hold in every time that person opened his mouth and spoke? Picture that in your mind as you think about this chapter. Stryver is so full of himself he should be physically unable to fit through doorways due to his big head and expanded chest!

Where do we find Stryver in this chapter? He and Carton are drinking together and going over papers when he announces he's going to marry Lucie Manette. (Honestly, does the girl even get a say in this?!) Can you imagine Carton's surprise? He does a great job of keeping his composure. Carton's got a secret, and we know it, don't we? Lucie is the first thing he has ever cared about, and now, this pompous walrus is pursuing her. (Not sure where walrus came from, but it will do!) Carton has to sit and endure listening to how lucky Lucie is. Then the kicker hits. The bit of irony to wrap the chapter up. Stryver leans over, looks at Carton, and tells him he needs to find someone to marry. There's only one person that Carton has his eye on.

Chapter 12 - Fellow of Delicacy

England

I love the title of this chapter and the next one. Who is the "Fellow of Delicacy?" Well. there's basically two characters in this chapter - Lorry and Stryver. Which one strikes you as more of a delicate man in how he handles business affairs? That would be Lorry. Stryver we could rightfully compare to a bull in a china shop! There isn't much that's delicate about him!

Stryver is on his way to see Dr. Manette and Lucie to let them know the good news! He has chosen Lucie! (Are you laughing? I am!) He passes by Tellson's Bank, and he knows Lorry has an "in" with the Manette family, so he decides to stop and talk with him. Lorry delicately tries to tell him that he won't succeed and convinces Stryver to let him go and check things out for him. Stryver is absolutely dumbfounded by this. Why wouldn't she want to marry him? He agrees to allow Lorry to go and agrees to meet up with him later. However, Stryver decides to act as though none of this really matters to him. When Lorry shows up later and delivers the news, Stryver acts surprised to see him as if they hadn't arranged the meeting. This response really makes me think back to my jr high and high school days when a boy would admit he liked a girl and send someone off to tell her at the chance they might start "going together." Remember those days? Remember what the typical response of the boy would be if he found out there was zero chance that was happening? He immediately denied liking the girl. The response was a desperate attempt to "save face." That's exactly what we have going on here, and Stryver executes it perfectly.

Chapter 13 - The Fellow of No Delicacy

England

Okay, so who, then, is our "Fellow of No Delicacy?" Cue Sydney Carton. I find myself really liking Sydney as a character, and this chapter is where that really starts to happen. Sydney can't hide from Lucie his true feelings even though he knows he doesn't have a chance. He asks her to hear him out, and she agrees to. He loves her, but he knows that she doesn't return the feeling. He almost celebrates that she doesn't, because he knows he would pull her down to his level. He unloads it all to her. She tells him that she believes he is capable of good and great things, but he denies it. He asks her not to share this conversation with anyone, and she agrees to respect his wishes. What are your thoughts about that? Lucie is the type of person that can see the true heart of a person. She knows the reason for keeping the secret is only out of protection for Sydney's self respect. There is no harm that will happen for doing so. He tells her he will never talk to her again about it.

The end of this chapter is super important to tuck away in the back of your mind. Sydney tells Lucie that he would willingly sacrifice himself for her or for those she cares for. He knows she will soon be married, and he is not interested in doing anything to come between that. We have this beautiful quote that I have to end this chapter with. "...think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you!" I don't know about you, but that absolutely makes me melt like butter.

Chapter 14 - The Honest Tradesman

England

I'm back to laughing at this chapter title. Who is our "Honest Tradesman?' Jerry Cruncher! Just how honest is our tradesman? You decide! Jerry and his son are at their place waiting for jobs when a funeral procession comes through. It's the funeral of a spy, one Roger Cly. Remember him? He was one of the witnesses that testified against Charles Darnay. The crowd following the carriage carrying the coffin is whipped into a frenzy with the idea of a spy. They overtake the carriage and start to pull the coffin out, but then decide to take it the cemetery for burial. While this is going on, Cruncher talks to the undertaker. (He's gathering info.) Returning home, he tells Mrs. Cruncher and little Jerry that he's going out "fishing" tonight. What is his fishing tackle? A sack, a crowbar, a rope, a chain, and other such tools. After little Jerry is in bed, Jerry leaves. But little Jerry isn't asleep. He gets up and follows his dad and two other men to the cemetery. Can't you picture Little Jerry peering through the wrought iron fence? I seriously get a Tom Sawyer vibe with this scene. Watching his father, he discovers that the fishing going on is for dead bodies that can be sold for science research. Then the church clock strikes and Little Jerry freaks out. He takes off running, imagining that the coffin is chasing him down the street. He runs as fast as he can home and jumps into bed. In the morning, he is woken up to his father yelling at his mother. He has a hold of her ears and is hitting her head off the headboard. Something has gone wrong with the night's "fishing expedition, and Mrs. Cruncher is taking the brunt of the blame. I just love that Dicken's notes to us that there was "no fish for breakfast."

Later, as Jerry and Little Jerry are walking to the bank for their morning work, Little Jerry asks his father what a "Resurrection-Man" is. Don't you just love how the young call out the old? Jerry explains and is feeling pretty good about himself when his son tells him that's what he wants to be someday.