Objectives

• Analyse how Dickens uses juxtaposition and paradox in the opening of Book I, Chapter 1 to establish the novel's central moral argument about historical contradiction.
• Explain how Dickens constructs Sydney Carton as a figure of potential redemption through language choices in the 'Fellow of No Delicacy' scene (Book II, Chapter 13) and the prison exchange (Book III, Chapter 13).
• Analyse how Madame Defarge's knitting register functions as a structural symbol of revolutionary vengeance across Chapters 5, 7 and 9, and evaluate how Dickens positions the reader's sympathy.
• Write an evidenced analytical paragraph that embeds quotation, names a technique, and connects the textual detail to the novel's themes of sacrifice and redemption without plot summary.
• Evaluate how Dickens's serialisation context and his reading of Carlyle's The French Revolution shape his presentation of the Terror in Book III, Chapters 1–4 and 9–12.
• Construct a full essay response that sustains a coherent argument across multiple paragraphs, selecting and prioritising evidence from across the novel.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: The Best and Worst of Times: Juxtaposition and Dickens's Opening Argument

   55 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   On the board: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.' I anticipate this story will explore a world filled with stark contrasts, where prosperity and hardship coexist. I’d love to ask Dickens why he decided to start the novel with such a powerful juxtaposition of experiences.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the opening paragraph of Book I, Chapter 1, focusing on the fourteen paired contradictions (like "it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity"). Demonstrate to students how the repetition of "it was" creates a rhythmic drumbeat that doesn't settle into one single truth. Highlight how the last clause—"in short, the period was so far like the present period"—bridges the historical gap between 1775 and 1859, drawing Dickens's readers into the same moral shortcomings. Use the visualiser for annotations: technique → effect → thematic implication.

   Independent task

   Students receive a printed copy of the final paragraph from Book I, Chapter 1, where Dickens describes the Dover mail coach. He reflects on "a wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other." Working on their own, students are tasked with writing a full PEEL paragraph (at least 120 words) that identifies one technique Dickens uses to depict human isolation. They should embed at least one quotation, name the technique clearly, and link their analysis to the novel's theme of the unknowability of others' suffering, a theme that underpins the entire plot. Students will submit their paragraph on a half-sheet of paper.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence that completes this prompt without using the word 'contrast': 'Dickens's use of juxtaposition in the opening of Book I, Chapter 1 is effective because…' — your sentence must name a specific paired phrase from the paragraph.

2. Lesson 2: The Jackal and His Promise: Constructing Sydney Carton

   55 min · ch. 3, 5

   Do now

   Read the following two quotations silently and rank them in order of which reveals more about Carton's character. After ranking, write one sentence justifying your decision: (A) 'I am a disappointed drudge, I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me.' (Book II, Ch. 5) (B) 'For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything.' (Book II, Ch. 13). You have four minutes.

   Teacher input

   Model analysis of the passage in Book II, Chapter 13 ('The Fellow of No Delicacy'), where Carton visits Lucie and delivers his declaration — from 'Miss Manette, I am a man who has wasted himself' to 'think now and then that there is a man who would give his life to keep a life you love beside you.' Focus on the modal verb 'would' as a conditional that both admits inadequacy and asserts moral capability, and on the phrase 'wasted himself' as a reflexive construction that places the responsibility for his damage on Carton's own choices rather than on external circumstances. This grammatical precision distinguishes Carton from a straightforward victim narrative.

   Independent task

   Students will write two analytical paragraphs (at least 200 words combined) comparing Dickens's portrayal of Carton in Book II, Chapter 5 (the 'Jackal' passage, where he's described as 'a man of good abilities and good emotions, incapable of their directed exercise') with how he presents himself in his declaration to Lucie in Book II, Chapter 13. Each paragraph should include a different quotation and identify a different literary technique. The second paragraph must begin with a connective that indicates progression rather than repetition, such as 'However,' 'More significantly,' or 'Crucially.' Students are required to submit both paragraphs.

   Exit ticket

   In no more than two sentences, explain why Dickens gives Carton the conditional 'would' rather than the definite 'will' in his promise to Lucie — what does that single word choice tell us about where Carton stands at this point in the novel?

3. Lesson 3: The Knitting Register: Madame Defarge as Structural Symbol

   55 min · ch. 3, 5, 7, 9, 11

   Do now

   1. Madame Defarge is a key character in Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities."
   2. She is known for her strong desire for revenge against the aristocracy.
   3. Defarge is often depicted as ruthless and calculating in her actions.

   In my view, Madame Defarge is both a villain and a victim; her relentless pursuit of vengeance stems from the loss of her family to the oppressive regime, which drives her to commit acts of violence against those she sees as responsible.

   Teacher input

   Model a structural reading of Madame Defarge's knitting at three key moments: her introduction in Book II, Chapter 5, where she knits 'with the steadiness of Fate'; her listing of names in Book II, Chapter 16 ('Still Knitting'), where her knitting is referred to as 'a terrible register'; and her arrival at the Manettes' lodgings in Book III, Chapter 14 ('The Knitting Done'). Highlight how Dickens employs the word 'register' in both a bureaucratic context and a funerary one, and how the use of the progressive tense 'knitting' in the chapter title suggests that the action is never truly finished — it’s always in motion, always adding to the narrative. Relate this to Carlyle's depiction of the Revolution as an unstoppable force of historical necessity.

   Independent task

   Students receive a comparison grid divided into three columns (quotation / technique / thematic effect) and three rows, each corresponding to one of the three Defarge moments mentioned in the teacher input. They fill out the grid on their own, using it as a plan to craft an extended analytical paragraph of at least 150 words. In this paragraph, they must argue whether Dickens portrays Madame Defarge mainly as an agent of justice or an agent of destruction. The analysis should include references to at least two of the three moments and a sentence of contextual reasoning that links Dickens's depiction to his interpretation of Carlyle. Students are required to submit both the completed grid and the paragraph.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining what the word 'register' in Book II, Chapter 16 means in two different senses simultaneously, and why Dickens's choice of that word is more powerful than, say, 'list' or 'record' would have been.

4. Lesson 4: The Track of a Storm: Revolutionary Violence and Dickens's Contextual Argument

   55 min · ch. 8, 9, 10

   Do now

   The vivid imagery in this sentence conveys a haunting scene, as every creature in the group appears tainted by blood, creating a sense of shared guilt or horror. By using the collective noun 'the group,' Dickens emphasizes the idea that the stain of violence affects all, suggesting a loss of individuality and highlighting the pervasive nature of the grim reality they face.

   Teacher input

   Model a contextual reading of the tribunal scene in Book III, Chapter 10, where Defarge reads aloud Doctor Manette's letter from the Bastille — starting with 'In the black misery of my imprisonment' — which condemns the entire Evrémonde family. Emphasize the dramatic irony: this letter, once Manette's personal testimony, becomes the tool that seals his son-in-law's fate. Highlight how Dickens uses this moment to critique revolutionary justice: while the Revolution claims to represent the people's voice, it employs the same principle of collective guilt that the aristocracy did. Link this to Dickens's concerns, expressed in his 1859 letters, about the potential for class violence in industrial England.

   Independent task

   Students are required to write a structured response of at least 200 words to the question: 'How does Dickens reveal the Terror as a system that destroys the very people it claims to liberate through Doctor Manette's letter in Book III, Chapter 10?' In their responses, students must: (1) identify the structural irony of the letter's function, (2) include at least two quotations from the tribunal scene, and (3) add at least one sentence that connects Dickens's presentation to the context of his serialization or to Carlyle's influence. Students will submit their responses.

   Exit ticket

   In one or two full sentences, explain what Dickens means by the phrase 'the shadow of the Evrémonde name' as it operates in Book III, Chapter 10 — does it suggest that guilt is inherited, constructed, or both, and why does your answer matter for the novel's argument about justice?

5. Lesson 5: It Is a Far, Far Better Thing: Carton's Sacrifice and the Novel's Final Argument

   60 min · ch. 1, 5, 10, 11

   Do now

   Read Carton's final interior monologue from Book III, Chapter 15 — from 'I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss' to the closing line — silently and without annotation. Then write one sentence completing this prompt: 'The most surprising word in this passage is "brilliant" because it conveys an unexpected sense of hope and vibrancy amidst the despair depicted in the surrounding context.'

   Teacher input

   Model a reading of the moment in Book III, Chapter 13 ('Fifty-Two') when Carton drugs Darnay and takes his place — specifically the sentence 'Sydney Carton, alone in the cell, looked at the ceiling, looked at the walls, looked at the floor, and then looked at Carton.' Notice how the repetition of 'looked at' creates a sense of time slowing down, capturing the stillness of a man who has made an irreversible choice. The shift from 'Sydney Carton' to just 'Carton' is particularly striking; it suggests that he is transitioning from a man to just a name, one that will endure in memory rather than as a person who experienced suffering. This connects to the novel's resurrection theme introduced in Book I, Chapter 1 ('Recalled to Life').

   Independent task

   Write a full essay of 500–600 words in response to the following question: 'How does Dickens use language and structure across A Tale of Two Cities to present Sydney Carton's sacrifice as the novel's moral answer to a world defined by injustice?' Your essay must: open with a clear argument in your first paragraph that does not begin with 'In this essay I will'; analyse the declaration to Lucie in Book II, Chapter 13, using at least one embedded quotation and naming the technique; analyse the prison exchange in Book III, Chapter 13, using at least one embedded quotation and naming the technique; analyse the final monologue in Book III, Chapter 15, using the phrase 'I see a beautiful city' and connecting it to the resurrection motif from Book I, Chapter 1; include at least one sentence of contextual reasoning linking Carton's self-sacrifice to Dickens's experience of Wilkie Collins's play The Frozen Deep or to his personal sense of wasted potential in 1859; and close with a sentence that evaluates whether Carton's death is presented as triumph, tragedy, or both. You may use quotations from any lesson in this unit. Write in continuous prose — no bullet points or subheadings.

   Exit ticket

   Having written your essay, identify the single sentence in your own writing that you think makes the most precise analytical claim, copy it out below, and write one further sentence explaining why that claim could not be made about any other character in the novel — only about Carton.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: checks whether students can identify a specific technique in the opening paragraph and articulate its effect without paraphrasing the content.
• Lesson 2 exit ticket: checks whether students understand the significance of modal verb choice ('would' vs 'will') as a marker of Carton's moral position at this point in the novel.
• Lesson 3 comparison grid: checks whether students can track a single symbol across multiple chapters and articulate how its meaning accumulates structurally.
• Lesson 4 written response: checks whether students can integrate contextual knowledge (Carlyle, serialisation) into a textual argument without allowing context to replace analysis.
• Lesson 5 self-identification task in the exit ticket: checks whether students can evaluate the quality of their own analytical claims and distinguish precise analysis from general assertion.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant.
• W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about an interpretation of literature and establish a line of reasoning.
• Textual Evidence (LAN-1.B) — Provide evidence to support line of reasoning, using quotations embedded in analytical sentences.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Explain the function of figurative language in a literary text, including extended metaphor and symbol.
• Narrative Structure (STR-1) — Explain the function of structure in a literary text, including how serialised chapter structure shapes the reader's experience of revelation.
• Character (CHR-1) — Explain the function of a complex character and how Dickens uses contrast between Carton and Darnay to develop theme.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response; use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received, including Dickens's serialisation in All the Year Round and his debt to Carlyle.
• AO4 — Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with particular attention to Dickens's use of juxtaposition, symbol and structural irony.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received, including Victorian serialisation and the influence of Carlyle's historiography.
• AO5 — Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations, evaluating the view that Carton is a redemptive hero against readings that emphasise his passivity.