In A Tale of Two Cities Book 2, Chapter 24, why is Tellson's Bank the emigres' gathering place and Charles Darnay's "Loadstone"?
Tellson's is synonymous with power and privilege. It prides itself on being dark and mysterious. It is also a major artery between London and Paris. For that reason, it makes a great pipeline for the revolutionaries. People can come and go on official business that are really spies.
A Tale of Two Cities Why is Tellson's Bank the natural gathering place of the emigres and what is the "Loadstone" for Charles Darnay?
This can be found in Chapter 24 of Book 2 from A Tale of Two Cities. Please help!
In Book I, Tellson's Bank is a parody of the Bastille. Located near Temple Bar, it is dark with subterranean regions from which young men emerge as old. Now, in Book II, the emigres congregate at Tellson's because their money has been transferred from the Paris branch of this bank to the London branch. In addition, like the French aristocrats, Tellson's...
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Bank is resistant to change and has the aura of decay.
When a letter is addressed to the Marquis St. Evremonde, the emigres utter derogatory remarks; Stryver joins it, criticizing harshly the French aristocrat who allowed who abandoned his worldly goods, suggesting that the man is the head of the revolutionary mob. Upon hearing these remarks Darnay cannot resist any longer and speaks up, asserting that he knows the person to whom the letter is addressed. He is drawn to "The Loadstone," which is the title of the chapter. The loadstone, or magnet, is the letter from France which Darnay feels compelled to take and read.