Study Questions
1. What are the two cities of the novel’s title?

2. What purpose does the comparison of England and France serve?

3. What further comparison is implied by the connection of England and France?

4. Why is the coachman nervous when he hears a horse approaching?

5. What is the man on horseback’s true purpose, and what exchange takes place?

6. What does the narrator reflect upon concerning humankind?

7. For how long has the man in Jarvis Lorry’s thoughts been buried?

8. What else do we know of this man who has been “buried”?

9. Why is this all of the information the reader has on this subject?

10. How does this scene end?

Answers
1. The two cities are Paris and London.

2. It serves to show that people are very similar, no matter where they are.

3. This connection makes the larger point that Dickens’ readers are not much different from people during the time of the French Revolution.

4. The coachman fears that it may be a highwayman wanting to rob them.

5. He has a message for Jarvis Lorry: “Wait at Dover for Mam’selle.” Lorry, in return, gives him the message: “RECALLED TO LIFE.”

6. The narrator reflects on the fact that no person can really know another person.

7. He has been buried for 18 years.

8. We know nothing else of this man.

9. This is all the information that the author supplies in order to build suspense so that the reader will continue reading.

10. The scene ends with Jarvis Lorry looking out the coach window to see the sun rising.