A Tale of Two Cities 外国文学导读指南系列丛书.pdfVIP

A T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E T O T H E S I G N E T C L A S S I C E D I T I O N O F CHARLES DICKENS’S A TALE OF TWO CITIES By JAMES (JIM) R. COPE S E R I E S E D I T O R S : W. GEIGER ELLIS, ED.D., UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, EMERITUS and ARTHEA J. S. REED, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, RETIRED A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities 2 I N T R O D U C T I O N A Tale of Two Cities is an excellent choice of reading material for senior high school students. It is probably the least “Dickensian” of his fourteen novels in that it has less of the grotesque, fewer characters, more big scenes, and a less complicated plot. These differences make it especially accessible to high school students. Much of the novel’s value lies in its structure, creativity, and explorations of timeless themes. As a historical novel, it serves as an excellent example of this genre. The fact that Dickens is able to weave the simple lives of ordinary people into the mosaic of a cataclysmic historical event is an indication of his genius, and another reason to read the book. The themes that are explored in the novel still have relevance today. For example, the results of what happens when revenge is allowed to dictate behavior provides an important topic for students to explore. With the popularity of movies and television shows that glorify the actions of characters who step outside of the law to achieve revenge, classroom discussion on this topic should be lively. The novel’s descriptions o