Tale of Two Cities "Golden Thread" Chapter 1-4

Robby Treadwell

10/31/12

Chapter 1-4

Period 4

Summary: In the beginning we met Cruncher who is a porter or messenger outside the bank. He stands outside the bank every day with his son Jerry. Then a bank clerk instructs Cruncher to go to the courthouse and await orders. Darnay is found guilty for passing english secrets to the french. 

Quotation: "Outside Tellson’s—never by any means in it, unless called in—was an odd-job-man, an occasional porter and messenger, who served as the live sign of the house. He was never absent during business hours, unless upon an errand, and then he was represented by his son: a grisly urchin of twelve, who was his express image."

Quotation Significance: This quote was not very significant but it was very interesting to me. It was interesting to read about how unique Cruncher is. We learn later the things he did for money and some of the jobs he does by himself and with his son Jerry.

Reflection: These four chapters were very hard and confusing for me to read. It was interesting to read about Cruncher. I respect Cruncher because he is doing a lot of hard work just to make a living. the part that was confusing for me was reading about what happened in the court with Darnay. While I was reading this it was very difficult for me to pay attention to what i was reading. It was interesting to read about the torturing methods that they used then. It was confusing to read why Darnay was guilty for sending English secrets to the French.

Discussion Question: What were the secrets that Darnay gave to the French and why were they so important?

Tale of Two Cities Chapter 5-6

Robby Treadwell

10/30/12

Chapter 5/6

Period 4

Summary: In the beginning a wine cart spilled and all of the people in the town drank every drop of wine off of the ground. We meet Madam Defarge who is the wine shop owner's wife. Three men from the bar, Madam Defarge, Miss Manette, and Mr Lorry all go up a giant stairway in the wine shop. Inside the attic was a man with white hair making shoes. They find out that the shoemaker is Miss Manette's father. They know this because he has her matching hair.

Quotation: “O, sir, at another time you shall know my name, and who my mother was, and who my father, and how I never knew their hard, hard history. But I cannot tell you at this time, and I cannot tell you here. All that I may tell you, here and now, is, that I pray to you to touch me and to bless me. Kiss me, kiss me! O my dear, my dear!”

Quotation Significance: This quote just shows how much Miss Manette cares. She is so happy to see him and doesn't find it important to share names just to express love for each other.

Reflection: The first chapter was pretty confusing for me to read but when it came to the second chapter it was very exciting. It was exciting to read that Miss Manette found her father that she thought has been dead for all of this time. It was hard to read the section when the shoemaker is talking about her hair and how he has two pieces of it. In the beginning it shows how desperate people were at this time. It talks about people using all different ways to pick up the wine and drink it. People would do anything at that time for some things.

Discussion Question: How did they know to go up that staircase and look for him?

Tale of Two Cities Chapter 1-4

Robby Treadwell

10/29/12

Chapter 1-4

Period 4

Summary: While the Dover coach is headed up a very muddy hill that takes them a long time, a mail man named Jerry approaches them and delivers a letter to Mr. Lorry. The letter said wait at dover for mademoiselle. When Mr. Lorry got to Dover he was treated very nicely and highly. Mr. Lorry met the mademoiselle Miss Manette. They talk about the inheritance of her dad, but she soon finds out that he is still alive.

Quotation:

“Miss Manette, it WAS I. And you will see how truly I spoke of myself just now, in saying I had no feelings, and that all the relations I hold with my fellow-creatures are mere business relations, when you reflect that I have never seen you since. No; you have been the ward of Tellson’s House since, and I have been busy with the other business of Tellson’s House since. Feelings! I have no time for them, no chance of them. I pass my whole life, miss, in turning an immense pecuniary Mangle.”

Quotation Significance: In this quote Mr. Lorry is talking about how serious his job is. He says he has no time for feelings and all of his time is devoted to his job.

Reflection: It is hard to tell what this book is going to be about because the first chapters are kind of weird. We start off with a description then, a letter, then weird dreams about ghosts, and lastly we find out about someone that is really alive but was thought to be dead for a long time. It is interesting to think about what Miss Manette is going to do now that she knows her father is still alive. This book seems quite strange and is going to be a hard read, but I think once we get into the deep plot it will be a fun read.

Discussion Question: What is Miss Manette going to do next now that she knows her dad is alive?

Jane Eyre Chapter 35 & 36

Robby Treadwell
10/24/12

Chapter 35/36

Period 4

Summary: In the first chapter St. John keeps pressuring Jane to marry him, but Jane keeps resisting as kindly as possible. At the end of the chapter she thinks she hears Rochester's voice in a great distance. In the last chapter Jane goes back to Thronfield to find it completely destroyed when Bertha set the house ablaze and she killed herself. Rochester lost a hand and became blind from the fire while trying to save servants and his wife. Rochester now lives in a house in Fernaden which is located in a forest

Quotation: "She was kept in very close confinement, ma'am; people even for some years were not absolutely certain of her existance. No one saw her: they only knew by rumor. that such a person was at the hall; and who or what she was it was difficult to conjecture." Page 456.

Quotation Significance: In this quote it talks about how Bertha was pretty much a no one in Thornfield. She was not seen for even years.  

Reflection: The first chapter of this reading is no where near as exciting as the second chapter of this reading. Although it is sad to read about Mr. Rochester's hand getting burned off, and getting blind from the fire it is a very exciting chapter to read. It is also sad to read that Thornfield is a mess. I was not surprised when I found out that Bertha set the house ablaze because she was treated so badly. It could have been much worse. I was confused whether Jane actually heard Rochester's voice or not. 

Discussion Question: Is Jane going to care for Rochester or is St. John going to restrict her from doing that?

Jane Eyre Chapter 33 & 34

Robby Treadwell

10/23/12

Chapter 33/34

Period 4

Summary: In the first chapter St. John tells Jane the story of an orphan that almost married Rochester and she finds out it is about her. She is being looked for because her Uncle John Reed died and she is inheriting the 20,000 pounds from him. She also finds out St. John is her cousin. In the second chapter St. John is very controlling of Jane and he insists Jane comes to India with him to be a missionary and marry him. Jane agrees to go but not to marry him. 

Quotation: "That night, after he had kissed his sisters, he thought proper to forget even to shake hands with me, but left the room in silence. I--who thought I had no love, had much friendship for him-- was hurt by the marked omission: so much hurt that tears started to my eyes."- Jane. Pg 438.

Quotation Significance: This quote is sad to read because it talks about how sad Jane's emotions are. She is talking about what St. John had told her and how bad it has hurt her. She thought she had a friendship for him but not anymore.

Reflection: Chapter thirty three is a exciting chapter to read for Jane. She finds another happy family that she can live with it and she inherits money from her uncle. The only down side is that Jane loses her uncle. Jane did a pretty good job disguising herself as someone else good up to this point. The only way St. John found out is that Jane signed a piece of art as herself and that is why St. John ripped it off and ran off quickly. St. John has also been nice and respectful to Jane until this point. He insists that she marries him and when she says no he says that she must and exits the scene with much grief. Jane just found a family and now St. John is making her leave them. 

Discussion Question: What is Rochester doing? Is he still alive and living with Bertha?

Jane Eyre Chapter 31&32

Robby Treadwell

Chapter 31/32

10/22/12

Period 4 

Summary: Rosamond Oliver gives Jane a cottage to live in, and Jane starts teaching. She finds out that she does not like teaching there, and Rosamond and St. John are in love. In the last chapter St. John admits that he loves Rosamond and that he ought to marry her. At the end St. John tears something off of Jane's paper and quickly runs away.

Quotation: "My cottage is clean and weather-proof; my furniture sufficient and commodious. All I see has made me thankful, not despondent. I am not absolutely such a fool and sensualist as to regret the absence of a carpet, a sofa, and a silver plate; besides, five weeks ago I had nothing --- I was an outcast, a beggar, a vagrant: now I have acquaintance , a home, a business." Pg. 384-385 -Jane

Quotation Significance: This quote shows a lot about Jane. She shows much optimism in this quote by not talking about everything that is going bad for her, but all the good things going for her. This shows how much Jane has changed.

Reflection: These chapters are kind of slow. Not too much happens but Jane talks about living in Morton. At first Jane is not happy with teaching in Morton, but as the students become more familiar with her, Jane enjoys it more. I find it interesting to read about St. John and Rosamond because their connections are quite awkward. I do also like the way Charlotte Bronte leaves the last chapter by keeping the reader interested. She makes you want to keep reading when she talks about St. John quickly running away from the scene. Jane could very easily be sad and upset about things but she chooses to look at the better things that are working for her which aren't much. 

Discussion Question: What is Rochester doing in Thornfield, and is he going to after Jane?

Jane Eyre Chapter 27 & 28

Robby Treadwell

10/17/12

Chapter 27-28

Period 4

Summary: In the first chapter Rochester is very apologetic for what happened and he apologizes to Jane. He asks her to leave England with him and live in South France. He explains the reason he married Bertha was for the money but, then he realized that she did not have money and her mother was crazy. Jane leaves Thornfield that night. In the second chapter Jane rides in a coach to find somewhere to stay but finds her self sleeping outside at night until she gets to a house young women named Diana and Mary with a servant named Hanna. They let her in and feed her. 

Quotation: “Who in the world cares for you?” -Jane's thoughts

Quotation Significance: Jane is talking about Rochester in this quote because she is so disgusted with him. She is very mad at him at first but when she leaves she leaves him with a kiss on the cheek, because she knows this was the first man that has ever truly loved her. This makes it hard for Jane to leave.

Reflection: These chapters are very sad times for Jane. She is forced to leave Thornfield where she made her home. Jane also has to leave the man that was the first person to ever truly love her as something more than a daughter or sibling. It was very sad to hear that when Jane was riding on a coach out of the town, she had no food. Jane went up to many people in the small town and asked them for a place to say or for some food but no one offered any. The only person that did was a farmer. He offered a slice of bread for her. It was also sad to hear when Diana and Mary saw Jane at the door they didn't let her in at first. Thankfully, they let her in and gave her food. I hope that Jane finds someone else that loves her because it will be hard for her to recover from being hurt so bad.

Discussion Question: Is Rochester going to just let her go, or is he going to try and find her and make things right?