INTRODUCTORY NOTEGUIDE

1. 1. Look at the unit guide and note the verbs for the Targeted Standards. If you'll notice, words such as "analyze" and "evaluate" and "interpret" appear multiple times. We see these words many more times than we did in our other unit overviews. What does this tell you about A Tale of Two Cities?

1. 1. ANSWER: Dickens’ masterpiece will allow us to use higher order thinking skills because it offers more depth and insight. In essence, it is the deepest works of all of the other works we’ve studied.

2. 2. Note also the Essential Questions at the bottom of your Unit Guide. Be sure to define the following terms as we discuss these five questions that will guide our unit of study: verisimilitude: diction: syntax: serialization:

2. 2. Note also the Essential Questions. Be sure to define the following terms as we discuss these five questions that will guide our unit of study: verisimilitude: lifelikeness diction: author’s word choice syntax: sentence structure serialization: publishing a larger work in smaller segments over a period of time

3. A&E Biography: Charles Dickens 3. A&E Biography: Charles Dickens (Complete nine questions from appropriate noteguide.) Watch ONLINE at &bcpid= &bclid= &bctid= &bcpid= &bclid= &bctid=

4. 4. Why in the Dickens? Essential Question Five asks you to think about the social issues of today and those described in A Tale of Two Cities. Those very social issues lead us to the purpose of Dickens' entire work. But to understand those social issues, we must first understand the context of the work.

4A. 4A. First, think back to what we decided the main conflict of Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is: republic vs. monarchy

Now remember this conflict because it will be the same type of conflict that we see in A Tale of Two Cities.

4B. Charles Dickens lived during the Victorian era in England (country). This era occurred during the nineteenth century (which is the eighteen hundreds). Queen Victoria’s Reign: 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901

Now look at the inside page of the front cover of your novel. Note Dickens' birth date:

Now look at the inside page of the front cover of your novel. Note Dickens' birth date: February 7, 1812.

4C. Look at your "On Location" map. What do you notice geographically about the countries of England and France?

4C. Look at your "On Location" map. What do you notice geographically about the countries of England and France? ANALOGY: England is as close to France as Cumberland is to Harlan

Based on the map, to what two cities do you think Dickens alludes in the title of his book?

21 miles at narrowest point

For years, a ferry was the most common way to cross the Channel. The White Cliffs of Dover

Now, Eurostar speeds you through the Channel Tunnel. The $15 billion Channel Tunnel makes the old dream of a ground link between Great Britain and continental Europe a reality for the first time since the Ice Ages.

The tunnel consists of 3 interconnected tubes: 1 rail track each way plus 1 service tunnel. Its length is 31 miles, of which 23 miles are underwater. Its average depth is 150 feet under the seabed. The channel crossing time for Eurostar is only 20 minutes.

95 miles of tunnels were dug by nearly 13,000 engineers, technicians and workers. The volume of rubble removed from the tunnel is three times greater than that of Cheops’ Great Pyramid in Egypt. And it has increased the size of Britain by 90 acres. Equivalent to 68 football fields, this area has been made into a park.

4D. Now look again at the inside page of the front cover of your novel. Scan down to the bottom of the second paragraph and identify the year in which A Tale of Two Cities was published:

4D. Now look again at the inside page of the front cover of your novel. Scan down to the bottom of the second paragraph and identify the year in which A Tale of Two Cities was published:1859.

4E. However, if you look at p. 3 of the novel in the third paragraph, you'll see that the novel is not set in this year. It is set in the year _____________.

4E. However, if you look at p. 3 of the novel in the third paragraph, you'll see that the novel is not set in this year. It is set in the year 1775 AD. 4F. What do you know happens in our country the very next year?

4E. However, if you look at p. 3 of the novel in the third paragraph, you'll see that the novel is not set in this year. It is set in the year 1775 AD. 4F. What do you know happens in our country the very next year? The American Revolution begins with the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

4G. As a result of what began in 1776, George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States on April 30, Less than a week later, the long- awaited French Estates-General held its opening session in Paris on May 5, So, in one of history's neatest segues, the American Revolution officially closed just as the ________________________ announced its arrival on the world stage.

4G. As a result of what began in 1776, George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States on April 30, Less than a week later, the long- awaited French Estates-General held its opening session in Paris on May 5, So, in one of history's neatest segues, the American Revolution officially closed just as the French Revolution announced its arrival on the world stage.

4H. To understand why the French revolted, we must understand the social structure of France during the 1800s. France was divided into three 'layers' of society, much like a feudal pyramid: 1 st Estate: The Church 2 nd Estate: The Monarchy 3 rd Estate: Working Class