A Tale of Two Cities · Chapter
A Companion Picture explained
Mr.
What happens
Mr. Stryver informs Sydney Carton of his intention to marry Lucie Manette, not for her fortune but because she is a charming creature who will do him credit. Stryver patronizingly advises Carton to marry a respectable woman with property for his own good. Carton, worn out from work and drinking, responds with cynical indifference and self-deprecation.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
In this chapter, the emotional and psychological peak occurs as Lucie, the story’s emotional anchor, hears the…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Class and Privilege
Stryver's patronizing advice to Carton reflects class assumptions about marriage and social standing, as he views Lucie as a credit to his station.
- Sacrifice and Redemption
Carton's self-destructive behavior and his friend's dismissive attitude foreshadow his later sacrificial role.
Characters to notice
- Sydney Carton
Exhausted from working double tides, drinking heavily, and displaying his characteristic self-loathing and incorrigibility.
- Mr. Stryver
Boastfully announces his plan to marry Lucie Manette, patronizing Carton and inflating his own sense of worth.
- Lucie Manette
Referred to as the object of Stryver's matrimonial intentions, described by him as a charming creature and golden-haired doll.
Key passages
“You have no business to be incorrigible”
You shouldn't be so hopelessly beyond improvement.
Stryver scolds Carton for his self-destructive attitude.
“I have no business to be, at all, that I know of”
As far as I can tell, I have no reason to exist.
Carton expresses his profound sense of worthlessness.
“She is a charming creature, and I have made up my mind to please myself”
She is delightful, and I have decided to marry her for my own satisfaction.
Stryver reveals his self-centered motivation for proposing to Lucie.
