Why Dickens Was Basically Writing Prestige TV Before Prestige TV Existed:

Welcome back, my bookish beauties. Today we’re diving into A Tale of Two Cities, the novel that said:
“Let’s take political upheaval, unhinged mobs, secret identities, and a love triangle no one asked for… and make it LITERATURE.”

And honestly? It still slaps.

Before we get into themes, motifs, and why this book is basically the 18th‑century version of a binge‑worthy Netflix series, let’s meet the cast, Dramatis Personae:

Charles Darnay
The human equivalent of a warm cup of tea. Nice. Polite. A little bland. Accidentally related to the worst family in France.

Sydney Carton
The original “hot mess with a heart of gold.”
If Eeyore, a Victorian lawyer, and a morally tortured golden retriever had a baby.

Lucie Manette
The emotional support angel of the entire novel.
Her hobbies include: fainting, being perfect, and inspiring men to make wildly dramatic life choices.

Dr. Manette
Trauma with a side of shoemaking.
Spent 18 years in prison and now everyone tiptoes around him like he’s a Victorian emotional support animal.

Madame Defarge
Knits. Plots. Knits some more.
The queen of “I hold grudges so long they become generational.”

Jarvis Lorry
The only adult in the room.
Runs on tea, paperwork, and pure professionalism.

The Guillotine
Not technically a character, but honestly?
She has main character energy.

Why A Tale of Two Cities Still Hits
It’s dramatic.
Dickens writes like he’s being paid per plot twist (… um… because he was).

It’s political.
Revolution, injustice, class conflict, it’s giving “history repeats itself” realness.

It’s emotional.
Sydney Carton’s arc alone could fuel 47 TikTok edits set to sad Taylor Swift songs.

It’s cinematic.
The pacing? The imagery? The cliffhangers?
Dickens walked so Shonda Rhimes could run.

Themes & Motifs (aka: The English Teacher Candy Bowl)

1. Sacrifice
   Sydney Carton said: “What if I did the most for a woman who barely knows I exist?”- not a real quote people
2. Resurrection
   Dr. Manette literally comes back from the dead (emotionally).
   Carton metaphorically does.
   France… tries.
3. Class Struggle
   The rich are terrible.
   The poor are angry.
   The middle class is stressed.
   So… basically Tuesday.
4. Fate & Destiny
   Dickens loves a good “this was meant to be” moment.
   He also loves coincidences that make readers go “Sir, please.”
5. Violence & Vengeance
   Madame Defarge is the patron saint of “I don’t forgive and I don’t forget.” (I never fully trust a person who knits that much.)

Pop Culture Connections (Because Dickens Was Ahead of His Time)
Movies & TV
Any revolution movie ever (Les Mis, The Hunger Games, Hamilton) owes Dickens a thank‑you note.

Sydney Carton is basically the blueprint for every “sad, self‑sacrificing antihero” on prestige TV.

Music
Taylor Swift’s Exile? Carton.

Hozier’s entire discography? Madame Defarge would vibe.

Olivia Rodrigo’s “traitor”? The French aristocracy.

TikTok

BookTok would eat Carton alive, and MomTok would probably try to hook up with him. (Sorry, not sorry.) Madame Defarge would absolutely run a “knit your enemies into your scarf” trend.

Lucie would be the girl in soft‑girl aesthetic videos with captions like “healed girl era.”

Intertextuality
Pairs beautifully with Les Misérables (same vibes, fewer songs).

Echoes in The Hunger Games (oppression, rebellion, trauma).

Shows up in modern dystopias where society collapses because people in power are terrible (so… all of them).

So what actually happens in this very long, kind of hard to understand text? Here is a Short, Sparkly Summary.
No spoilers, just vibes.

Two cities.
Two men who love the same woman.
One revolution.
One knitting queen of vengeance.
A whole lot of injustice.
A courtroom or twelve.
A sacrifice that still hits like a truck. (seriously ya’ll, I wept)
And an ending that makes even the toughest students stare at the wall for a minute.

Looking for an activity to teach this novel in your classroom or better understand it as a student? Check out my Tale of Two Cities activity and Answer Key here

Final Thoughts
A Tale of Two Cities is messy, emotional, political, dramatic, and deeply human, which is exactly why it still works.
It’s the literary equivalent of a prestige drama with a shocking finale and a character redemption arc that could win an Emmy.

Want a fun activity to pair with this text that allows you to be part kid, part textual analyst? Look no further. Check out my Hidden Pictures activity here.