"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope,it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way -- in short, the period was so far like the present period..."

At the beginning of his novel, A Tale of Two Cities (1859), Charles Dickens compares pre-revolutionary France with England by drawing parallels between the two time periods and nations through a series of paradoxes describing various aspects of life. He was concerned that the social problems in England, especially those relating to the poor, would prove to be fodder for a mass uprising similar to the French Revolution (Kiran-Raw). In 1855, Dickens wrote in a letter:

I believe the discontent to be so much the worse for smouldering, instead of blazing openly, that it is extremely like the general mind of France before the breaking out of the first Revolution, and is in danger of being turned … into such a devil of a conflagration as never has been beheld since. (qtd. in I. Collins 42) top
You will research both the Victorian and French Revolutionary eras with regard to the various paradoxes Charles Dickens described in the first paragraph of Chapter I, Book the First of the novel, A Tale of Two Cities. You will then compile a scrapbook of text and images that illustrate the "best" and "worst" of at least five different aspects of life in each time period. Your scrapbook will contain an introduction that explains the topics you are including, a table of contents, a commentary for each separate topic, and a summary chapter in which you compare and contrast the two eras based upon what you have learned from your research. top

Step 1: Research

  • Research the links provided below to find information and images regarding the "best" and "worst" of at least five different aspects/topics of life in each time period.
  • Copy and paste your information and images into a Word document.
  • Be sure you include the URL (web address) for each piece of information you acquire.
  • Organize your information within your Documents folder according to both the aspect/topic and the time period; e.g. "Crime and Punishment/Victorian England." top

Step 2: Commentary

  • Print your documents, making sure you keep them organized according to aspect/topic and time period.
  • Write a clear, concise commentary for each aspect/topic.
  • Based upon your research, write a summary chapter that compares and contrasts the two time periods.
  • Organize your information in the order you will use for your scrapbbook.
  • Write an Introduction and a Table of Contents. top

Step 3: Publication

  • Edit your information and make final copies of all materials. Text should be publication-ready in terms of spelling, grammar, mechanics and layout.
  • Put your information together in book form.
  • The scrapbook must include:
    • an illustrated cover with a title
    • a Table of Contents
    • an Introduction
    • text and images illustrating the "best" and "worst" of at least five aspects/topics of life in both Victorian England and revolutionary France
    • commentary for each aspect/topic
    • a summary chapter top
You will be evaluated based upon the following :
  • Content: 75 points total
    • You have included all the required components outlined in Step 3. (40 points)
    • Your commentaries are written in your own words and convey clear information (35 points)
  • Form and Presentation: 25 points total
    • Your scrpabook is organized as outlined in Step 3. (10 points)
    • You show creativity, attention to detail and neatness. (15 points)

NYSED Learning Standards Addressed

  • English/Language Arts 1 : Language for Information and Understanding
    Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.
  • English/Language Arts 2 : Language for Literary Response and Expression
    Students will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performances from American and world literature; relate texts and performances to their own lives; and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for self-expression and artistic creation.
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  • English/Language Arts 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation
    Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues    .
  • Social Studies 2: World History
    Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.
  • Technology 2: Information Systems
    Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

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To Victorian England

Works Cited

Collins, Irene. "Charles Dickens and the French Revolution." Literature and History 1.1 (1990): 40-57.

Kiran--Raw, Meltem. The French Revolution in Popular Imagination: A Tale of Two Cities. The Victorian Web: http://65.107.211.206/dickens/turkey/turlit12.html

Thanks

Thank you to Vitoria Guarino for her help with research and resources.