It’s the episode in which we dig into the ways Dickens uses different tones of voice in various sections, the way his writing creates a tableau-like effect, how the serialization of the story should impact our reading, and question on morality that the book’s introduction of the French Revolution raises.
My Penguin Classics edition has the installments. The chapters for this week's podcast were installments 13-16.5. The discussion this time made me realize I do not read Dickens the same way I read most other books. I do read him slowly and don't often reread. I'm certain I will not reread Bleak House, but I would definitely rewatch the BBC series (10 episodes) which is the reason I took up the book. I can say the same for Our Mutual Friend. I wonder Dickens didn't write more for the theater?
Was this the episode where David mentioned LOST? I had been thinking the same thing! (Only in a good way.) the serialized publication of the original must have been like “Must See TV”. Maybe ER is a better comparison? Because also George Clooney was totally a Sydney Carton character - the underachieving bad boy with good heart; his own worst enemy; broken and needing to be saved! Carton “saves” himself (while Clooney needed the nurse’s committed love) but still: we all showed up every week, put up with random stuff about the hospital
Administration or local drug addicts getting in the way of things, just to get at The Good Stuff. Which was so good! TOTC definitely reads like really interesting TV.
To clarify: we “put up with” flat characters like Charles and too many words and weird narrative shifts to get at the good stuff, which is so dang good!
I think I feel about Madame Defarge the same way Heidi mentioned she feels about Sydney Carton in previous episodes...Defarge so much more interesting than Lucy, and there’s an element of mystery to her actions that draws my attention every time she’s “on screen.” Maybe I’ll feel differently the further into the story we get, but I remember reacting this same way when I read and re-read the Great Illustrated Classics abridged edition as a child. 😅 I’m not normally a “drawn to the villain” type reader.
Me too! I will say I don't find myself drawn to Sydney Carton at all. Even knowing how the story will end, I just don't think he's in the book enough for me to care about him. I have only read the Great Illustrated Classics version, so maybe more is coming that I don't expect and which will make me care.
My Penguin Classics edition has the installments. The chapters for this week's podcast were installments 13-16.5. The discussion this time made me realize I do not read Dickens the same way I read most other books. I do read him slowly and don't often reread. I'm certain I will not reread Bleak House, but I would definitely rewatch the BBC series (10 episodes) which is the reason I took up the book. I can say the same for Our Mutual Friend. I wonder Dickens didn't write more for the theater?
Was this the episode where David mentioned LOST? I had been thinking the same thing! (Only in a good way.) the serialized publication of the original must have been like “Must See TV”. Maybe ER is a better comparison? Because also George Clooney was totally a Sydney Carton character - the underachieving bad boy with good heart; his own worst enemy; broken and needing to be saved! Carton “saves” himself (while Clooney needed the nurse’s committed love) but still: we all showed up every week, put up with random stuff about the hospital
Administration or local drug addicts getting in the way of things, just to get at The Good Stuff. Which was so good! TOTC definitely reads like really interesting TV.
To clarify: we “put up with” flat characters like Charles and too many words and weird narrative shifts to get at the good stuff, which is so dang good!
Fair enough! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻❤️
During this week’s podcast, the question of the original installments of ATOTC was raised. Here’s a link to The Dickens Journal Online with the original serialization. https://www.djo.org.uk/indexes/authors/charles-dickens/a-tale-of-two-cities.html
This is great - thank you!
I think I feel about Madame Defarge the same way Heidi mentioned she feels about Sydney Carton in previous episodes...Defarge so much more interesting than Lucy, and there’s an element of mystery to her actions that draws my attention every time she’s “on screen.” Maybe I’ll feel differently the further into the story we get, but I remember reacting this same way when I read and re-read the Great Illustrated Classics abridged edition as a child. 😅 I’m not normally a “drawn to the villain” type reader.
This is a good take! She’s wicked, but so compelling. *shiver*
Me too! I will say I don't find myself drawn to Sydney Carton at all. Even knowing how the story will end, I just don't think he's in the book enough for me to care about him. I have only read the Great Illustrated Classics version, so maybe more is coming that I don't expect and which will make me care.