Characters Through Their Own Eyes

Now that we are finished with Book the First, I thought it might be a good idea to take a look at what we know about the characters. I noticed that Dickens has made a mention of each characters eyes and that his comments about their eyes have been very telling about their character.

Jerry Cruncher- The odd jobs man who works for Tellson's bank. He is the messenger who meets Mr. Lorry and the mail coach on the route to Dover. Jerry has such spikey hair "the best of players at leapfrog might have declined him, as the most dangerous man in the world to go over." Dickens says of Jerry's eyes, "... being of a surface black, with no depth in the color or form, and much too near together-as if they were afraid of being found out in something, singly, if they kept too far apart." In Chapter 1 of Book the Second, Jerry is further described as being "exceedingly red-eyed and grim".

Mr. Jarvis Lorry- A banker who works for Tellson's Bank. He is an older gentleman of 60 who dresses well in second hand clothes. Dickens says of his eyes, "... a pair of moist bright eyes that it must have cost their owner, in years gone by,some pains to drill to the composed and reserved expression of Tellson's Bank."

Lucie Manette- Daughter of Dr. Manette who has, "a pair of blue eyes".

Monsieur Defarge- Wine-shop keeper of about 30 years of age. He is the former servent of Dr. Manette. Dickens says he has, "good eyes and a good bold breath between them."

Madam Defarge- Wife of Monsieur Defarge. She spends much time knitting. She has "a watchful eye that seldom seemed to look at anything".

Dr. Manette- Man who has been burried alive in a jail cell for 18 years. Spent his time injail making shoes. He is aged before his time with white ragged hair and yet is only 45 years old. His face is hollow and thin. But despite all this he has, "exceedingly bright eyes".

Young Jerry: Jerry Cruncher's son. He go to Tellson's Bank with his father to sit on the stool when his father has been called to a job. Dickens says his "young yese stood close by one another, as his father's did." Also described later as "twinkly eyes of the youthful Jerry" and "restlessly watchful".

Charles Darnay: Man on trial at the beginning of Book the Second for treason. We shall find out more about him later. Dickens describes him as 25 years old, well groomed, with a sunburnt cheek and a dark eye. He has long hair which is tied back with a ribbon.

Sydney Carton: Man who comes to the rescue of Mr. Darnay during the trial at the beginning of Book the Second. Is Mr. Darnay's double in appearance, although not in demeneor. He is described as "having his eyes on the ceiling, as they had been all day".