AToTC - Book 2, Chapter 1 Prose Analysis

Tellson’s Bank is a company that holds lots of symbolism. In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens uses literary devices to help describe and convey Tellson’s Bank.

Dickens' use of repetition helps to emphasize the meaning of his description. For example in Chapter 1 it says,”It was very small, very dark, very ugly, [and] very incommodious”. By repeating the word “very” he draws attention to the biggest and most identifiable characteristics of Tellson’s Bank which is that it is a very dark, gloomy, and uncomfortable place to be in. Tellson’s bank is not a happy place and Dickens makes sure to highlight that. These details not only help to characterize the ugliness but also the big presence of death at Tellson’s Bank. In fact he says,”...the forger was put to Death; the utterer of a bad note was put to Death; the unlawful opener of a letter was put to Death; the holder of a horse at Telllson’s door, who made off with it, was put to death…”. Death is stereotypically conveyed as something that is very dark and depressing which fits in with the image of Tellson’s Bank. Dickens' use of repetition in this case highlights how the bank literally sends people to their deaths. The bank identifies forgers, debtors, and other petty criminals that due to France’s harsh justice system are sent to their deaths.

He also uses an analogy to convey the community of Tellson’s Bank. He says,”In this respect the House was much on a par with the Country; which did very often disinherit its sons for suggesting improvements in laws and customs that had long been highly objectionable, but were only the more respectable”. In this case the House that Dickens refers to is Tellson’s Bank. He makes a comparison between the House and the country in that both like to resist change and are very set in their ways. So much so that they will punish anyone who goes against the set traditions of the institution. The workers at Tellson like it’s smallness and its ugliness and for anyone to say something against that would not be very welcome there.

Tellson’s bank represents much of the state of Britain and it’s government. Dickens' use of literary devices such as repetition and analogies help to paint to big picture about Tellson’s appearance and work culture.