Chapter 20
The Honest Tradesman's Dark Business
The Honest Tradesman To the eyes of Mr. Jeremiah Cruncher, sitting on his stool in Fleet-street with his grisly urchin beside him, a vast number and variety of objects in movement were every day presented. Who could sit upon anything in Fleet-street during the busy hours of the day, and not be dazed and deafened by two immense processions, one ever tending westward with the sun, the other ever tending eastward from the sun, both ever tending to the plains beyond the range of red and purple where the sun goes down! With his straw in his mouth, Mr. Cruncher…
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Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Tellson’s side of the tides to the opposite shore."
Context: From the opening of the chapter
Jerry's legitimate work ferrying passengers across Fleet Street contrasts sharply with his nighttime activities, showing how people compartmentalize their moral and immoral behaviors. This duality reflects the human tendency to justify contradictory aspects of our lives through different frameworks.
In Today's Words:
Jerry made extra money helping nervous women cross the busy street, always hoping they'd tip him for a drink afterward. Ground it in the scene: who holds power, who absorbs risk, and what changes if you name it early. The pattern repeats whenever rank decides who must stay calm while everyone else panics.
"Old Bailey spies, and wreaking vengeance on them."
Context: A key line from the middle of the chapter
The mob's violent pursuit of anyone they label as spies reveals how quickly fear and anger can transform ordinary people into dangerous crowds. This demonstrates humanity's susceptibility to collective hysteria and the ease with which we can dehumanize perceived enemies.
In Today's Words:
The crowd started attacking random passersby, accusing them of being government informants and seeking revenge on innocent people. That is how it feels when institutions treat your survival as someone else's paperwork problem. You see the same squeeze when a manager passes blame down and the person with no exit absorbs the cost.
"I try to be a good wife, Jerry,” the poor woman protested, with tears."
Context: A key line from the closing third of the chapter
Mrs. Cruncher's tearful protest shows the painful position of someone trying to maintain moral principles while being pressured to abandon them. Her situation illustrates how family loyalty can conflict with personal conscience, creating impossible choices.
In Today's Words:
The exhausted woman wept as she insisted she was doing her best to be a supportive spouse. Ground it in the scene: who holds power, who absorbs risk, and what changes if you name it early. Ground it in the scene: who holds power, who absorbs risk, and what changes if you name it early.
"Is it being a good wife to oppose your husband’s business?"
Context: A key line from the closing third of the chapter
Jerry's question reveals how people rationalize immoral behavior by reframing it as necessary work that deserves family support. This reflects the human capacity to twist moral reasoning when financial desperation or self-interest is involved.
In Today's Words:
Jerry demanded to know if opposing his illegal work made her a bad wife, using guilt to silence her objections. Ground it in the scene: who holds power, who absorbs risk, and what changes if you name it early. Ground it in the scene: who holds power, who absorbs risk, and what changes if you.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Jerry's grave-robbing represents how poverty forces the working class into morally compromising work to survive
Development
Builds on earlier themes of class desperation, showing how economic pressure corrupts family relationships
In Your Life:
You might recognize this when financial stress makes you consider jobs or choices that don't align with your values
Identity
In This Chapter
Jerry constructs an elaborate identity as a 'resurrection man' rather than admitting he's a grave robber
Development
Continues the theme of characters creating false identities to cope with harsh realities
In Your Life:
You see this when you catch yourself creating impressive job titles or explanations for work that embarrasses you
Family Secrets
In This Chapter
Young Jerry discovers his father's true work, shattering his innocent view of adult morality
Development
Introduced here as a new thread about how children inevitably discover adult compromises
In Your Life:
This appears when you realize your parents weren't the moral authorities you thought they were
Power Dynamics
In This Chapter
Jerry threatens his wife to stop praying, using intimidation to control her response to his choices
Development
Extends earlier themes about how desperation corrupts relationships and creates domestic tyranny
In Your Life:
You might see this when stress makes you controlling toward family members who question your decisions
Moral Flexibility
In This Chapter
Jerry transforms grave-robbing into honest work through elaborate mental gymnastics
Development
Introduced here, showing how survival pressure reshapes moral frameworks entirely
In Your Life:
This happens when you find yourself building complex justifications for choices that once would have horrified you
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
How does Jerry's behavior during the funeral procession reveal his true character before we learn about his grave-robbing activities?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
Jerry's eager participation in the violent mob and his excitement about funerals foreshadow his macabre nighttime profession and show his comfort with death-related chaos.
- 2
What does the crowd's transformation from funeral protesters to random attackers suggest about mob mentality?
analysis • deepOne way to read it
It demonstrates how collective anger can quickly lose its original focus and become generalized violence, showing the dangerous unpredictability of crowd psychology.
- 3
How might Mrs. Cruncher's religious beliefs actually conflict with supporting her husband's illegal activities?
application • mediumOne way to read it
Her prayers likely ask for moral guidance and forgiveness, which would naturally oppose grave-robbing, creating genuine spiritual conflict with Jerry's demands for support.
- 4
Why does Jerry blame his wife's prayers for his business failures rather than examining other possible causes?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
Blaming her prayers allows him to avoid confronting the moral wrongness of his actions or practical problems with his methods, maintaining his self-image as an 'honest tradesman.'
- 5
What does Young Jerry's secret following of his father suggest about children's natural curiosity versus parental protection?
reflection • mediumOne way to read it
It shows that children will inevitably discover adult secrets through their own investigation, often learning disturbing truths their parents tried to shield them from.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Rationalization Patterns
Think of a time when you justified doing something you normally wouldn't do because of pressure or circumstances. Write down the story you told yourself to make it okay. Then identify what real pressure was driving that choice. Finally, brainstorm what support or resources might have given you better options.
Consider:
- •Focus on understanding the pressure, not judging the choice
- •Look for patterns in how you rationalize difficult decisions
- •Consider what systemic changes would reduce this pressure for others
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone you judged harshly might have been responding to pressures you didn't understand. How might you approach similar situations with more compassion while still maintaining your own boundaries?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 21: The Revolutionary Network Revealed
The scene shifts to Madame Defarge and her knitting, where we'll discover that her seemingly innocent needlework contains deadly secrets that could determine the fate of the revolution.
