What is a good hook for the Tale of Two Cities?

Dickens uses several recurring symbols or 'hooks' to express concepts and feelings. Among them is the wine=blood nexus. Not especially subtle, but very evocative. Another is the 'golden thread' which begins with Lucie Manette's golden hair; we are regularly reminded of this symbol throughout the book, most chillingly when Jacques Three speculates about how wonderful it would be to see her golden hair on the chopping block of La Guillotine.