...The convict Jean Valjean is freed from a French prison after serving nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread and for his attempts to escape from prison. When Valjean travels to the town of Digne, no one is willing to give him shelter because he is an ex-convict. When Valjean knocks on the door of M. Myriel, a kindly bishop, he invites him in and gives him shelter and food. Valjean repays the bishop by stealing his silverware. When the police arrest Valjean, Myriel covers for him, saying that the silverware was a gift. The police let Valjean go and Myriel makes him promise to become an honest and good man. Willing to fulfill his promise, Valjean masks his identity and enters the town of Montreuil-sur-mer. Under the assumed name of Madeleine, Valjean invents an ingenious manufacturing process that brings the town prosperity. He eventually becomes the town’s mayor. Fantine, is a woman from Montreuil, and lives in Paris. She falls in love with Tholomyès, a wealthy student who seduces and impregnates her and then abandons her. Fantine returns to her home with her daughter, Cosette. On the way to Montreuil, Fantine recognizes that she will never be able to find work if the townspeople know that she has an illegitimate baby. She meets the Thénardiers, a family that runs an inn. The Thénardiers agree to care for Cosette as long as Fantine sends them a monthly allowance. Fantine finds work in Madeleine’s factory. A coworker finds out about Cosette and has Fantine fired. The Thénardiers...
Words: 1024 - Pages: 5
...Les Misérables By Victor Hugo An Analysis by Neyko Gelo L. Dela Cruz, 3-11 August 3, 2015 INTRODUCTION Victor Hugo Victor Marie Hugo, born on February 26, 1802, was a celebrated French author during the Romantic Movement and is best known for his poetry and his novels including The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables. His father served as a high-ranked officer in Napoleon’s army. Since it is against his mother’s wishes, Hugo married Adele, who was his childhood friend, only after his mother’s death in 1821. Hugo’s oldest daughter, Leopoldine, died of drowning when a boat overturned. He described his grief in his famous poem A Villequier. Thereafter, he continued writing poems about Leopoldine’s life and death, and it seemed like he never really moved on from the tragedy. Along with writing poems about the death of his daughter, he also started writing Les Misérables in private. After 17 years, Les Misérables was finally published in 1862. During his latest years, Hugo’s works focused on darker themes like God, Satan and death. Victor Hugo died in Paris on May 22, 1885 and received a hero’s funeral. Les Misérables Les Misérables is an epic novel, historical fiction authored by Victor Hugo and published in 1862. The novel takes place in 1815 until 1832 during the June Rebellion in Paris. Les Misérables talks about the lives of different characters, and in particular, the...
Words: 1430 - Pages: 6
...India Lewis Greenwell AP English 30 October 2013 Les Miserables: The Significance of Sacrifice Sacrifice is a prominent part of human living. In order to get what is needed or wanted, sacrifice is necessary, whether it is small or great. In the novel, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, he shows that in society, those with less must often sacrifice more. Hugo conveys sacrifice through the characters Fantine and Jean Valjean, by showing how they sacrifice in order to gain and also how their poverty makes their sacrifice even greater. Poverty pushes Fantine to make sacrifices throughout the book. She is forced to sacrifice raising her child, Cosette, and leaving her to strangers, because poverty has left her no means to take care of her. She left Cosette with the Thenardiers, because she believed she could make enough money to get her back again. “I have eighty francs. That will leave me enough to go into the country if I walk. I will go earn some money there, and as soon as I have I will come back for my little love” (Hugo 46). Fantine sacrificed her only accredited attributes for Cosette. She sacrificed her hair, “My child is no longer cold; I have clothed her with my hair” (Hugo 63). She also sacrificed her incisors to prevent her child from dying from disease. With these many sacrifices, Fantine gave up her dignity, of the few things she had left. She faced ridicule daily in the town she was raised in; from the people she trusted or had faith in, because she chose her...
Words: 660 - Pages: 3
...Les Misérables ,as defined by Wikipedia, is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables follows the story of former prisoner Jean Valjean who, after being released from the watchful eye of police officer Javert is unable to find work because of his status as an ex-convict. He eventually steals from a local church, but when apprehended, the priest claims that Valjean was given the valuables. This triggers a change in Valjean, and he constructs a new identity for himself as a pillar of society and a local businessman. Years later, he adopts a young girl named Cosette, whose mother Fantine, a former employee of his, became a prostitute and died a horrible death in the gutters after being fired. As the years progress and the French Revolution begins to foment, a grown Cosette falls for a passionate revolutionary named Marius, while Javert begins to close in again on Valjean's secret past. Les Miserables, as I’ve thought, was just another movie about revolution and rebellion. But I was completely dumbfounded when I saw the twist and turn of events. At first I found the movie a bit strange and queer, mainly because of the portrayal of the character’s lines through singing but, nevertheless, it made the whole story more enticing and interesting especially as the story develops. The...
Words: 538 - Pages: 3
...Les Miserables is a movie about people with miserable lives. Each of them has a unique story that portrays why their lives are miserable. The sacrifices and pains of the lead characters in this movie are intense and breathtaking. Jean Valjean is a convict in a French prison. He’s been serving his sentence for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread for the daughter of his sister that was starving to death and trying to escape prison as well. Javert a police inspector is keen enough to hover over prisoner 64201—Valjean. Javert then grants Valjean his parole since his sentence is over. The parole has itineraries for which Valjean must abide at all times. It includes the yellow badge that Valjean shall wear at all times to show people that he is a dangerous man. Depite Valjean’s freedom there is still something missing that he doesn’t seem to find out what could it possibly be. He tried to apply for jobs but was rejected for carrying the badge. He becomes hopeless and even stole a silverware from Myriel—a presiding bishop. Myriel gave refuge to Valjean and covered for his misdeeds. Valjean then hides beneath the name of Madeleine. He then manages and owns a manufacturing company in the town of Montreuil-sur-mer. This made him wealthy enough to try to bring up the town’s prosperity. Fantine fell in love, got pregnant and the man she fell for eventually abandons her and their child. She then traveled to the town of Montfermil with her child, Cosette. She made a deal with Monsieur...
Words: 1251 - Pages: 6
...Les Miserables (Reaction Paper) Les Miserables or The Miserable Ones is a musical movie based on the novel of Victor Hugo. It is a story about the hardship, love, sacrifice, humanity, laws, broken dreams, and also the darkest parts of French history during the revolution in 18th century. This movie focusing on the struggles and experiences of redemption of Jean Valjean. The movie begins in 1815 in Digne,France, when Jean Valjean released from 19 years imprisonment for stealing a loaf of bread just to feed his sister’s seven starving children, and gave him a parole but he breaks it that makes the ruthless policeman Javert hunted him. Because of being a former convict, the people around him rejected him until he met the Bishop Myriel who helped and encourage him to have a faith in God and to change as a better man. After six years hiding, he becomes a wealthy factory owner in Paris and one of his employees is Fantine. Fantine is a single mother who will do anything in order to support her daughter. She sell her hair, become a prostitute and even her dreams are broken. Valjean helped Fantine to see her daughter and take her to the hospital but later she was die happily when she saw her daughter. Later, he met Cosette, a young girl who is abusing and maltreating by Monsieur and Madame Thenardier. So, Valjean adopts her. After 8 years, Cosette grows into a beautiful woman where Marius falls in love with her. While Eponine, a young daughter of Monsieur and M. Thenardier who was...
Words: 1340 - Pages: 6
...Les Misérables: Journal Entries Fantine: * Theme: “You have left a place of suffering. But listen, there will be more joy in heaven over tears of repentant sinner than over the white robes of a hundred good men” (Page 27) * Heaven is gladder when sinners forsake of its sins, than with the good men just being the same all throughout. “He lived peaceable, reassured, and hopeful, having but two thoughts: to conceal his life, and to sanctify his life: to escape from men and to return to God.”(Page 72) * He wanted to change his life, but still the natural man is still part of his mighty change of heart. Every time he would always have two thoughts: which is the desire of changing, and the other is the natural man that wants to rebel again. * Character: “See here! My name is Jean Valjean. I am a convict: I have been nineteen years in the galleys. Four days ago I was set free, …… I went to an inn, and they sent me away on account of my yellow passport …… I am very tired—twelve leagues on foot, and I am so hungry. Can I stay?” (Page 17) * Jean Valjean described himself in this quotation, he sees his life as an empty glass no one is accepting him after hew as set free. He then said, his tired of trying his chance to accommodate himself with people, but people is pushing him away on his yellow passport. “He thought he saw himself, older, doubtless, not precisely the same in features, but alike in attitude and appearance...
Words: 2317 - Pages: 10
...Fantine: Theme: “Jean Valjean, my brother: you belong no longer to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I am buying for you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God!”(Pg. 33) This shows how that even though a man went through, metaphorically, hell, he does not have to stay there but can turn to God and become a better man and not let hate and anger swell up within him. “He lived peaceable, reassured, and hopeful, having but two thoughts: to conceal his life, and to sanctify his life: to escape from men and to return to God.”(Pg. 72) It shows that even if a man tries hiding from his past and even if he is trying to become good man by hiding his past and his shame from his face; he is simply digging a hole deeper and deeper for himself as the past will always be there till we face it as it is only concealed, not erased. Character: “See here! My name is Jean Valjean. I am a convict: I have been nineteen years in the galleys. Four days ago I was set free, …… I went to an inn, and they sent me away on account of my yellow passport …… I am very tired—twelve leagues on foot, and I am so hungry. Can I stay?” (Pg. 17) Jean Valjean saw himself as nothing but a yellow piece of paper and is seeking help as none would give him it as he feels lower than the dirt as he bluntly announces it and believes that he will not receive it. “Well” said he¸ ”let us take this course! Let us do our duty! Let us save this...
Words: 595 - Pages: 3
...Andrew Neimetz 12/19/2013 Mrs. Nichols English 12 Les Miserbles Composition Jean Val Jean was one of the most important characters in the book "Les Miserables". Most people see Jean Val Jean to be the protagonist of the story. This is mainly thought because the story is based around the event where Jean Val Jean, a convict that escaped and now wants to live a good life, takes a little girl, named Cosette, in and raises her as his daughter. He does this by giving the past gaurdians a lot of money. To many people, giving up a lot of your money to take in a girl that you have never met because the past gaurdians are horriable is an incredible act. It is even more incredible when you think that Jean Val Jean was never forced to give this money or take in this child. Just like many people believe he is a great person and the protaginist, others believe that he isn't as good of a person as people say. This is because even though he did rescue Cosette from a horrible life, he is still an escaped convict that hasn't paid this dues for commiting the crime. Eventhough his mindset has changed, he still commited the crime and should pay the price for it. Between these two views, many of these people see Jean Val Jean as a person who is like Christ as in being a redeemer. In the Bible, wheather you believe it is truth or just stories, Jesus is a perfect example of a redeemer because he gave up his perfect and sinless life to save people of their sins. This action is very simular...
Words: 863 - Pages: 4
...* Les Misérables synopsis: * Ex-convict Jean Valjean is the main character in Victor Hugo’s novel about the injustices of French society, Les Misérables (1862, trans. 1862). * At the time of the novel’s writing, Hugo was living in exile on the island of Guernsey—his home since 1855 when Napoleon III banished him from France. Napoleon censored the press and banished many writers and their works. * In the following excerpt from the novel, Valjean is tending to the dying Fantine, a prostitute and single mother. * Fantine is frantic about the welfare of her only child, Cosette, and Valjean tries to comfort her. Javert—a dogmatic police officer who spends most of the novel tracking Valjean--enters Fantine’s room and frightens her, with tragic consequences. * My feedbacks: * From the bare abstract, the story does not seem to promise much pleasure to novel-readers, yet it is all alive with the fiery genius of Victor Hugo, and the whole representation is so intense and vivid that it is impossible to escape from the fascination it exerts over the mind. * Its tendency is to weaken that abhorrence of crime which is the great shield of most of the virtue which society of today possesses, and it does this by attempting to prove that society itself is responsible for crimes it cannot prevent, but can only punish. * I learned that the bigotries of virtue are better than the charities of vice. * On the whole, therefore, I think that Victor...
Words: 279 - Pages: 2
...What is it that keeps man good, and dulls the suffering of the world? Assuming the answer is one of the lessons Les Miserables was meant to teach. The author Victor Hugo weaves an experience such as no other, addressing humanity, redemption, and the power of love all in a post-revolution setting. Although society experiences suffering the actions of love directs them to moral redemption on a celestial level. Before facing redemption, characters such as Jean Valjean undergo dramatic life changes. In spite of the reasons Jean Valjean becomes a “fagot”, throughout the narration it is forever present that the main character is on a path to salvation (Hugo, p.66). It is in an expressed opinion that he is suffering from being devoid of human contact for over 19 years. On the other hand, some will see the desire to interact with another as a weakness worthy of living without. Moreover Jean Valjean is forced into emerging from the Galley’s of Toulon as an outcast of society not even wanted among “dogs” (Hugo, p.11). Meanwhile one can only wonder about the mental effects such depravation can cause. For this reason it is expressed that the character in question is disabled, suddenly confused about right and wrong. In addition to the main character, Marius is clouded by ignorance and anger undergoing a powerful transformation. (Hugo, 1961) Not long after finding out the truth about his father Marius blindly runs away from his problems. Equally important is the way Marius was able to re-examine...
Words: 592 - Pages: 3
...1. Sino ang nagligtas kay Florante sa kagubatan? Si Aladin ay isang morong na naglalakbay sa kagubatan kung saan nakatali si Florante. 2. Which author is famous for visiting public executions? Thomas Hardy is the author of “Jude the Obscure”. 3. While in Ghent, Belgium, who provided financial assistance to Jose Rizal in order to finish printing his second novel, “El Filibusterismo”? Rizal encountered financial difficulties while printing “El Filibusterismo”. Valentin Ventura came to his aid and thus he was able to finish printing his second novel. 4. Which is the most specific level of organism classification? Species refers to a group of closely related organisms and is the lowest level on the classification system. 5. This type of cells has components, including DNA, mingling freely in a single compartment. Prokaryotic cells are only found in bacteria and archaebacteria. 6. During his exile, who informed Rizal about the plans of Andres Bonifacio for an armed struggle against Spain? Dr. Pio Valenzuela was Bonifacio’s emissary to Rizal in Dapitan. 7. Malignant neoplasm is another term for _________. Cancer refers to diseases involving abnormal cell growth that has become progressively worse. 8. What is the opposite of economic recession? Recession is when an economy declines. And economic boom happens when the economy is thriving. 9. A __________ is an optical device that projects an image of its surrounding on a screen. This invention...
Words: 716 - Pages: 3
...[pic] Cultural Event Week 1 Chris Dahir HUM/100 Ronald Schaffer University of Phoenix May 19, 2009 One of the most unforgettable cultural events I have attended was the musical, Les Miserables, which is set during the early 19th century when France was on the verge of one of their many waves of revolutions. When we arrived at the theater my friend who I was with, ran into a good friend, who also happened to be the manager at the theater that evening. He graciously sat us in seats three rows back from the stage, rather than in the seats we had purchased. The experience was remarkable as we could see every facial expression and the sweat on the brow of each of the actors. I have had the privilege of seeing Andrew Lloyd Weber’s production of Phantom of the Opera twice and each time the play was magnificent, but the experience of watching Les Miz from so close up, gave me a completely different experience, as everything was so much more profound. I have been to concerts, movies, and I have read many books, but my experiences from attending live performances at the theater have been multi faceted and seem to encompass all the others. To address the many scenes and characters in Les Miz would take more words than we are allowed, but I would like to focus in on a scene that takes place between the main character of Jean Valjean and the Bishop of Digne. Jean Valjean was arrested for stealing bread for his sister and her family during a time when the poor were very...
Words: 704 - Pages: 3
...humanities. Art Art has long been a means of expressing social or political ideas. Anselm Kiefer took art and brought it to an entirely new level by using his art to bring attention to national identity and collective memory. In the process his art began evolving to include occult symbolism, theology, and mysticism. All of his work shares a common theme of the trauma experienced by entire societies and the continual rebirth and renewal in life. Kiefer’s works are usually designed in a depressive and destructive style in large scale formats. He often uses photography in conjunction with earth and raw materials. Kiefer is known to include names of people o ... One of the most unforgettable cultural events I have attended was the musical, Les Miserables, which is set during the early 19th century when France was on the verge of one of their many waves of revolutions. When we arrived at the theater my friend who I was with, ran into a good friend, who also happened to be the manager at the theater that evening. He graciously...
Words: 877 - Pages: 4
...the moral dilemma the man must have been facing knowing that stealing is wrong, but also knowing that his family would starve if they were not given food. I am reminded of my all-time favorite book “Les Miserables”, where Jean Valjean steals a loaf of bread for the sake of his starving family. He knows that stealing is wrong, however, his family will surely die if he does not get them food. He is a hard worker, but still is very poor and the only way to get food is to steal it. He faced an inner conflict regarding the decision to break the baker’s window and steal a loaf of bread but accepted the consequences of doing so because he knew that his sister and her children would die without food and as a result, served many years in prison due to his crime. In today’s society, stealing a loaf of bread will not send you to prison for multiple years, however, it does come with a stigmatism of being known as a thief. This is an inner conflict that the person stealing must accept. The family will deal with the shame of knowing their loved one had to steal for food, which brings a stigmatism to the family by the community and society as a whole. Thieves are generally looked at as lower class people, poor, dirty, dishonest, and someone who you do not want to associate with. This can by a terrible judgment by the community and society altogether. The family member who stole the loaf of bread may have been a well-educated person, upstanding in the community, but was dealing with the shame...
Words: 538 - Pages: 3
