Analysis Of Les Miserables

I agree with the statement that in the novel Les Miserables, the author Victor Hugo is trying to say that human nature is basically good. In the most basic sense, the definition of good trying to do the right thing, even if there are negative consequences. It often means having to sacrifice and give up something to do the right thing. Throughout the book, many characters sacrifice their happiness and morals in order to do what they believe is the right and fair thing. Even when faced with serious consequences for being honest, characters more often than not still choose to do the right thing. Some may argue that Victor Hugo is saying that human nature is basically evil because some characters commit evil actions. However, in most cases, characters don’t always have evil intentions, their execution is just poor and makes them seem evil. Everyone thinks of themselves as a hero, almost everything a character does is because that’s what they believe is the right thing to do. Whether or not it really is could be up for debate but for the most part, most characters don’t have evil intentions and attempt to usually do the right thing. Victor Hugo is saying that as a whole, human nature is inherently good.

Like in le roman, the characters are connected and eventually creates some kind of relationship. Le Roman and Les Misérables both shows how difficult situations can bring people together no matter how different their lives are or who they

Italian Neorealism was a movement of art, which strived to illustrate the normal lives of the ordinary, working class people in post war Rome, usually with the use of non-professional actors. As one of the best Italian Neorealist film, Bicycle Thieves showed an absolute depiction of the war’s impact on daily life and exposed a world in which sufferings, unkindness and corruption jeopardized the rationality of human beings and action of men (Schoonover). By utilizing a depressing and gloomy cinematography, De Sica implies the somber lives of the poor and their crisis in losing their self-identity and moral conscience as a result of parochial society that make a fetish of personal belongings as a mode of social acceptance. By examining the cinematography, ‘mise-en-scene’ and events in the film, the daily struggles of the working class in post war Rome can be seen through the crisis of masculinity, class struggle, ethical dilemma and a profoundly patriarchal society.

The book begins with the convict, Jean Valjean, being released from a French Prison. He has served nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread and subsequent escape attempts. He is set free, but only with his identification papers yellow. This marks him as criminal, and now in the new town, no one is willing to house him. In despair, Jean Valjean goes to the bishop M. Myriel. The kind man allows him to stay, but Jean Valjean repays him by stealing the bishop’s silverware then running for it.

The extract is take from the novel Les miserables written by victor hugo in the nineteenth century. This was the time when art and literature was influenced by Romanticism movement. In this novel hugo has condemned the unjust class based structure of the nineteenth century France. This movement has an emphasis on individual’s freedom of thoughts and emotions from social conventions. They are more concerned with imagination rather than reason. The situation in this passage is idealized in literature of nineteenth century, however, real life aspect is quite differ from the imaginative world.

During his eight years in hiding, Valjean became a wealthy factory owner and the mayor of a town called Montreuil-sur-Mer. A worker in Valjean’s factory named Fantine, has her secret of sending money to the Thénardiers, the caretakers of her child, Cosette, exposed, and is fired from her job. Fantine, left with no other options, resorts to prostitution to support Cosette. During an altercation with an abusive customer, now police inspector, Javert, arrests Fantine, but Valjean stops him, and takes Fantine to a hospital where she is diagnosed with a terminal case of tuberculosis. While at the hospital, Valjean learns that a man suspected to be the missing prisoner himself, is put on trial for a crime he

And even though he has let Jean Valjean go for the time being, he still hasn’t made the decision to let him go entirely. He questions what to do. To give up “Jean Valjean? That was wrong. Leave Jean Valjean free? That was wrong. In the first case the man of authority would fall lower than the man in the galley; the second, a convict rose higher than the law and set foot on it. In both cases it dishonored him, Javert”(530). Javert now faces his toughest challenge yet on whether or not to free Jean Valjean and in both cases there is negative consequence. If he does return him to the galley “man of authority would fall lower than the man in the galley” and if he doesn't, the law will be destroyed. Javert realises that either way he is damned and the fate of Jean Valjean rests on if Javert is open minded and forgiving himself. To Javert, he will be putting a guilty innocent man back into a situation of hell after years of persecution and spitting in his face as he returns to the galleys. He has always believed that man can never change their ways, but after seeing Jean Valjean save his and anothers mans life he feels something he never had before. Something “horrible was penetrating Javert’s soul. Respect for a galley slave… He shuddered at it yet could not shake it off.”(531). Javert having now respect for Jean Valjean because of his gracing actions is something that is monumental. Javert never seeing Jean Valjean much of anything now see’s him as a man who had done wrong to be deserving of being sent to the galleys by law but had done by the eyes of God to be deserving of the same punishment. Javert a man once made of stone not able to forgive a women for disrespecting a man is now forgiving the man he has chased his whole life, waking and watching for. But by forgiving the

In Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables, a man named Jean Valjean is imprisoned for nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread. Though he goes in a good man, he comes out troubled, judged, and angry. The simple kindness and compassion showed to him by a bishop inspires him to change and rise above his past. Throughout his book, Victor Hugo uses metaphor, symbolism, and diction to emphasize the remarkably non-dualistic nature between the saint and the sinner, highlighting society’s divine obligation to treat one another with mercy and love. By using metaphor, symbolism, and diction, Hugo is able to shed light on a social issue of his day in a way that allows the reader relate to and understand a misunderstood class of society.

isn't fueled with hate, he is filled with love. Jean Valjean redeems Javert that night.

Javert, the inspector who chased Valjean, had one major turning point in Victor Hugo’s novel. Throughout the novel Javert hunted Valjean with a sense of justice and law. Javert believed in enforcing society’s law to such an extent it made him not think whether the laws were just. However, throughout the novel it became evident that Javert not only wanted to follow the law, but also started to enjoy hounding Valjean. “Then, with a demonic and sensual pleasure, he settled down to enjoy himself. He played his man knowing that he had him, deliberately postponing the climax, granting him a last illusion of freedom, relishing the situation like a spider with a fly buzzing in its web or a cat letting a mouse run between its paws – the ecstasy of watching

Javert relentlessly pursues Jean Valjean throughout the novel who wishes to make him pay for past errors. When Jean Valjean has the chance to get revenge on Javert by killing him, he doesn’t. Jean Valjean redeems Javert because God redeemed him.

Once he was released, he could not find anywhere to stay, or work because of the fact that he was a convict. “Jean Valjean, my brother, you belong no longer…”(34). So, in search of a place to stay he knocks on doors all throughout the town of Digne. No one offers him to come in except a bishop, named Myriel. The bishop lets Jean

In Les Miserables, Hugo shows the compassion, mercy and forgiveness of other people. An article states, “The amazing thing about the affirmation of human dignity is just how far-reaching one seemingly insignificant act of compassion can be” (What Les Miserables taught us… n.pag). Victor Hugo’s fiction, such as the historical fiction Les Miserable “provided a detailed version of the nineteenth century French politics and society” (Berrere, Jean-Bertrand n.pag). The novel is a humanitarian work, which influenced literature by the lasting affect of human dignity, natural laws and natural rights.

One activity in Les Mis that the bishop did which was unconventional for that time, and any time for that matter was the bishop leaving his door unlatched and letting anyone stay in his house no matter who they were, whether he knew them or not. (page 41) Victor Hugo had the bishop do this to show the bishops, faith in God and to emphasize the tenderness of heart the bishop had for anyone. The bishop leaving his door open also really emphasized how he didn’t care who you were, what your past held, and showed how he did not neglect anyone for any erroneous. The bishop only cared about giving you a positive transformation, and helping you have a positive future which has earnest and honest actions.

Some people will do anything for those they love, no matter what the cost. In literature, this act of sacrifice is often exaggerated and glorified. Almost every novel contains some example of sacrifice, a giving up of something dear and precious without thought of material repayment. Victor Hugo’s novel, Les Misérables, is no exception. It is, in fact, full to overflowing of sacrifice between its different characters. Two such characters are Eponine and Jean Valjean, who each sacrifice an extraordinary amount to other characters.