Comparing The Convict And The Bishop

He was packed onto prison trains like cattle. From being in prison for 5 years, he was dying to know what important events have happened. He describes how differently he is from the prisoners and how they have nothing in common. He soon came to understand that underneath their violent exterior and moral code that they were men driven by fear. Father Walter would be laboring in a vineyard and actually looked forward to it because he would be able to converse with people and do something.

Answer from Dally: “I helped Johnny escape after the murder because I cared about him, I knew that he did it because he wanted to protect someone or something that he cared about, and because I don’t want him to go to jail. I helped him because I didn’t want him to end up in jail like I did. He would never survive in there. Besides, I don’t want him to get hard like I did.”

In a quest for a sense of belonging and success in life as well as a need for survival and money from a steady job, Richard attempts to conform to the social rules of those around him and the expectations of how he must behave like a second-class citizen. To feel like a part of the community and to please his family in hopes of improving his home life, Richard begins to attend a Protestant church. He consents to become a member of the church and is baptized, but he does so to please his mother and because his need for association and acceptance with a group is immense. After the church service that night, Richard reflects, “I had not felt anything except a sullen anger and a crushing sense of shame. Yet I was somehow glad that I had got it over with; no barriers now stood between me and the community”. In addition to these expectations from his family and the black community he associated with,

The minister they had once sought for comfort and solace has become a seductive, mysterious stranger with whom nobody can identify. The congregation feels as though Hooper can reach into their souls and see all the inadequacy and sin hidden within. As expressed in the story, "Each member of the congregation, the most innocent girl, and the man of most hardened breast felt as if the preacher had crept upon them, behind his awful veil, and discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought." Because of his vow, the minister is forced into a life of solitude, forever lacking satisfaction and comfort.

For example, he drove Cilla away when he made her uncomfortable by saying too much. Because of him talking so much, he got on everybody’s nerves at the Lapham’s shop. Also, Dove got revenge on him and purposely gave him the wrong material to burn Johnny’s hand. Johnny said the wrong things sometimes, and paid the price for it, just like people today do all the

Johnny's initial conscience was a force he himself ignored. As an effect of not listening and simply ignoring his conscience Johnny was a stubborn boy and was not liked by many. This pattern grew to more and more hatred towards Johnny. Overtime by being ignorant and not being a good person as his conscience had told him he became crippled. After learning the initial lesson conscience had tried to tell Johnny became a better person. Johnny was more generous towards others and did not think selfishly. In the end of the novel Johnny Tremain became a better person and was important to others as a hero and not a selfish ignorant boy as he was because of conscience.

It is in this moment that Hugo shows the change that is brewing within Javert, as he is beginning to not only realize that there is more that one solution to those who commit crimes, but he’s beginning to make an effort to perform actions that show he does believe in second chances. Javert knows that time is running out and he must make a decision on what to do with JVJ

Fauchelevent calls out “where art thou?,” “help,” cried old Fauchelevent. “Who is a good fellow to save an old man?” (Hugo, 2003, p. 109). Everyone is standing around leaving poor Fauchelevent to die. Valjean tries to find an alternative way of saving Fauchelevent, such as getting a jack, but Fauchelevent would be dead by the time it got there. Valjean informs everyone that there is enough room under the wagon for a man to crawl under and lift the weight, but “nobody [stirs] in the crowd” (Hugo, 2003, p. 110). Javert notes that “fearsome men are needed to lift the wagon…I have known but one man capable of doing what you call for” (Hugo, 2003, p. 110). The old man yells out that he is dying and Valjean offers to pay someone to save Fauchelevent. Yet again, no one rises to the occasion, therefore, without saying a word Valjean falls to his knees and saves Fauchelevent despite the fact that Javert watches him the entire time. Valjean answers Fauchelevent’s “where are though” which his “here I am” when he saves him.

Johnny had an abusive relationship with his parents. According to Ponyboy he says: “He would have run away…” (12). Johnny hasn’t had an easy life, his parents do not pay much attention to him and are verbally and physically abusive to him. Also, because of him being a Greaser he got beaten very badly by the Socs. In Johnny’s case he was used to being abused by his parents but after the Socs got a hold of him he saw that abuse is bad, and after almost being beaten to death he lived in fear every day. Johnny never hurts other people but when he sees others being mistreated he steps in. “I killed him”, he said slowly, “I killed that boy” (49). In this quote, Ponyboy is telling what Johnny told him after he killed Bob. Because of the Socs drowning Ponyboy, Johnny feels angry for what they were doing so he lets anger take over and he kills Bob. Later in the book, Johnny, Ponyboy, and Dally help save the kids from the church fire. Johnny gets hurt and has to go to the hospital. In this hospital Johnny mentions “It was worth saving those kids. Their lives are worth more than mine, they have more to live for” ( ). Johnny realizes that the best thing he could have done was save those children, even if it meant losing his life. Because of the violence that he faced at home and with the Socs he was ok with dying because he saved the children’s

Johnny is just human like everyone else. Chapter 6 page 87 Johnny tells both Dally and Ponyboy “I said we’re goin’ back and turn ourselves in”(87). He knew what he did was wrong, but he also knew that he couldn’t hide forever. He also got very tired of just staying and spending his time at the church. This was a selfless act because he didn’t want to hide the truth any longer then it needed to be hid.

He makes a decision of going to the shack alone with the aim of solving the mystery and also dispenses with his crippling guilt, and tackling his faith issues.

Jean Valjean is a bad person according to the law but he is doing it for the right reason, to help his sister’s son. Valjean goes through a lot of turmoil to maintain the façade that he must stay a free man. He is always on the run therefore making it hard for Javert to find him. Valjean always finds a way to escape the deathly grasp of Javert; he never goes back prison. He dedicates his life to the safety and protection of his dearly beloved daughter, Cossette.

His family’s confidence never dwindled; time after time, they joined a crusade to save Richard’s soul. Tensions began to increase when Aunt Addie enrolled Richard in the religious school where she taught. Labeled as a black sheep, Richard continued to defy the iron fist of his family. The conflict between Aunt Addie and Richard exploded when he was accused of eating walnuts in class. Richard knew the boy in front of him was guilty, but he abided by the “street code” and said nothing. Despite Richard’s denial, Aunt Addie did not conduct an investigation and immediately beat Richard in front of the class. After submitting to his aunt, he finally confessed the guilty suspect. Rather than to commend Richard for the truth, Aunt Addie attempted to beat him again after school. However, brandishing a knife, Richard defended himself. He had stood up for his dignity and pride, something that was worth more to him than anything.

In the beginning of the movie, Jean Valjean is in prison for 19 years, however Javert releases him and tells him not to forget what the law has said. When Valjean is released, he struggles to find warmth and food. A Bishop stumbles upon Jean and offers him that warmth and food. He allows Valjean to stay at the church able overnight, but seeing all the silver and someone who needs money, Jean steals but shortly is caught by Javert for stealing and brings him forth to the Bishop. The Bishop demonstrates the “spirit of the law” by saying Jean did not steal any of this silver, but he gave it to him. Seeing how the Bishop was so generous to Jean, he decides that he will become an honest man and uses the silver to start a new identity and become mayor of his new town.

Jean Valjean came from poverty, no family, and no education. He has no opportunity in life due to this situation and is put in the position of having to steal to get by. Eventually, he gets caught and spends a majority of his younger life in prison working in the galleys. Over time, he develops a deep hatred for society because it has never done anything kind to him. No one has shown any act of kindness to him. Valjean says that “his only contact with men had been by blows” while in the galleys (Hugo 24). When Valjean gets out of prison, people still treat him the same way; without any kindness or sympathy. That is why when Bishop Myriel, the bishop of the town, offers to house Valjean and feed him, Valjean is so taken aback. This is the first time someone shows him such kindness and respect before, “call[ing] me monsieur and [not] say[ing] ’Get out, dog!’ as everybody else does” (Hugo 16).