Is Jean Valjean A Hero

A hero is a person who is selfless enough not to care about what others think and they do the right thing anyway. Heroes can be your regular everyday person like you and I. It just matters what they do to help others. The characters Johnny Cade, Dallas Winston, and Ponyboy Curtis, could be considered heroes in the novel, The Outsiders, for several reasons. The character, Johnny Cade, can be considered a hero for his many good qualities, but his heroic actions in saving children from a church fire, ultimately resulted in his untimely death.

A hero is a person who sacrifices for the good of others. They demonstrate courage, selflessness, and caring to help those around them without receiving any benefit. The characters Johnny Cade, Dallas Winston, and Darrel Curtis could be considered heroes in the novel, The Outsiders, for several reasons. The character, Johnny Cade, can be considered a hero for his many good qualities, but his heroic actions in saving children from a church fire, ultimately resulted in his untimely death. The character, Dallas Winston, can be considered a hero because he demonstrates compassion toward Johnny and sacrificed selflessly for his friends.

In the novel ‘Heroes’ by Robert Cormier, a young war veteran returns to his hometown, Frenchtown, and seeks out revenge on the man who mentally scarred both him and the girl he loved when they were young. In the novel, Francis Cassavant is the main protagonist who returns from war with horrific wounds and scars. Also, Francis can be described as a character with deeply rooted issues as when he was young he heard the girl he loved get raped by the man who he believed to be a hero. The theme of heroism is something widely discussed in the novel, Francis’ image of heroes have been distorted from seeing all the terrible and cowardly things he, and other people who were referred to as heroes, did. He struggles to see himself as a hero, despite having saved many lives, as he viewed the actions he took to be a so-called hero as cowardly and unworthy of gaining this title.

Johnny sacrificed his life to save the children from the burning building. Ponyboy risked his life to save the children from the burning building. Johnny feels remorse for killing Bob and decides to go back and turn himself in.

this point, he has lost his friend, his job, his relationship with his spouse, and his house. Despite all of these things, he continues on. He reaches the climax of his change from a brain washed conformist to a justice seeking citizen when he seeks revenge on his fellow

From the moment on he dedicated his life solely to her, to protecting her from the sorrows of poverty. From that moment he could no longer be Jean Valjean, or Monsieur Madeleine, he had to start his life over once again and Cosette was all he had in it. He sacrificed in order to gain self-approval and the ability to forgive himself.

Jean Valjean sacrificed much as he sought redemption. One of the first sacrifices that Jean Valjean makes is that of his identity, during the Champmathieu affair. As Monsieur Madeleine, Jean Valjean was a trusted official in a high position. He struggled with himself when he heard that the ‘real’ Jean Valjean had been caught: should he stay in M—sur m—where he was comfortable and popular, or do the right thing, remove a man from an undeserved galley life, and become a convict once more. When Madeleine revealed himself as Jean Valjean, he forever gave up that comfortable position of authority. He became a convict again – a wanted convict. He would now live out the rest of his life hiding, of not running, from the police. Jean sacrificed his safety. Saving Marius’ life by carrying him through the sewers also proved to be a sacrifice. Jean’s entire existence revolved around Cosette. She was what kept him on the track the bishop set him on. He adored her. He was devastated to learn that she was in love with Marius, yet he saved

Everyone needs someone to love and care for as well as someone who can return that love and care. When Cosette comes into Valjean’s life, it makes him feel something he didn’t feel in a long time, “When he saw Cosette, when he had taken her, carried her away, and rescued her, he felt his heart move” (123). At this point, she becomes more than just a girl but another symbol in Valjean’s

Cosette is deprived of the love that she desires and deserves. She longs for love and instead receives the opposite. The Thenardiers do not care for Cosette and do not view her as their child, to them she is a servant girl. When Jean Valjean offers to take Cosette away from the Thenardiers, they reply, “Ah monsieur! My good monsieur! Take her, keep her, take her away, carry her off, sugar her, stuff her, drink her, eat her, and be blessed by the holy Virgin and all the saints in paradise!” (154). The Thenardiers want Cosette out of their house, and no longer want the responsibility of taking care of the “imbecile child” (147). It is a blessing to them that this traveler has come to take Cosette away forever. Because of Jean Valjean's good deed, Cosette's life can improve and she can finally experience the emotion of love she longs for. Although Jean Valjean offers Cosette all the love he is capable of giving, it is not enough to satisfy Cosette. She craves for a different, romantic love after she is introduced to Marius. Hugo,

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.

Lying to help people, with arguably positive consequences, occurs by a character who would seem rather unlikely to lie, a Bishop. The act of generosity and kindness portrayed by the Bishop lying to the police in order to save Valjean, especially after the sins Valjean had already committed against the Bishop and the church, changes Valjean’s attitude. He decides to live his life as a redeemed man. The Bishop, who represents Christ and the Church, is acting generously and nobly, it is questionable as to whether or not he is actually acting ethically. He lies to the police, but in the process he saves Valjean’s life, which acts as the catalyst for all of the good, and even great, decisions Valjean makes throughout the rest of his life.

"True redemption is when guilt leads to good" (Khaled Hosseini). Not one person on earth is completely free from wrongs. Humans have lapses in judgement that can hurt them and others. Some people believe you can be redeemed and can put your wrongs behind you, these people are kind and generous. Others believe you have one chance to get it right, these people are often angry and judgmental. There are also those who believe that someone can't be redeemed, but begin to realize that people can change. By looking at the Bishop, Javert, and Jean Valjean and their actions it becomes clear that Les Miserables is a book about redemption coming to those who did wrongs in their past and the behaviors of those who believe and don't believe.

Generally, authors compose books that go along with the morals of the audience. So many stories are written today with the typical love story, girl falls in love with guy or vice versa. Others are action packed with a climax and a predictable ending. Victor Hugo took a different stance while writing his book Les Miserables. Hugo's idea of action is presented through Jean Valjean who is held in prison for four years because he stole a loaf of bread. He includes unique love stories unlike the typical ones that we read about. Hugo's main purpose is to challenge people to consider their morals on forgiveness and love.

This one event demonstrates the relationship of Valjean and Javert throughout the movie. Valjean stealing and not obeying the law puts a bad impression on Javert because he is the one obeying what the law says. Javert is unsatisfied with Valjean being able to walk away as a

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).