Les Miserables by Victor Hugo demonstrates the prevalence of social classes in revolutionary France. The protagonist Jean Valjean experiences numerous social injustices throughout his life but learns many valuable lessons in the process, which help Valjean become a better person and learn that being honest is very important. He learns that he cannot run away from the past but rather he should learn from it so he can lead a better life.
The book starts off with Valjean in a jail cell, and then he escapes. This is where he learns about the importance of honesty. Later on in the book Valjean becomes a father to Cosette he learns the importance of love and family. He realizes how much Cosette means to him and that he would do anything to
…show more content…
Ever since he started leading an honest life he started experiencing things like wealth, love, and the importance of family. He experiences wealth when he lives in Montreuil and opens his own factory. He is able to experience love and the importance of family when he decided to start taking care of Cosette. Jean Valjean changes his name when he runs away from the bishop and then moves to Montreuil where he opens his own factory. Valjean wants to change his name in an attempt to mask his past and move on with his life. He wants to pursue an honest life, and by changing his name no one will doubt him. Valjean wants to run away from the past so he takes up pseudonyms, but the antagonist Javert always finds about about his new name. This is when he realizes that changing his name cannot change him, and he needs to be okay with his criminal past. Valjean’s criminal past is what makes him such a humble and courageous human being by the end of the book.
Valjean stole a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s hungry family. As a consequence of stealing the bread he went to jail for nineteen years. His sentence just kept getting longer and longer because of the many attempts to escape. By the time he got out his family did not want anything to do with him and he was all alone. Ever since Valjean got out of jail he longed for people who he could call family because once he was thrown in jail his
Jean Valjean has full custody over Cosette after her mother died. Although Valjean is not Cosette’s biological father, he wants to be the best father figure for Cosette. He is very protective over her because he has never had anyone to love before. Because of his past, Valjean both helps and hinders Cosette as she becomes an adult.
For my report I read The French Revolution and the People by David Andress to learn what were the reasons causing the French Revolutionary War. The main thesis of the book is the known problems and reactions which affected the events and outcomes of the revolution in every stage, now everyone in France was affected by the revolution. I agree with the author’s thesis on many different levels. Since the multiple troubles the people had at that time did not originate just then but decades before. As well with constant economic pressure of all the upper classes upon them only worsened the situation. Since all the troubles and problems of the poor were never looked after, now everyone in France gets a taste of the revolution.
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.
The French Revolution was a time of period where social and political was a disruption in France that lasted from 1789 until 1799. This time of period affected Social Structure of France prior to the French Revolution. The factors that caused this revolution was due to having a bad government system, weak superiority, and inequality of the classes of people in France during the war. In this research, I will define and explain how Social Structure contributed to the French Revolution Resentment of royal authoritarianism. The three estates that social structure consists of are first estate which are the clergies, second estate known as the Nobleman, and third estate which are the Bourgeoisie, peasants, and workers. The Revolution did not omit sharp distinctions among the social groups, neither did it alter the distribution of wealth. This caused them to divide into these three groups called as estates.
Because it is discovered that she has an illegitimate child, she is fired so she does not influence the young girls she works with. The woman in charge of the factory quickly judge Fantine for making one mistake and label her a prostitute. Once her story gets out in the small town, she is unable to get a real job. Needing money to support herself and Cosette, she resorts to prostitution. When attacked, Javert arrests her and tells Valjean and Fantine that she is in the wrong. Javert believes that Fantine is always going to be a prostitute and should be put in prison.
In Les Miserables and The Kite Runner a big theme is a feeling of illegitimacy. In Les Miserables Jean rescues Cosette from the Thenardiers and this creates a father daughter bond that neither one questions until Marius comes along. When Marius finds out Jean is an ex-convict his tries to separate Cosette and Jean, but still honors Jean’s request to keep this from Cosette, this is the first time that Jean really feels that he is not Cosette’s actual father and has no right to keep seeing her if it is against Marius’ wishes. This creates a rift between the two because Jean feels like an illegitimate father. Things are not fixed between the two until Marius figures out that Jean is not a murderer or a thief and he allows Cosette to go to Jean’s deathbed.
In the middle of the book, Jean Valjean has saved a young girl named Cosette and raised her as his daughter after her mother died. These actions also have a redeeming effect on Jean Valjean, as he put his promise to the girl’s mother before his own safety and escaped from another bout in prison to find the young girl. Jean Valjean does not think this redeems him, however. He is very suspicious and changes their names to hide from the law enforcement. He also became very suspicious and cagey when a young man, Marius, became interested in Cosette. In Marius’s words, he “ began to be less punctual, and did not bring ‘his daughter’ every day” (168). After some time, he and Cosette move away so Marius cannot find them. Jean Valjean thinks he is
In his novel Hugo addresses the need for social reform and change in the crumbling and corrupt streets of French society. He specifically emphasizes improvement in education, the justice system, and the attitude of society towards women, and their political impact on French culture. Hugo does this particularly through Fantine, a woman who resorts to prostitution after being dismissed from her job as a factory worker; in addition to the existence of her illegitimate daughter, Cosette, her blemished reputation disables her from working in another reputable place. Because of Fantine’s shortage of an education and of society’s negative view of women abused by noble men, she is representative of the social injustices against women during this time. She’s illustrative of the gulf in France’s hierarchical system. Her condemnation to a life as a prostitute after being used by an aristocratic man highlights the social shortcomings present in the nobility’s attitude towards the lower classes, which continued to suffer. The misfortune that falls on Jean Valjean, an innocent man who only stole bread to help his dying sister, also represents the crookedness of France’s justice system. Valjean is likened to a habitual criminal and thrown in jail for nineteen years, an absurd sentence for only a loaf of bread. What’s worse is that he’s
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.
Steinbeck seemed very intent on showing the dignity and honor of the Joad family. He resembles this theme through his novel. Dignity is a strong theme which is shown throughout the novel and also is expressed in these words by Casy. Steinbeck emphasizes the importance of maintaining self-respect in order to survive spiritually so the family carries out holy sessions to gain hope. Casy says this holy prayer in a hesitating way because he was forced by the family to execute this prayer. Throughout the novel the family constitutes this philosophy which is then governs the novel. This philosophy by Casy onsets many events in the novel that Tom creates. Tom has many fights to obtain his rights and proves that he is willing to lose his life in this struggle. The rest of the Joad family also continues to carry out this philosophy by offering workers with food. Ma Joad has a strong role in carrying this viewpoint out since she keeps the family together and shows the power of human bonds. Readers also realize this and begin to understand the power of bonds.
The Grapes of Wrath is about a family who is thrown out onto the streets during the Depression. A paroled prisoner named Tom gets a ride to his family’s farm, but soon discovers that his family was kicked off of their property because they can’t produce enough crops. Once he finds his family, they travel to California in search of jobs which proves to be tough. The first job they find is in a camp where they are surrounded by police. When Tom defends the family’s old friend and former preacher Casey, the family must leave. The next camp they find seems like paradise in comparison. However, Tom flees when it is discovered that he is breaking his parole. The family then catches word of another job and heads out on the road once again.
The tone of the passage is "troubled," which diction, syntax, and imagery create. The author, Victor Hugo, uses melancholy words, like intolerable, somber, and trembling, to describe what Jean Valjean is going through and his confusion. Creating a fluid idea of uncertainty, the word choice adds to the tone by varying connotation. In one sentence, the author describes painful glimpses, but in the next, glimpses of light are vivid. Along with diction, Hugo uses syntax to create his hesitant tone. The sentences in this passage are complex, leading one to think that Valjean’s mind is rambling, filled with thoughts and uncertainty. Using imagery, a way to paint a picture with words, the author describes settings and events in this passage. Working
Javert’s narrow mindedness is put to the test when Jean Valjean spares his life is and as a result changes Javert’s life that benefits society. Javert continuing on the only path he had known becomes a spy for the French National Guard during the June rebellion, however not a very good one. He gets captured by the leaders of the rebellion for being a spy and would have been shot dead instantly if it wasn't for more imminent matters that the ABC’s had to take care of. They leave him tied up waiting
Life changed extremely for the upper class. Before the French Revolution, the upper class owned lots of land, didn’t have to pay taxes and was very wealthy. Which meant they could buy expensive food and clothing. They lived off the sweat of peasants. They were seen as greedy who contributed nothing. The upper class only made up 2% of society. The upper class was very cohere to all their privileges. But this all changed during the Revolution, the upper class began fearing to lose their privileges and they soon tried to escape. Later on, they were imposed to come back, being humiliated by the order of a lower class. Consequently, after the Revolution, they had to face a great
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