Valjean Stealing

The field of sociology enables those who study it a look into how society handles development, structure, and how it functions on a grand scale. In researching Les Miserables, a film adapted in 2012 of Victor Hugo’s classic novel, many societal problems are brought to light. Using sociological theories, these societal problems can be explained. Sociologists like Merton, Cohen, Lemert, Durkheim and Becker have studied these problems and have come up with theories to explain the phenomenon. The focus of the research will be on labeling theory as it compares to society 's reaction to Jean Valjean and how social ecology plays a role throughout the piece.

The protagonist’s transformation begins when the bishop recognizes Jean Valjean’s human soul that is capable of goodness. When he is put out into the streets, Valjean goes from place to place being rejected for being a convict until he meets the bishop who sees him as a common person, “That men saw his mask, but the bishop saw his face”(75). Even though people might be good, they don’t always see someone’s true soul. The bishop’s simple act of kindness and deeper understanding

In 1815 France, convict Jean Valjean is released on parole by prison guard Javert after serving a 19-year sentence for stealing a loaf of bread. After several months of roaming around France, Valjean is given food and sheltered by the Bishop of Digne, but steals his silver while he sleeps. He is caught by the authorities, but the Bishop saves Valjean by lying and saying the silver was a gift. Moved by the Bishop's generosity and good nature, Valjean violates his parole, and vows to begin a new, honest life under a new identity. Javert vows bring the escaped convict to justice.

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

The novel focuses on a young man named Jean-Baptiste Grenouille and his murders of throughout the novel, in order to take the essence of their aroma and make a perfume out of it. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how Jean-Baptiste Grenouille can be said to be sociopath and show sociopathic tendencies. In all actuality, no sane human really has the mentality of slaughtering another human being for their smell, especially for a personal gain, like the perfume in Baptiste's case, so naturally the person is usually identified as a psychopath or at least a human with psychopathic tendencies, or a sociopath. The mentality of Grenouille could be compared to that of a drug addict. Said addicts know it is wrong to be doing such things but because it gives them a sense of power over their lives, something where they could have little to no control over, it makes them not want to stop or even care to. Many people argue that Grenouille is a psychopath instead of a sociopath, which in any case could be justified but there are just more facts that state and justify why Grenouille is more likely to fit into the category of sociopath instead of psychopath,

When the Bishop tells the brigadier of gendarmes that Jean Valjean didn't take any silver and he just was a bystander,

After working in Toulon the same prison that kept Jean Valjean locked up for 19 Javert is assigned to the city of M--- as a police officer. As an officer he takes his motto and his job the same as ever. He notices however a man in the town that looks familiar to him. His name is Monsieur Madeleine, the richest man in the city who also happened to be the mayor. Madeleine had practically saved the city by providing jobs in his own factory, providing education, and even building a hospital. Hugo even mentions that he had saved 3 people on 2 separate occasions, each at the risk of his own. But to Javert there was something familiar about this man. That was because Monsieur Madeleine was Jean Valjean a prisoner for stealing a loaf of bread who broke his parole. Even after Jean Valjean saves a man's life, Javert does not praise the him for his actions but rather speculates whether or not he is a criminal. When Jean Valjean reveals who he truly is, it was assigned to Javert to arrest the former convict. To Javert he felt like he was in heaven and “Without being fully conscious of the fact, but still with a sense of his importance and achievement, he was at that moment the personification of justice, light, and truth in their sublime task of stamping out

Despite this, the society tries to fabricate or impose rational explanations of Meursault’s irrational action. This is evident during the trial process when the prosecutor rationally explains for Meursault the series of event that happened, although Meursault himself does not have a solid explanation for his actions. The prosecutor explains it so well, that even Meursault himself finds it “quite plausible” .

In Albert Camus’ The Stranger, main characters Raymond Sinters and Meursault possess vastly different personalities and mindsets: one is indifferent to just about everyone and everything while the other is full of intense emotions. Despite being totally opposite mentally and emotionally, both Raymond and Meursault are guilty of committing heinous crimes. In this essay, I will argue that Meursault’s inability to feel significant emotion unless a situation directly and significantly affects him coupled with his lack of concern over the consequences of his actions make him more likely to harm others than Raymond, who actually experiences emotion in response to circumstance that do not necessarily affect him along with concern over his

When all Valjean wanted was to buy food, not to steal or rob but only to buy food, yet he is thrown out because he is speculated to be dangerous. Not only did the people refuse to serve him but the news articles lie about his actions. When Valjean reveals that he was the criminal wanted, stealing again because he was given no option, he was arrested and news articles create lies claiming he was an extremely dangerous man, a “wretch, who is endowed with herculean strength, managed to escape, but, three or four days afterward,the police retook him,in Paris, just as he was getting into of the small vehicles,”(141). The news conveyed Valjean as menace to society but in reality it was the other way around. Before Valjean’s arrest, he became a great person for the town of Montreuil-sur-mer creating a kind community yet all that is overwritten with the lies fed up by the news. The people completely forget all good in him, caring only for the “trouble” he caused. Furthermore, when Valjean reveals to Marius that he is an ex-convict, Marius also condemns

Meursault fully accepts his fate and understands his situation. In a truly absurdist fashion he rationalizes his position where no meaning can be found. He was condemned by his society because he was seen as a stranger. In the beginning Meursault is listening for footsteps, thinking of escape, what he will do after and what he should have done before. However, talking to the priest aggravates him with the talk of God and divine justice, when it is human justice that condemns him. Meursault’s outburst of anger causes him to lose hope in living. Unlike the priest who seems so sure of everything but as a human he cannot, Meursault is sure of himself and in the truth, as he always has been. (He is sure in the truth that he is going to die) In this

Victor Hugo very obviously illustrates Jean Valjean’s internal turmoil in the opening of the novel. He is constantly battling with himself. For instance, take when Javert apologizes to Monsieur Madeleine [Jean Valjean] for assuming that he was a “former convict” (Hugo 80 emphasis added), and then further goes on to explain to Monsieur that “the real Jean Valjean has been found…the rogue was caged” (81). Jean Valjean is shocked and at that moment, he decides not to reveal himself to Javert and goes home with a question in his mind. Should he be truthful and spare this innocent man’s life or should he continue to act unaware and continue to lie about who he is and live with the fact that an innocent man was wrongfully accused? “His sense of justice cannot bear to see an innocent man go to jail in his stead” (Harper 1) but if he were to do right, he would be revealing himself, losing all the work he had put in to redeem himself and would most definitely end up back in the galleys. Similar to Valjean, we are always going back and forth between our perceptions of what is right or wrong, what is good or evil, and what is just or unjust. In the novel, after speaking to Javert, he locks himself in his home “bolts his door… [attempting to barricade] himself against all possibilities of being left alone with “his conscience” (Hugo 87). One’s conscience drives one’s thoughts and decisions. At

As you uncover his peculiarities, you may be confused on why the writer would make him this way but it is all cleared up when he is killed. Meursault is being executed for a crime he did for no reason, however; he seems unworried by his situation even after a sad conversation with Marie in the prison cell. Before he is killed he gives a very important quote that shows the philosophy the books wants to portray, "for everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate". This quote shows above all else that humans are ultimately responsible for their acts whether good or bad.

In Les Misérables, Victor Hugo shows that benevolent people have strong trust in others and are easily taken advantage of and manipulated which makes them especially vulnerable. Fantine is shown as being naïve with a strong faith in the goodness of others, which the Thénardiers instantly take notice of. Fantine willingly gives up her beauty and dignity so that she can afford for all of the extra costs coming from the Thénardiers, oblivious to the fact that they are asking for this money with selfish intentions (Hugo 66). Her all-encompassing love for Cosette and her immediate trust in people makes her an easy target for the Thénardiers. Jean Valjean is also taken advantage of by the Thénardiers when he goes to pick up Cosette. Monsieur Thénardier

Throughout Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, the character Jean Valjean, the Patron-Minette, and Gavroche have a lot in common. What defines them as people, though, are their actions in life and the actions of others. Hugo emphasizes how the lack of those things (education and kindness) leads to criminal ways and an ungratified way of life. No one has shown them affection or kindness which leads them to believe society is mean and they develop hatred towards it. Not one of them were educated, which leads to ignorance and a lack of opportunities in life, which leads to crime in the long run.