Victor Hugo's Les Miserables: The Influence Of Labels

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.

Likewise, Tom Joad is another character from The Grapes of Wrath, by Steinbeck, who shows his dignity throughout the book through his actions, but also his past life. In Tom’s past life, he was arrested, having killed a man. However, Tom was stabbed, and was merely performing an act of self defense. He really had nothing against the man who attacked him, and thought of him to be a “nice fella” (Grapes 73). Many of the people Tom meets that find out that he has committed murder, assume that he isn’t an innocent man, and isn’t worth respecting. However, it is known by the reader that he had a legitimate purpose, and he doesn’t try to stress this fact. Due to this, his dignity shows, because he is allowing people to think what they want, even though he knows that he was only doing the last resort of things. Also, at the end of the book, Tom decides to live up to Jim Casy, a preacher who travelled with the Joad’s until his arrest and eventually his death, and spread the ideas that Casy was spreading throughout the entire book. “‘Tom,’ Ma repeated, ‘what you gonna do?’ ‘What Casy done,’ he said… ‘He wasn’ doing nothin’

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.

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.

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

His devotion to the law goes past mere morals, rivalling the revolutionary leader Enjolras’ devotion to the Revolution - like Enjolras, he does not take a wife or have children. By giving Valjean a child but not Javert, Hugo enforces the idea that love is higher than law. He spends a decent amount of time tracking down Valjean to bring him back into custody; in this time, a second offense would result in death. Javert’s turning point comes during and immediately after the insurrection of June 5-6, 1832. Javert is captured by the student revolutionaries, who wish to spare him until the moment that one of their friends, Jehan Prouvaire, is shot by the National Guard. Enjolras turns to Javert and says, “Your friends have just shot you,” sealing his fate. Javert fully expects to be killed at the barricades, and even more so when Valjean himself arrives to save Marius Pontmercy, the young man who is courting his daughter. As payment for saving the barricade, Enjolras allows Valjean to shoot Javert himself. Valjean not only lets Javert go, but tells Javert his address and says, “I do not think I shall escape from this place. But if by chance, I do, I live under the name of Fauchelevent, in the Rue de l’Homme arm, No. 7.” Valjean knows to be an honest man he must not kill, and he must be truthful, and he does exactly this. When Javert finds him as Valjean emerges from the sewers with Marius after the fall of the barricades, Valjean still acts courteous to Javert, requesting to help save Marius’ life before turning himself in. Javert accompanies Valjean to Marius’ house, and then to Valjean’s home, before disappearing. After these events, Hugo describes Javert as his whole demeanor changing; “his whole person, slow and sombre, was stamped with anxiety.” The guilt of being shown compassion by a man who should have every reason to oppose Javert is too

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

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

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.

In the eyes of Valjean he is a kind, caring, and forgiving man. He has repented for his sins and changed his life. He is the epitome of change and reform. I chooses to live in a Valjean world because I believe in second chances and starting over. It is one of the pillars that makes life worth living. Imagine if we were never given a second chance at something, no do-overs, no starting over. All there is, is a lifetime of mistakes and heartache. That does not seem like a pleasant world to live in, yet some people think like that. I personally choose to forgive and forget, it makes life much more pleasurable to live in if there are no grudges being

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.

Victor Hugo begins Les Misérables with the chapter “An Upright Man,” which presents Bishop Myriel, the embodiment of perfection. Indeed, the bishop elicits "respect, unutterable respect, [that] penetrate[s] you by degrees and

Author Gail Lynne Goodwin, once said “True happiness comes from living life in harmony with all that is” (Goodwin). Through this message, Goodwin inspires humanity to live simply and peacefully. Similarly, Victor Hugo's Les Misérables enlightens its readers to be selfless, compassionate, and generous. Through his contrast of the values of Bishop Myriel, the Thenardiers, and Jean Valjean, Hugo compels humanity to live a life of virtue and integrity not only for personal happiness, but for the greater good of humanity and, ultimately, the world.

In his novel, Les Miserables, Victor Hugo identifies the principle social evils of French society through the actions and qualities of his characters. By depicting each of his characters’ struggles through destitute and oppressed measures, Hugo is able to identify the social errors of 19th century France. The fact that characters such as Valjean, Javert, Fantine, and Cosette, attempt to rise above poverty and redeem themselves indicate that such inequalities did, and still do, exist to this day. Through the use of feminist ideals and the criminal injustice system, Hugo attacks the principle social evils that each of his characters face in Les Miserables.

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.