Analysis Les Miserables is a story that shares many characters’ life struggles during the French Revolution. It highlights the hardships and struggles that many faced in time of struggle and change. Two characters that were highlighted included the relationship between Marius and Cosette. Marius came from a family of wealth but chose to be a part of the revolution so left his grandfather’s protection and was forced to live a ragged life. Cosette was a girl born to a single mother with no means to support her so was forced to live in a family who showed her no kindness or love. When her mother was on her deathbed, she found the help of Javier who promised to take care of her. Taking her in was a great opportunity for Cosette to be raised …show more content…
Instead of doing what normal men in love would do, he refuses to run away with Cosette. Marius had multiple options he could have done instead of just let Cosette leave. He could have talked to Valjean and see if he would consider letting him come with them on their journey. Not wanting to speak with Valjean shines more light on the fact Marius was a coward. He would have the potential to work for a year and save enough money to travel to England to be with Cosette. Cosette even stated “If we go away, do you go too! I will tell you where! Come and join me wherever I am.” (BOOK PAGE) Although Marius goes on to state he does not have enough money for such travel, a little time and they could be together again. They could have sent letters or written each other to try to stay in contact with one another. Anything but selfishly risk his life at the barricade and not follow after Cosette. By being willing to die because Marius cannot be with Cosette is very cowardly He is unwilling to fight for the women he loves, making the reader recognize his timid and weak. One site states Marius’s actions by saying “Marius became upset, and decided to go to the barricade to die.” (“Characters”) This reinforces the fact Marius did not chase after Cosette for the chance of love, but chose to back-down and possibly
Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine were two of the several strongly-opinionated individuals writing back-and-forth in response to what the others were saying about the French Revolution. Burke, a critic, writes first. Paine, a supporter, responds.
Desiree?s words show that her life depends on the race, notions, and social class of her husband and consequently, she feels obligated to obey his every desire. Desiree is presented as vulnerable to whatever Armand wants and tells her to do when she says, ?Do you want me to go?? (177). Desiree displays through her actions that in many ways, her happiness only comes from pleasing her husband. Therefore, Desiree must decide whether to live completely separate from Armand, or to live with him in constant fear and unpleasantness. Desiree achieves personal freedom and independence from Armand when ?she disappeared among the reeds and willows that grew thing along the banks of the deep, sluggish bayou; she did not come back again? (177). It is not even an option and is unheard of that Armand, being a male holding a respectable background, could possibly be black. Consequently, Desiree feels compelled to leave because she wants to please him. When Desiree decides to kill herself and her child, she shows that she is sensitive and vulnerable to her husband?s thoughts and actions.
Desiree is dependent upon Armand like a slave to a master. Her unconditional love for Armand despite her subordinate position in the relationship illustrates how truly dependent she is upon him.
He felt a sense of obligation to fight with those whom he cared about. “Suddenly he heard a voice which appeared to come from the street, and which cried through the trees:... ‘Monsieur Marius,’ added the voice, ‘your friends are expecting you at the barricade, in the Rue de la Chanvrerie.’” (220) During the darkest and most difficult time in his life, his friends were there and supported him. Because they helped him so much he wanted to support and help them in what was important to them. Monsieur Gillenormand basically disowned Marius for his ideas and desire to be like his
Rich ones acted like evil people, while the poor were not very much, like people at all; for the poor were depressed. Charles shows the bad stuff happening to peasants, to show how much of a necessity the French revolution was.
In the very beginning Desiree was left on a stone pillar at the Valmonde estate; it is also here that Armand Aubigny sees her and falls instantly in love with her. The stone pillar is a symbol of firm, forced male dominance in a patriarchal society. It is how men were of superior to anybody else. Desiree grew into a beautiful and gentle-hearted young woman and soon found a wealthy suitor asking for her hand. This young suitor was Armand Aubigny. He had known of Desiree’s past but was in love and did not care. Armand Aubigny’s character in this story was racist and despicable but the young bride was in love and looked past his faulty character.
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 novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini introduces multiple cases in which society defines people as well as the novel Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. In Les Miserables, Cosette is introduced as the daughter of Fantine. She was given to the Thenardiers, a family who owned an Inn and treated her like a slave. Since a young age she was made to take the role of a grown women. She was saved by Jean ValJean, a formal criminal who changed his life.
During that time, the economy of France was very poor, Marie Antoinette wore his lady fashion cloth and ate meals in front of public. Her life after married to Louis XVI became very luxurious, because the only thing she knew was spending money in her entertainments. Both of them spent money from government on their entertainments. They made the economy even worse when they wasted money. Instead of ruling the country, Louis XVI chose to spend money and have fun on his entertainment. When the citizens had no money to pay for their taxes, they were spending the money on their entertainment.
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
Many parts of the film were confusing unless you took the time to pause and think about the concepts of certain scenes, as many were needed to re-watch it to fully understand. The movie being French had nothing to do with my confusion—in fact, I think that the movie being French is what allowed me to give it a half more than my original rate. Although I found the message of the film to be a bit foggy, I have to admit that it has a very magnificent message when you follow up with it. Losing yourself is a very difficult situation to deal with, especially if at the moment you allow your heart to believe that the people you’re standing by now are the people that can satisfy your social happiness. Marieme learning from her faults is an excellent example of how we should keep our fighting spirits up and never give up on anything or anyone we love. The harsh truth is; sometimes that person we forget to cut some slack, and or to love through all their faults is ourselves. Once we learn to overcome that, the wonders of the world will be inevitable to occur
In the very beginning Desiree was left on a stone pillar at the Valmonde estate; it is also here that Armand Aubigny sees her and falls instantly in love with her. The stone pillar is a symbol of firm, forced male dominance in a patriarchal society. It is how men were of superior to anybody else. Desiree grew into a beautiful and gentle-hearted young woman and soon found a wealthy suitor asking for her hand. This young suitor was Armand Aubigny. He had known of Desiree’s past but was in love and did not care. Armand Aubigny’s character in this story was racist and despicable but the young bride was in love and looked past his faulty character.
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,
Desiree's life is full of indescribable and pitiful events; first, she was lift alone when she was a baby, nameless and no one knows who her family are - this generally refers to the personality of a woman which is, metaphorically, has no presence in the society. Moreover, throughout the story no decision is made by her but