les miserables reflection essay

Themes and Analysis

Les misérables, by victor hugo.

'Les Misérables' by Victor Hugo is a historical fiction novel written in 1862. It tells the story of the struggles of Jean Valjean, a man released from prison after 19 years of wrongful imprisonment.

Article written by Emma Baldwin

B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University.

The story contains powerful themes, complex characters, and interesting plot twists. Many readers will cite ‘ Les Misérables ‘ or ‘ Les Mis ,’ as it is lovingly referred to as one of the greatest books of all time . Its highly relatable themes and the character’s personality flaws/quirks mean that readers from all walks of life will find something to relate to in the book. 

Themes 

There are several important themes in this novel. They include:

We will discuss these and their importance in ‘ Les Misérables ‘ below.

‘ Les Misérables ‘ explores the idea of redemption and how even the most broken of souls can find hope and peace, specifically the protagonist Jean Valjean who ends the novel a happy older man. Hugo masterfully weaves this theme into his novel as Jean Valjean’s journey of self-transformation is chronicled. In many ways, he’s an example of a reformed sinner that has made up for his past misdeeds by becoming an exemplary citizen.

Sacrifice is another powerful theme in ‘ Les Miserables .’ Hugo examines the concept through different characters and storylines, showing how much people are willing to give up for others . For instance, Jean Valjean gives up his newfound wealth to help Fantine and her daughter Cosette, while Marius renounces his privileged lifestyle to stand up for the poor and oppressed.

Love also plays an integral role in the novel. From Jean Valjean’s unwavering devotion to Cosette to Marius’ unconditional love for her, it’s clear that love is a powerful force that drives people to make incredible sacrifices. Hugo captures the beauty of love as it brings hope and joy to the lives of its characters. Despite the hurdles that get in their way, the characters in the novel find their way back to one another and can be with the people they love. 

Key Moments in Les Misérables 

• Jean Valjean is released from prison and steals a Bishop’s silver. 
• He determines to lead an honest life. 
• Jean Valjean becomes the mayor of Montreuil Sur Mer after changing his name. 
• He meets Fantine, she dies, and he swears to take care of Cosette. 
• He is arrested and escapes once more. 
• Jean Valjean rescues Cosette from the cruel Thénardiers. 
• Marius is forced to leave home and meets Cosette, with whom he begins a romance. 
• Cosette and Valjean decide to leave France after Javert finds them. 
• The French Revolution begins. 
• Javert is caught, and Valjean saves his life. 
• Javert commits suicide. 
• Cosette and Marius get married, and Valjean dies of old age, happy with his family. 

Tone and Style

Victor Hugo uses a sympathetic and sorrowful tone throughout ‘ Les Misérables .’ Hugo was driven by a desire to expose the hardships of the lower class in 19th-century France, and his tone reflects this passion. He paints a vivid picture of the poverty and misery that many characters experience, often using both stark and poetic imagery. This is one of the reasons that the book’s popularity has lasted as long as it has. Despite the passage of time, people still connect to one or more of the characters suffering in ‘ Les Misérables .’  

The style of ‘ Les Misérables ‘ is both philosophical and literary. Hugo often employs elaborate metaphors to express his ideas and take readers into a deeper exploration of his themes. He also uses an omniscient point of view to guide readers through the story of ‘ Les Misérables ,’ providing insight into the characters’ minds. Hugo also utilizes shifting points of view to shift the novel’s focus, keeping readers engaged as they explore the various elements of his narrative. The novel is often difficult to read, with Hugo going off on shorter and longer tangents about various topics. But, at its heart, it’s a relatable narrative. 

Symbols 

The barricades.

One of the most iconic symbols of ‘ Les Misérables ‘ is the barricades. This symbolizes the struggle of the working class during the June Rebellion in Paris , and it acts as a reminder of the injustice and cruelty experienced by those living in poverty. Hugo often uses barricades to demonstrate how perseverance and solidarity can overcome human struggle and suffering.

The Bishop’s Silver Candlesticks

Another important symbol in ‘ Les Misérables ‘ is the silver candlesticks given to Jean Valjean by the Bishop. This symbolizes grace and salvation, as they represent Valjean’s redemption from his previous life of crime. In addition, the silver candlesticks also represent a moral responsibility to help those who are less fortunate.

Animals 

Throughout the novel, Hugo returns again and again to animals as a source of inspiration for his descriptions of people and their character traits. Birds and snakes are reoccurring images in the novel. The former describes Cosette at more than one point in the book.

Why is Les Misérables an important book?

‘ Les Misérables ‘ is an important book because it tells the story of redemption and hope, making it timeless and relevant for all generations. It also has a complex and detailed plot that follows the lives of several characters, giving readers a multi-layered narrative in ‘Les Misérables.’

What is the most important theme in Les Misérables ?

The most important theme in ‘ Les Misérables ‘ is the power of forgiveness and mercy. This theme is explored through the character of Jean Valjean, who is given a second chance at life despite his difficult past.

What kind of book is Les Misérables ?

‘ Les Misérables ‘ is a classic novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862. It is an epic tale of human struggle and redemption set against post-Napoleonic France.

Join Book Analysis for Free!

Exclusive to Members

Save Your Favorites

Free newsletter, comment with literary experts.

About Emma Baldwin

Emma Baldwin, a graduate of East Carolina University, has a deep-rooted passion for literature. She serves as a key contributor to the Book Analysis team with years of experience.

About the Book

Discover the secrets to learning and enjoying literature.

Join Book Analysis

• Search Menu

Sign in through your institution

• Advance articles
• Editor's Choice
• Author Guidelines
• Open Access
• 5 reasons to submit
• About French Studies
• Publisher's Books for Review
• Editorial Board
• Advertising and Corporate Services
• Journals Career Network
• Self-Archiving Policy
• Dispatch Dates
• Terms and Conditions
• Contact the Society for French Studies
• Journals on Oxford Academic
• Books on Oxford Academic

• < Previous

‘Les Misérables’ and its Afterlives: Between Page, Stage, and Screen . Edited by K athryn M. G rossman and B radley S tephens

• Article contents
• Figures & tables
• Supplementary Data

Andrew Watts, ‘Les Misérables’ and its Afterlives: Between Page, Stage, and Screen . Edited by K athryn M. G rossman and B radley S tephens , French Studies , Volume 71, Issue 3, July 2017, Pages 423–424, https://doi.org/10.1093/fs/knx063

• Permissions Icon Permissions

The 150th anniversary of Les Misérables in 2012 prompted a surge of renewed interest in Victor Hugo’s epic novel, encompassing film adaptations, scholarly translations, and academic re-appraisals. This volume, co-edited by Kathryn Grossman and Bradley Stephens, stands out as a lively, engaging, and impeccably finished addition to the ever-growing body of literature devoted to this canonical text. As the editors point out in their introductory essay, Les Misérables has spawned a prodigious legacy. Since the thunderous marketing campaign that heralded its publication in 1862, the novel has captivated — and sometimes appalled — readers with its intense depiction of poverty, spirituality, and revolutionary politics. In order to demonstrate why Les Misérables continues to resonate across time and space, this volume begins, logically, by returning to the novel itself. The first part of the book contains five essays focusing on aspects of the story that scholars have typically neglected, and which, in several instances, remain strikingly relevant today. This section is framed by two chapters by Isabel Roche and Philippe Moisan, which re-examine Hugo’s thematic interest in hunger and its links not just to an obvious physical need for food, but to images of beauty (Roche), desire, and crime (Moisan). Bridging these insightful contributions, Karen Quandt considers Hugo’s representation of gardening, and the fictional Jean Valjean as an eco-friendly gardener avant la lettre . Laurence Porter, for his part, explores the ways in which multiple forms of the grotesque (physical, moral, and verbal) function as key drivers of Hugo’s creativity. Complementing these rereadings of the novel, Briana Lewis demonstrates that the female protagonists of Les Misérables are not as bland as critics have often argued, and that these characters — especially Éponine — derive their strength and agency precisely from their womanhood. Underpinned by a shared belief in the enduring resonance of the novel, these essays provide a natural springboard to the second half of the volume, which deals with questions of adaptation and reception. Fiona Cox examines Hugo’s artistic engagement with Homer and Virgil, and how the author’s use of epic tropes subsequently influenced the nouveaux romanciers of the 1950s. Extending the geographical focus of the volume beyond Europe, Grossman considers the reception of Les Misérables in the United States between 1860 and 1922, when the novel became a favourite of Confederate soldiers in the Civil War, and provoked outrage in a Philadelphia girls’ high school, which in 1897 banned its pupils from reading the text. The remaining chapters trace the artistic and cultural tensions that have often accompanied screen adaptations of the novel (Delphine Gleizes), and the multifaceted representations of Javert (Andrea Beaghton) and Éponine (Danièle Gasiglia-Laster) that emerge from film, television, and of course the long-running stage musical. Far from intimidated by the international success of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s mega-musical, Arnaud Laster discusses his work in co-creating a new musical production under the title Histoire de Gavroche (first performed in 2011). Finally, Stephens engages in a wide-ranging assessment of what Les Misérables means in and for the twenty-first century, focusing in particular on the emotional immediacy and ceaseless adaptability that have made Hugo’s story a recurring touchstone of contemporary culture, politics, and society. Indeed, this volume makes a compelling case for the lasting importance of Les Misérables , and, in so doing, provides an essential reference for students, teachers, and researchers.

Personal account

• Sign in with email/username & password
• Get email alerts
• Save searches
• Purchase content
• Activate your purchase/trial code
• Add your ORCID iD

Institutional access

Sign in with a library card.

• Sign in with username/password
• Recommend to your librarian
• Institutional account management
• Get help with access

Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:

IP based access

Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.

Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

• Click Sign in through your institution.
• Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
• When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
• Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.

Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.

Society Members

Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:

Sign in through society site

Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:

• Click Sign in through society site.
• When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.

If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.

Sign in using a personal account

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.

A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.

Viewing your signed in accounts

Click the account icon in the top right to:

• View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
• View the institutional accounts that are providing access.

Signed in but can't access content

Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.

For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.

Short-term Access

To purchase short-term access, please sign in to your personal account above.

Don't already have a personal account? Register

Email alerts

Citing articles via.

• Recommend to Your Library

Affiliations

• Online ISSN 1468-2931
• Print ISSN 0016-1128
• Copyright © 2024 Society for French Studies
• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Rights and permissions
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Les Miserables

80 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Books 1-4

Part 1, Books 5-8

Part 2, Books 1-4

Part 2, Books 5-8

Part 3, Books 1-4

Part 3, Books 5-8

Part 4, Books 1-7

Part 4, Books 8-15

Part 5, Books 1-4

Part 5, Books 5-9

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

Les Misérables (in English, The Wretched or The Miserable Ones ) is a novel by French author Victor Hugo, published for the first time in 1862. The story follows several characters through early- to mid-19th century France as they seek redemption for their sins and an escape from poverty. As well as being praised as one of the greatest novels of its time, Les Misérables has been adapted for many other formats, most notably a very successful musical of the same name. This guide uses an eBook version of the 2015 Penguin Classis edition, translated into English by Christine Donougher.

Plot Summary

Part 1: Fantine

In 1815, a peasant named Jean Valjean is released from the notoriously cruel prison, Bagne of Toulon. He served five years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving family and another 14 years for a series of escape attempts. Valjean arrives in a town named Digne, but he is turned away from every inn or room because his passport reveals that he is a former convict. Only Myriel, the Bishop of Digne, is willing to allow Valjean into his home. He gives Valjean shelter for the night, but Valjean repays him by stealing silverware from the bishop’s house. The police catch Valjean with the stolen silver, but Myriel saves Valjean by insisting that the silver was a gift. He even hands Valjean a set of matching silver candlesticks. The police free Valjean. Myriel makes Valjean promise that he will sell the candlesticks and use the proceeds to become a better, more honest man in the future. Valjean struggles to give up his criminal past, but he knows that, if he is caught again, he will be sent back to prison for life.

After several years, Valjean adopts the fake name Madeleine and travels to a town named Montreuil-sur-mer. There, he devises a new manufacturing process for black beads which makes the town rich. Eventually, the people of Montreuil-sur-mer insist that he become their mayor. One day, Valjean saves a man named Fauchelevent who is trapped beneath a cart. His feat of strength rouses the suspicions of a local police inspector named Javert , who was a guard at Bagne of Toulon when Valjean was incarcerated there. Javert has only seen one other man strong enough to accomplish such a feat: the prisoner Jean Valjean.

Many years earlier, a poor young French woman named Fantine falls in love with a man named Tholomyès. Her friends also fall in love with his friends, though the young men quickly abandon the women and dismiss the relationships as youthful distractions. Fantine gives birth to Tholomyès's child. She names the girl Cosette and struggles to raise her alone. Fantine travels to her hometown Montfermeil, where she leave Cosette to be raised by a corrupt, unscrupulous innkeeper named Monsieur Thénardier and his cruel wife, Madame Thénardier. Unknown to Fantine, the Thénardiers abuse Cosette and force her to work in their inn. With Cosette in the care of the Thénardiers, Fantine works in Valjean's factory. When her co-workers discover that she is the mother of a child born out of wedlock, however, they conspire to have her fired.

Meanwhile, the Thénardiers demand more money to look after Cosette. Struggling to make ends meet, Fantine sells her front teeth and her hair. She becomes a sex worker but contracts a deadly, unknown illness. One evening, Javert arrests Fantine after an altercation with a man in the street. Before she can be sent to prison, Valjean intervenes. As mayor, he tells Javert to release Fantine. Valjean feels guilty that his own factory fired Fantine. He takes Fantine to hospital and promises her that he will bring Cosette to her. Javert visits Valjean to offer an apology: He wanted to reveal Valjean's true identity to the world, but the police have now arrested a different man whom they believe to be Valjean, who will be tried the next day. Valjean is torn between confessing his true identity to Javert and allowing an innocent man to be tried on his behalf. Valjean cannot allow an innocent man to suffer, so he goes to the trial and reveals himself as the true Valjean, thereby freeing the falsely accused man, Champmathieu.

Afterward, Valjean visits Fantine in the hospital. There, he is confronted by Javert. Valjean begs for time to allow him to track down Cosette and fulfill his promise to Fantine. Javert refuses. As Fantine asks for the location of her daughter, Javert sternly reveals Valjean’s true identity as a former convict. As Fantine processes this information in shock, she dies. Valjean kneels beside her bed, whispers to her, and then allows Javert to take him away to prison. Fantine is thrown into an unmarked public grave.

Part 2: Cosette

Valjean escapes from prison. He is captured again, and this time he is sentenced to death. His sentence is commuted by the King of France, and instead Valjean is sent back to the Bagne of Toulon for life. Valjean risks his life to save a sailor from certain death, and the crowd calls for him to be released. Instead, Valjean falls into the ocean and fakes his death. He is declared dead by the authorities. Valjean returns to Montfermeil on Christmas Eve. He meets Cosette while she is collecting water and returns with her to the inn. At the inn, he eats a meal while watching how badly the Thénardiers abuse the young girl. In contrast, the Thénardiers own daughters, Eponine and Azelma, are treated very well. After gifting Cosette a doll, Valjean tries to bargain with the Thénardiers to take Cosette away. Eventually, he pays Monsieur Thénardier 1,500 francs and leaves with Cosette. Valjean and Cosette travel to Paris, where they live together happily for a while until they are discovered by Javert. They escape from Javert and seek shelter in a convent. At the convent, Valjean receives help from Fauchelevent, whose life he saved many years before and who now works as a gardener at the convent. Valjean joins Fauchelevent as a gardener, and Cosette enrolls in the school at the convent.

Part 3: Marius

Civil unrest is spreading through many of the working-class communities in France. Revolutionary groups such as the Friends of the ABC plot uprisings against the government. Marius Pontmercy is a member of the Friends of the ABC. He is a young student who lives with his rich, royalist grandfather, Monsieur Gillenormand. After learning more about his deceased Bonapartist father, Marius develops a newfound respect for him. Marius's new political views alienate him from his grandfather. He finds a note from his father, asking him to track down a sergeant named Thénardier who saved his life at the Battle of Waterloo. While Georges believed Thénardier to be an altruistic sergeant, he was in fact a craven opportunist who was looting dead bodies. After he accidently saved Georges's life, he claimed to be a sergeant to avoid punishment. Marius rebels against his royalist grandfather by moving out of the house. He attends law school and becomes more involved in radical politics. He respects Enjolras, the charismatic leader of the Friends of the ABC.

Marius walks in a park every day. There, he occasionally sees Cosette and falls in love with her. However, Valjean disapproves of the relationship and tries his utmost to prevent the two youngsters from ever meeting face-to-face. At this time, Marius lives next to a family named the Jondrettes. The Jondrettes are actually the Thénardiers, who have lost everything—including their inn—and moved to Paris. Marius takes pity on the impoverished Eponine and gives her money. He watches the family next door through a crack in the wall. When the family is visited by a philanthropist and his daughter, Marius recognizes the new arrivals as Valjean and Cosette. Valjean promises that he will help the family pay rent. Valjean does not recognize the Thénardiers, but they recognize him, and they plan to rob him. Monsieur Thénardier enlists a gang of murderous robbers known as the Patron-Minette to help him. Marius asks Eponine for the address where Valjean and Cosette live, not knowing that Eponine is in love with him.

Marius overhears the Thénardiers' plans and goes to Javert, who gives him two pistols. Javert tells Marius to fire one gun in the air if the situation becomes dangerous. In the meantime, Javert will gather his forces and raid the Thénardiers' house. While Marius watches, Valjean returns to the house with rent for the Thénardiers. He is ambushed by Monsieur Thénardier and the gang. Thénardier reveals his identity to Valjean, placing Marius in a difficult position: He still believes that Thénardier saved his father's life, so he does not want to surrender him to Javert, but he also wants to save Valjean. Thénardier demands money. Valjean denies his identity. Monsieur Thénardier sends his wife to collect Cosette, but she returns empty-handed, claiming that the address given to her by Valjean is fake. Valjean nearly escapes, and Thénardier decides to kill him. Marius intervenes, slipping a scrap of paper with Eponine's handwriting through the crack in the wall. Thénardier is confused. When he and the gang try to leave, however, they are arrested by Javert. Some members of the gang and the Thénardier family escape, as does Valjean.

Part 4: The Rue Plumet Idyll and the Rue St-Denis Epic

Eponine tracks down Marius. Even though she is in love with Marius, she shares Cosette's address with him. Marius spends several days watching the house on Rue Plumet. When he is finally able to meet Cosette, they fall in love, and he visits her each night. Meanwhile, Thénardier and the Patron-Minette gang escape from prison with the help of the Thénardiers' street urchin son, Gavroche. They try to burgle Valjean's house but find Eponine outside, pining for Marius. She threatens to alert the authorities unless they leave. They reluctantly abandon their plans. Cosette reveals to Marius that she and Valjean plan to move to England. Valjean, having discovered his adoptive daughter's relationship with Marius, worries for her. His move to England is an attempt to thwart the young lovers. His mind is made up when he notices Thénardier lurking in the neighborhood and then receives a threatening note. The desperate Marius begs his grandfather's permission to marry Cosette, but after an argument his grandfather refuses to grant permission. Marius tries to find Cosette, but Valjean has already moved them to a new temporary address ahead of their departure for England.

The following day, the students begin their political revolt against the government. Marius, unsure what to do, joins his radical friends. He reaches the barricades across the streets, armed with the two pistols given to him by Javert. The student revolution is in full swing when soldiers suddenly attack. A soldier tries to shoot Marius, but a man throws himself in the way, saving Marius's life. Marius grabs a keg of explosive powder and climbs to the top of the barricade . He loudly threatens to blow everyone up unless the soldiers retreat. The soldiers retreat, allowing Marius to climb down. Behind the barricade, the revolutionaries find Javert and recognize him as a policeman. They accuse him of being a spy and tie him up.

Marius spots the man who saved his life, dying on the street. Marius realizes that the man is Eponine in disguise. With her dying words, she says that she hoped that she would be able to die alongside him on the barricade. The narrator also reveals that Eponine is the author of the threatening notes which prompted Valjean to move to a new house. Eponine gives Marius a letter, and as she dies she tells him that she loves him. He kisses her on the forehead. When she is dead, he retreats to a tavern to read the letter. The letter is from Cosette. Marius writes a letter in response, but, unwilling to leave the barricades, he hands it to Gavroche to deliver to Cosette. In turn, Gavroche gives the letter to Valjean. Valjean is initially relieved that Cosette's lover may have been killed in the fighting, thereby solving a difficult problem for him. However, he eventually decides that he must fight on behalf the people. He ventures out into the street, prepared to fight alongside Marius and the students.

Part 5: Jean Valjean

Valjean rushes to the barricades. He saves a man's life as the fighting intensifies and is praised for his strength and fighting skill. Gavroche is shot dead while attempting to plunder more ammunition from the dead soldiers. Valjean volunteers to kill Javert. He leads Javert away, but—rather than kill Javert—he unties Javert and sends him away, shooting his pistol in the air to trick the revolutionaries into thinking that the prisoner is dead. The barricade collapses, and Marius is injured. Valjean carries Marius's body, escaping from the fighting through the sewers. When he reaches a locked gate, Thénardier appears but does not recognize Valjean. He assumes that Valjean is just another murderer, and that Marius is his victim, so he offers to open the gate in exchange for money. He rifles through the pockets of Valjean and Marius for cash, subtly stealing a piece of Marius's coat to later identify him. Thénardier takes 30 francs, opens the gate, and hopes that Valjean will distract the police from the former innkeeper’s crimes.

Passing through the gate, Valjean is stopped again. This time, Javert blocks his way. Javert is torn between doing his duty and sparing the man who spared his own life. To Valjean's surprise, Javert allows him to pass. The inspector believes that Marius is dying, and he accepts Valjean's desire to return the dying boy to his grandfather's house. After allowing Valjean to pass, Javert is so conflicted that he dies by suicide after throwing himself into the river.

At his grandfather's house, Marius recovers. His grandfather changes his mind and grants permission for Marius to marry Cosette. After their wedding, Valjean reveals the truth about his past to Marius. Worried by this revelation, Marius asks Valjean to stop seeing Cosette. When he agrees, Valjean becomes depressed and sick. Marius eventually learns from Thénardier that Valjean is the man who saved his life. He and Cosette rush to Valjean's bedside and reconcile before Valjean dies peacefully in his bed. 

Related Titles

By Victor Hugo

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

Featured Collections

Books on Justice & Injustice

View Collection

French Literature

Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

Reflecting on the movie Les Miserables

Related Papers

Ronald P Hesselgrave

In this article I argue that the story of Les Miserables can help us gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for central truths of the biblical drama, particularly Jesus’ ethic of the kingdom

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

Les Miserables – Vincentian Influences and Reflections

by John Freund, CM | Nov 27, 2020 | Formation , Justice and Peace , Reflections | 1 comment

The epic story of Jean Valjean remains as vital and relevant today as 150 years ago. “Les Miserables” speaks of timeless themes about God, redemption, and social justice.

Victor Hugo wrote in reaction to what he saw in his day.

• the need for social progress in France and improvement in her treatment of the poor
• the abolishment of the death penalty
• the fight for prison reform

It is ultimately a story of how the actions of “little people” (in the words of one of the musical’s most-popular songs) can change the lives of others.

Perhaps it struck a chord because social problems go beyond the frontiers of space and time. People still suffer in ignorance or despair, women sell themselves for bread, children lack a book to learn from or a warm hearth

• How different is Fantine from a lower caste  mother in Bangladesh ?
• How different is Cosette from the  orphan in Uganda ?

Ralph Middlecamp takes it a step further. He suggests the principal characters of “Les Miserables” can be regarded as “archetypes in the struggle for charity and justice.”

Many can relate to

• Being punished too harshly, misunderstood
• Being someone or having to deal with people who think they are better than others, who appear to have their lives under control, like Inspector Javert
• Finding yourself along with a shockingly high percentage of people, sexually and otherwise exploited, dumped, financially troubled, and embittered like Fantine, the prostitute
• Suffering emotionally, physically abused, and adopted like Cozette, Fantine’s child
• Loving someone without being loved back, like Eponine with Marius

Vincentian Influences and reflections

It strikes a chord in Vincentians when we hear the characters Fantine, Valjean, and Eponine, proclaim in song:

Take my hand and lead me to salvation Take my love, for love is everlasting And remember the truth that once was spoken: To love another person is to see the face of God.

Victor Hugo admired Vincent de Paul. He based the character of the Bishop on Vincent de Paul. We, in the Vincentian Family, know that on more than one occasion Vincent spoke about seeing the face of Gdo in people and leaving God in order to find God.

He told the first Daughters of Charity

whenever necessity or obedience calls them to the service of persons who are poor and other duties, these must always be preferred to their devotional practices, and reflect that in so doing they are leaving God for God  (CCD:XIIIb:138)

For Blessed Rosalie Rendu Paris was not the city of beauty, museums, restaurants, and pristine parks. and rivers. She wouldn’t know that city. Rather her Paris was marked by street battles, daily decapitations, sickness, hunger and fear.

“You will go and visit the poor, ten times a day, and ten times a day you will find God there……you go into their poor homes and there you find God.” “I am a daughter of charity; I have no flag; I help the unfortunate wherever I meet them; I try to do good to them without judging them,

She mentored a young Fredrick Ozanam. He wrote

Our faith is weak because we cannot see God. But we can see the poor, and we can put our finger in their wounds and see the marks of the crown of thorns

Both lived in the society that Victor Hugo wrote about.

• What does the face of YOUR God look like?
• What does “leaving God for God” mean for you today during this time of pandemic?
• How have you taken advantage of “a second chance in life”?

Share this:

• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on X (Opens in new window)

Excellent and imaginative commentary

Subscribe for Email Updates

CAPITALISM & CULTURE Reflections on Victor Hugo's by Edward W. Younkins This essay is not a review of Tom Hooper’s recently released film of the tremendously popular 1980s stage musical. However, the release of this film has given me the occasion to read and to reflect upon the original text, a mosaic of social indictment, history, social philosophy, sentimentality, and spirituality. Victor Hugo’s (1862) is the great prose epic of the nineteenth century. Interweaving the social and spiritual threads of human life, the novel has been influential in making people desire a more just world. The author condemns the unjust class-based social structure in nineteenth century France for turning good people into criminals and beggars. He makes a case that crime and poverty can be eliminated through universal education, a criminal justice system that is flexible and focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment, and the more equal and humane treatment of women. Despite these broad recommendations, Hugo offered no practical solutions for reforming schools, the police, the courts, and the prisons. is a call for a wiser and nobler civilization. When it was released, it inspired a great deal of sympathy for hapless people oppressed by the state. It was also viewed as a celebration of revolution against tyranny. is an epic novel focused on characters fighting against their exploitation and oppression. We see the injustices and disproportionate sentences piled upon Jean Valjean, the abuses suffered by Fantine, the brutality foisted on Cosette, the maltreatment of Enjolras  and his fellow revolutionaries, the plight of homeless children, and so on. All of these are examples of society’s injustice toward the lower classes. Through these stories, the novel exudes sympathy from the reader for the most wretched in society. The message is that, if men murder and steal and women fall from grace out of desperation, it is not their fault because they can find no honorable path to sustainability within the constructs of society. Rather, it is the fault of society and its creations, the state and the law. The state and its legal system are shown to be disinterested in the conditions of the dangerous classes. Society is thus culpable for dehumanizing the poor and for the crimes committed by the dregs of society. chronicles the corruption of police power, shows that society gives the convict no chance for redemption, and illustrates how France’s prison system not only continues, but also accelerates, the downward spiral of criminals. On the one hand, Valjean represents suppressed and destitute people whose place in life is determined by positive laws created by society’s elite in order to perpetuate their own superiority. On the other hand, Valjean illustrates that it is possible for men to rise above their circumstances. Bishop Myriel of Digne is not a typical bishop or even a conventional Christian. He operates on his own innate sense of morality—it is not provided by Christianity. True morality is higher than, and separate from, any particular religion. Religions pass away but God remains. Myriel acts out of genuine sympathy and caring for the weak and the downtrodden. The Bishop has chosen a consistent belief system and life path and has dedicated his life to the active service of humanity by performing good deeds and engaging in heartfelt charity. Myriel believes that it is each man’s duty to perform good acts despite the fact that he may never know if the good acts he has performed for people will lead them to change their lives for the good. His religious humanism is far from orthodox Christianity. When Myriel forgives Jean Valjean for the theft of the silver, he offers him his initial opportunity for redemption. After this incident, Valjean has a choice to make. He could either continue on a path of crime or he could follow the example set by the Bishop. Having learned from his past, Valjean goes on to help the poor and the wretched. He adopts a new life, identity, and mentality. His new life includes honesty, love of neighbor, love of enemy, and love of God. Throughout his life, the Bishop is always with him as symbolized by the candlesticks. Myriel acts as a model and an inspiration for Valjean for the rest of his life. Throughout the novel, Valjean imitates more and more the Bishop’s asceticism, renunciation of worldly pleasures, and emphasis on sacrifice. The moral duty to help the poor that Valjean accepts does not come from any social institutions. Rather, it flows from an expansive notion of God. Valjean illustrates that reason is inadequate in the resolution of moral problems. However, thought does direct Valjean toward the consideration of a dilemma, but at every decision point his emotions serve as the guide to right behavior. The hero performs good deeds intuitively as if he is acting in response to an inner voice. This Kantian perspective is that each person has an inner voice (perhaps his conscience), the source of moral laws, that tells him what his duties (i.e., moral obligations) are. The message seems to be that faith can transform one’s life. For Valjean, merely believing in God is not enough. He does not just contemplate the divine. Having learned from his experiences, he goes on to act to help people by his own initiative. For him, God, fulfillment, and salvation are attainable without the help of any organized religion. Choice is difficult for Valjean, who has a double nature—he has the experience of a convict and the instincts of a saint. He is a product of the social conditions that led him to steal a loaf of bread for his sister’s family and his prison time for punishment of that crime. Despite that, he still has the potential for good in him. Over and over, he has to choose between doing what is right and doing what is safe and secure. At virtually every turn, Valjean doubts and questions himself before making the morally correct choice. is very much a story of a man’s conscience at war with itself. After meeting the radiantly spiritual Bishop Myriel, Valjean’s life becomes a continuing struggle between his activated moral sense and his lifelong criminal tendencies.   “ is a detailed reporting of men’s feelings and ideas that transcend time and place. This great novel is as relevant today as when it was published more than 150 years ago.” As Monsieur Madeleine, Jean Valjean redeems himself by becoming an innovative entrepreneur who creates a successful manufacturing business that brings about progress and prosperity for an entire region. This successful and kind person voluntarily does good deeds to help the less fortunate. Valjean’s actions exhibit justice to individual people rather than observance of the requirements of some abstract legal order. In addition to providing a reasonable standard of living for his employees, he builds schools and hospitals with his own money and distributes a large share of his wealth to the poor. Then, of course, he takes care of Fantine and rescues, raises, and protects Cosette. Ironically, the tolerant Valjean sympathizes with others but is unable to sympathize with himself. He understands that although a person can repent for a crime, he can never escape the dishonor of having committed it. Inspector Javert cannot accept transgressions of the law, regardless of circumstances. He represents the idea of punitive secular justice and is solely concerned with detection and retribution. Javert is absolutely committed to rules and to their administration. As a defender of France’s legal system, he is dedicated to following the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law. The well-intentioned, rigid, and dogmatic Javert wants to protect society from the criminal element and has total faith in the system of laws that he represents. Javert, the personification of public authority, contends that theft is wrong regardless of mitigating factors. Myriel, representing morality, would say that theft should be forgiven in the case of acting to keep people from starving. Of course, our hero, Valjean, is caught between these two worldviews. Toward the end of the novel, Javert comes to understand that Valjean is concerned with a moral law higher than positive state law. In the end, he empathizes with Valjean and comprehends that divine law has supremacy. Javert commits suicide because this realization disaffirms everything in his life that he believed in. The story of Javert provides a lesson about the limitations of the laws of men. At the end of his life, Javert understands that Jean Valjean’s resistance to Javert’s tyranny is rooted in a belief in a higher power and law than the laws of men. Enjolras and his diverse band of revolutionaries have a dream of a better world and do all they can to make that world a reality. They love man, tend to reject organized religions (including Christianity), and attempt to overturn the existing social order. Enjolras, the leader of the ABC (the Abaissé or the abased) Society wants to elevate men. The ABC’s 1832 revolt demanded legislation that would make possible liberty, justice, equal education, equal opportunity, and so on. Enjolras is a devoted, purposeful, political idealist who inspires others with his utopian vision of future progress. The other revolutionaries turn to Enjolras for the meanings behind their actions. The novel teaches that individual men are dignified, honorable, and benevolent, but that social institutions are not, the result being the corruption of individual human beings. Like Rousseau and Turgot, Hugo subscribes to the idea of the natural goodness of man. All three believed in progress and in the perfectibility of man. They viewed progress as a basic law of the universe. Created by God, man has the capacity to become a civilized moral person if he is not corrupted by society. It is the corrupting influence of society that is responsible for the misconduct of the individual. If individuals were properly educated then they would not want to do evil. Hugo maintains that society must be changed, but also that it is individuals who must first be transformed. It is these transformed individuals who can then foster the advancement of society. Accepting the Platonic idea that the individual’s soul is noble but the body is degraded, the author of teaches that one must achieve spiritual grandeur and a virtuous character in order to battle for justice in the here and now. Some individuals have the ability to triumph over evil both in themselves and in society and its institutions if they are willing to actively respond to the divine. In the life of each character influences others. It follows that, if each individual comprehends and accepts his influences on other persons, then society may become more just, caring, and merciful. Hugo contends that the requisite love of humanity can only come from faith in the divine. Faith in God is thus placed at the heart of this work. For Hugo, belief in God by acting people of good will is necessary to instill the social order with kindness and to make society more humane. Like Pascal, Hugo urges his readers to bet in favor of the existence of God and perhaps even in the possibility of an afterlife for the soul. In there are only a few exceptional virtuous individuals such as Myriel, Jean Valjean, and Enjolras who can attain this level of existence. It follows that rehabilitation and elevation of the social order is most likely impossible given the above requirement and reality. The novel’s ethic of social service emphasizes the alleviation of poverty. It portrays poor people being helped by the charitable works of a private individual (Valjean) rather than by government. Depicting the abject poverty of the poor, questions the morality of a political and economic system that permits children to be orphaned and homeless, mothers dying in the streets, and good men imprisoned for minor transgressions committed to feed their families. Hugo’s goal was to elicit his readers’ compassion and to stimulate their moral sensibilities by portraying how poverty brutalizes and dehumanizes people and how strict and relentless law enforcement creates the savages that it wants to eliminate. He wanted to educate the bourgeois and to awaken their consciousness and concern for France’s social problems. Hugo wanted people to take action to ease the burden of the less fortunate through good deeds and through changes in the social system. is Hugo’s plea for social change that vacillates between human and institutional reality and his hope for, and vision of, a better world. Hugo depicts a society that is nothing more than the collection of individuals whose lives affect one another. For example, it is clear that Jean Valjean is concerned only with the individuals who make up society. In the novel, the circumstances and conduct of various seemingly randomly introduced characters converge and become intertwined with the struggles of Valjean. From the beginning of the story, there is a web of influence that builds as characters affect one another. Early on we see G______, a representative of the assembly during the French Revolution that dissolved the monarchy, humbling Bishop Myriel, who recognizes his moral devotion to humanity and progress, prompting the Bishop to redouble his own tenderness and love for the weak and the suffering. The network of interconnections grows as characters such as Valjean, Fantine, Cosette, Javert, Fauchelevant, the Thénardiers, Marius, M. Gillenormand, Colonel Pontmery, Champathieu, Enjolras, and others appear. The author brings many of these characters together toward the climax of the novel. illustrates that in every idea, and for every person, perspective is partial and, therefore, insufficient by itself. Hugo shows that the complexity of life requires that no one philosophy, perspective, emotion, tradition, or behavior is capable of providing a total picture of what it means to be human. Like Kant, Hugo laments the fact that a person can only perceive and comprehend things through his own consciousness. According to Kant, man’s knowledge lacks validity because his consciousness possesses identity. For Kant, knowledge, to be valid, must not be processed in any way by consciousness. Hugo, like Kant, seems to be looking for knowledge that could be called absolute, unqualified, pure, or diaphanous. Kant maintains that identity, which itself is the essence of existence, invalidates consciousness. To know what is true, a man would have to abandon his own nature, which is an absurd impossibility. It follows that for both Hugo and Kant, reason must be forsaken and the emotions must be embraced, if one wants to deal with the fundamental concerns of existence. Hugo does seem to imply that knowledge can be enhanced by dialectically relating each perspective with opposing viewpoints. However, he realizes that, even with this dialectic interaction, one’s knowledge would still be limited. Even when many angles of perspective can be coordinated simultaneously, one’s understanding of a process, experience, or event is still limited. is a fascinating maze of characters, emotions, ideas, paradoxes, and antitheses. The novel comingles ever-shifting and blurred shades of criminality, heroism, misery, resilience, good, evil, irony, pathos, poetry, free will, providence, action, the social, the spiritual, and much more. Hugo thus deals with the emotions, hopes, fears, passions, and doubts that are reflective of people’s common humanity. is a detailed reporting of men’s feelings and ideas that transcend time and place. This great novel is as relevant today as when it was published more than 150 years ago. Dr. is a Professor of Accountancy and Business Administration at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia. From the same author ▪ Business Through Literature and Film ( – February 15, 2013) ▪ Workplace Freedom and Right to Work Laws ( – January 15, 2013) ▪ Flourishing and Happiness in a Nutshell ( – June 15, 2012) ▪ Objectivist Virtue Ethics in Business ( – May 15, 2012) ▪ : The Story of a Heroic Corporate Raider ( – April 15, 2012) ▪ First written appearance of the word 'liberty,' circa 2300 B.C. Promoting individual liberty, free markets and voluntary cooperation since 1998.   ? Bishop John An imaginary diocese blog, ‘les miserables’ – a personal reflection, we’re all ‘miserables’ in need of god’s grace. I borrowed Les Miserables from the mobile bus library when I was 14. I liked reading and each week with a friend I rode my bike to borrow books. The book seemed like an adventure story, so I read it. It was about a man who had a hard life. He helped people. He rescued a poor girl and really cared for her. There were lots of adventures. But then, when she married, it was strange because he felt he shouldn’t be with her new family. This was sad. Eventually he died, nearly alone, but the candlesticks were with him. They reminded him always of a man who many years ago saved his life and helped him to go a different way. He was given a chance and it was not easy but he made choices to go that better way. They were sometimes hard choices. Choices matter. But some people are cruel and they don’t give you another chance, and that’s not fair. In the story there were women and children who hardly ever got any chances. People were cruel to them. I didn’t like that. It was unfair. But the man, because he had been given a second chance by the first kind man, he then himself gave people second chances. I liked that. I wanted to be like these two men. They were both kind and gave second chances to all sorts of people. Second chances matter. Growing up I didn’t have a father. I lived with my two sisters, mother, grandmother and great uncle. They all loved me and gave me second chances – and lots more chances. But people were not kind to my mother. They wouldn’t let us into a father and son night because she wasn’t a father. But a kind man from church saw my mother crying. He asked her if he could be my father for an hour and he took my friend, his real son, and me to the meeting. He was a good man who stood up for my mum and me. I think that God helped the two men in the story. The candlesticks showed that. Throughout the rescued man’s life he carried the Bishop’s candlesticks with him to remind him that he belonged to God.They were with that man when he died: “He lay back with his head turned to the sky, and the light from the two candlesticks fell upon his face.” Reading this, I do indeed hear my younger voice. I have never forgotten the story Les Miserables nor the two men, the second chance, and the story of the candlesticks. The themes of Les Miserables (‘The Poor and Wretched’) are the themes of our own lives. The released, but brutalised, convict Jean Valjean, having received the Bishop’s hospitality, then robbed him of silver cutlery. Valjean is subsequently captured by the police and brought for condemnation before the Bishop. To Valjean’s astonishment, the Bishop insists the cutlery has been given to Valjean and even adds two silver candlesticks (“You forgot to take these”). Privately, the Bishop challenges Valjean: “You promised me to become a good man. I am buying your soul. I am rescuing you from a spirit of perversity and giving it to God” What beauty! The joy and power of grace and grace’s agenda. Yes, forgiveness is given. Grace is received. A second chance begun. But the very next day, the second chance is dramatically thrown into question: Valjean robs a vagrant boy of a coin. The boy protests, struggles briefly, but then flees in fright. Valjean seems to suddenly come to himself and rushes after the boy but cannot find him. Guilt-ridden and in despair, he weeps in remorse. This turning point (while omitted in contemporary musicals) is a key to understanding the book: “Did any voice whisper to him that he was at a turning point in his life, that henceforth there could be no middle way for him, that he must become either the best of men or the worst?… What was certain, although he did not realise it, was that he was no longer the same man. Everything in him was changed.” Jean Valjean struggled to live out the consequences of forgiveness, of the grace of the second chance. So unfolds a wonderful story of redemption, hope, sacrifice and love: of living out the Bishop’s gift of the candlesticks. I think that’s why I treasure my own ‘candlesticks’: reminders of God’s grace and forgiveness. See, Inner Life: Book:  Bishop John Harrower reflects on reading Victor Hugo’s classic ‘Les Miserables’  http://tma.melbourneanglican.org.au/inner-life/harrower-on-les-mis-290917  September 29 2017 Euthanasia: ‘Dying with dignity’ or ‘The throw-away society’? ‘Sexting’- one of those things you wish you didn’t know about Restorative ways of healing and living healthy relationships: learning from St Michael’s Collegiate School ‘a mini opera of underdog triumph’ 150th Anniversary Celebration at Deloraine Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail 415 IMAGES Seeking Social Justice in "Les Misérables" Free Essay Example Summary of Les' Miserables 1998 Movie Free Essay Example Les Miserables Portrayal of Worldviews in "Les Misérables" SOLUTION: Reflection paper les miserables 🌈 Les miserables essay questions. The Life of Victor Hugo in his Novel VIDEO On my own Les Miserables HOPE AT THE MOVIES // Les Misérables Les Miserables Les Miserables Premiere: Anne Hathaway vs. Amanda Seyfried Explication des Misérables de Victor Hugo Les Misérables COMMENTS Reflection on Les Miserables Good Essays. 1508 Words. 7 Pages. Open Document. Reflection on Les Miserables Les Misérables, which means "The Miserables Ones" in English, is a musical portrayal of the French Revolution. The musical is an epic tale and portrayal of the spirit of the very poor, people who have suffered throughout their lives. Les Misérables: A Critical Analysis: [Essay Example], 505 words Les Misérables, written by Victor Hugo, is a classic novel that depicts the struggles of the poor and oppressed during the French Revolution. The purpose of this critical essay is to analyze the historical context, characters, themes, symbolism, and critical reception of the novel. The thesis statement is that Les Misérables is a powerful ... "Les Misérables" on Film: Love, Redemption, and Social Realities The movie adaptation of Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables" serves as a poignant social document, shedding light on the grim realities of poverty, ignorance, and brutality. This essay delves into the nuances of the cinematic portrayal, specifically focusing on the 1998 adaptation. It offers a comparative analysis with the 2012 version, delves into characterizations, critiques romantic elements ... Reflections on Victor Hugo's Les Miserables This essay is not a review of Tom Hooper's recently released film of the tremendously popular 1980s stage musical. However, the release of this film has given me the occasion to read and to reflect upon the original text of Victor Hugo's 1862 classic, Les Misérables, a mosaic of social indictment, history, social philosophy, sentimentality ... Les Misérables Themes and Analysis Redemption. ' Les Misérables ' explores the idea of redemption and how even the most broken of souls can find hope and peace, specifically the protagonist Jean Valjean who ends the novel a happy older man. Hugo masterfully weaves this theme into his novel as Jean Valjean's journey of self-transformation is chronicled. Les Miserables Reaction Paper Les Miserables. (Reaction Paper) Les Miserables or The Miserable Ones is a musical movie based on the novel of Victor Hugo. It is a story about the hardship, love, sacrifice, humanity, laws, broken dreams, and also the darkest parts of French history during the revolution in 18th century. This movie focusing on the struggles and experiences of ... Reflection Of Les Miserables Reflection Of Les Miserables. The world renown classic novel, Les Miserables, written by Victor Hugo was adapted into a brilliant and masterful film through Columbia Pictures. The film was directed by Billie August, and sincerely brought to life through the actors, Liam Neeson who plays Jean Valjean and Geoffrey Rush who plays Javert. Les Misérables Critical Evaluation Critical Evaluation. Essentially a detective story, Les Misérables is a unique combination of melodrama and morality. It is filled with unlikely coincidences, with larger-than-life emotions and ... Les Miserables: a Reflection of the Times Les Miserables: a Reflection of the Times. Victor's Hugo's classic novel Les Miserables was turned into a smash-hit musical that was seen by 60 million people worldwide and performed more than ... Les Misérables Critical Essays A. The rebels fight although they know they cannot win the battle. B. Marius saves the barricade and risks his life to help Gavroche. C. Gavroche dies collecting cartridge boxes. D. Eponine ... Les Misérables Critical Overview Critical Overview. Publishers bid against each other for the right to publish Les Misérables, no doubt sensing that the novel would be a great success. It had been awaited for years. The author ... Reflection Of Les Miserables Movie Reflection Of Les Miserables Movie. The world renown classic novel, Les Miserables, written by Victor Hugo was adapted into a brilliant and masterful film through Columbia Pictures. The film was directed by Billie August, and sincerely brought to life through the actors, Liam Neeson who plays Jean Valjean and Geoffrey Rush who plays Javert. 'Les Misérables' and its Afterlives: Between Page, Stage, and Screen The 150th anniversary of Les Misérables in 2012 prompted a surge of renewed interest in Victor Hugo's epic novel, encompassing film adaptations, scholarly translations, and academic re-appraisals. This volume, co-edited by Kathryn Grossman and Bradley Stephens, stands out as a lively, engaging, and impeccably finished addition to the ever-growing body of literature devoted to this canonical ... Les Miserables Summary and Study Guide Les Misérables (in English, The Wretched or The Miserable Ones) is a novel by French author Victor Hugo, published for the first time in 1862. The story follows several characters through early- to mid-19th century France as they seek redemption for their sins and an escape from poverty. As well as being praised as one of the greatest novels ... Les Misérables Essays and Criticism As a consequence, Les Miserables is a blend of epic, myth, dramatic and lyrical components; grotesque and sublime; satire and romance; comedy and tragedy; realism and romanticism which led many ... Reflecting on the movie Les Miserables In this article I argue that the story of Les Miserables can help us gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for central truths of the biblical drama, particularly Jesus' ethic of the kingdom ... 4:30 - 6:00PM BTM - 2 March 19, 2015 ReEd40's Final Paper: A Reflection about the movie "Les Miserables" Sometimes, our own plans ... Les Miserables Les Miserables - Vincentian Influences and Reflections. The epic story of Jean Valjean remains as vital and relevant today as 150 years ago. "Les Miserables" speaks of timeless themes about God, redemption, and social justice. Victor Hugo wrote in reaction to what he saw in his day. the need for social progress in France and improvement ... Reflections on Victor Hugo's Les Misérables Hugo thus deals with the emotions, hopes, fears, passions, and doubts that are reflective of people's common humanity. Les Misérables is a detailed reporting of men's feelings and ideas that transcend time and place. This great novel is as relevant today as when it was published more than 150 years ago. 'Les Miserables' The themes of Les Miserables ('The Poor and Wretched') are the themes of our own lives. The released, but brutalised, convict Jean Valjean, having received the Bishop's hospitality, then robbed him of silver cutlery. Valjean is subsequently captured by the police and brought for condemnation before the Bishop. essay homework paper phd project resume review study thesis