(Question 12)
Jean Valjean is the main character in the book, and his life, following his release from prison to his death, provides the basis of the plot. Throughout the novel, Jean Valjean is constantly changing and developing, transforming from a hardened criminal to a benevolent and good-hearted citizen to a sad old man, still weighted by the guilt of his former deeds.
In the beginning, Jean Valjean is released from the galleys after serving nineteen years of hard labour simply for stealing a loaf of bread. Insolent and desensitized from his life of hardship, he steals silver from the only man to show him any kindness, the good Bishop of D--. When he is caught and returned, the Bishop pretends to have given the silver to Jean Valjean as a gift, and entreats him to take the candlesticks as well, saying "'Jean Valjean, my brother: you belong no longer to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I am buying for you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God!'" (Hugo 112). After this, Jean Valjean steals a forty sous piece from a little boy, but upon realizing what a monster he has become, undergoes an epiphany of sorts. This is one of the most pivitol moments of the book. The transformation is shown as the awakening of some part of Jean Valjean that had been crushed by his years in slavery: "...this last misdeed had a profound effect upon him; it rushed across the chaos of his intellect and dissipated it, set the light on one side and the dark clouds on the other, and acted upon his soul..." (Hugo 118). Though it may seem implausible that a lifetime of hatred is reversed by one act of utterly selfless generosity, readers believe this change due to our prior knowledge of Jean Valjean and his time spent in prison- there is not one moment during the story, even when he steals from the little boy, that readers do not believe there is good to be found buried somewhere in Jean Valjean's soul.
Jean Valjean continues to evolve throughout the story. Another important development in his character is when he adopts Cosette. Before this point, he had been kind to all but never loved anyone, and the fatherly love which develops in Jean Valjean's heart is very important to his development. Upon adopting Cosette, he became attached to someone for the first time, which is to a runaway convict both dangerous and magnificent as well as strange, "for it is something very incomprehensible and very sweet, this grand and strange emotion of a heart in its first love. Poor old heart, so young!" (Hugo 436). Every action that Jean Valjean takes henceforth is in the best interest of Cosette, who holds his heart in her small hands.
It is through Cosette, also, that we see another side of Jean Valjean emerge: that of jealousy and selfishness. His love of Cosette is so great that he wishes to keep her for himself; he dismays when he realizes she is growing beautiful and hates Marius, whom she loves, with a passion. Since the incident with the Bishop, Jean Valjean has never expressed any sort of emotion which is not the most virtuous, but now we see that a part of his former self still resides within him: "he who had come to believe he was no longer capable of a malevolent feeling, had moments in which, when Marius was there, he thought that he was again becoming savage and ferocious..." (Hugo 888).
The character of Jean Valjean is powerful enough to carry a whole novel because of the fact that he is always developing, always revealing new emotions and changing along with the story. He is a complex and believable character with whom readers can strongly relate to and empathise with.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Irrelevancy in Les Miserables
(Question 14)
The novel Les Miserables is 1432 pages long. Obviously there is some irrelevancy involved. There are, in the novel, three major sections which literary critics of the book refer to as Hugo's "digressions". These are firstly, his play-by-play of the Battle of Waterloo, secondly, his rant on religous orders and lastly, a lengthly meditation on street language. Many more hundreds of pages are filled with what seem to be Hugo's thoughts on a wide variety of topics, some of which are undoubtedly very significant to the plot, and others which are entirely unnecessary.
For example, Hugo expounds for several pages on how beneficial it is for a young man to experience poverty: "poverty in youth, when it succeeds, is so far magnificent that it turns the whole will towards effort, and the whole soul towards aspiration" (Hugo 677), but this is very relevant to the story because at that time in the novel, Marius had left his wealthy grandfather and was himself experiencing poverty. On the other hand, endless comparisons of the city of Paris to mythology are not intrinsically important to the central purpose of the story - "Paris has an Aesop in Mayeux, and a Candidia in Mademoiselle Lenormand. It stands aghast like Delphos at the blinding realities of visions; it tips tables as Dodona did tripods..." (Hugo 586). In addition, these musings are extremely wordy and difficult to follow (although this probably has more to do with my own ignorance than the author's style).
Though I consider the plot of Les Miserables to be extremely well-crafted and gripping, there is a great deal of text that I feel readers could simply do without. The presence of these long and usually unrelated ruminations is more to the detriment of the story than to its benefit.
The novel Les Miserables is 1432 pages long. Obviously there is some irrelevancy involved. There are, in the novel, three major sections which literary critics of the book refer to as Hugo's "digressions". These are firstly, his play-by-play of the Battle of Waterloo, secondly, his rant on religous orders and lastly, a lengthly meditation on street language. Many more hundreds of pages are filled with what seem to be Hugo's thoughts on a wide variety of topics, some of which are undoubtedly very significant to the plot, and others which are entirely unnecessary.
For example, Hugo expounds for several pages on how beneficial it is for a young man to experience poverty: "poverty in youth, when it succeeds, is so far magnificent that it turns the whole will towards effort, and the whole soul towards aspiration" (Hugo 677), but this is very relevant to the story because at that time in the novel, Marius had left his wealthy grandfather and was himself experiencing poverty. On the other hand, endless comparisons of the city of Paris to mythology are not intrinsically important to the central purpose of the story - "Paris has an Aesop in Mayeux, and a Candidia in Mademoiselle Lenormand. It stands aghast like Delphos at the blinding realities of visions; it tips tables as Dodona did tripods..." (Hugo 586). In addition, these musings are extremely wordy and difficult to follow (although this probably has more to do with my own ignorance than the author's style).
Though I consider the plot of Les Miserables to be extremely well-crafted and gripping, there is a great deal of text that I feel readers could simply do without. The presence of these long and usually unrelated ruminations is more to the detriment of the story than to its benefit.
Symbolism in Les Miserables
(Question 20)
The pages of Les Miserables are liberally sprinkled with symbolism, which help reinforce the reader's undestanding of the themes and enrich the story with deeper meaning. Symbolism often occurs through the use of metaphors and other literary devices, and is found behind nearly every main character in the story.
The character of Javert is one such example. He is a policeman who dedicates much of his life to tracking down Jean Valjean, and his character symbolizes the blindness of the law. According to description, Javert was a "concientious, straightforward, clear, sincere, upright, austere, fierce man" (Hugo 206); "he protected order, he hurled forth the thunder of the law, he avenged society..." (Hugo 292), all of which seems to be noble and good qualities.
However, the darker side of this seemingly decent man is revealed when he finally corners Jean Valjean and prepares to arrest him. At this time, the narrator proclaims that "probity, sincerity, candour, conviction, the idea of duty, are things which , mistaken, may become hideous, but which, even though hideous, remain great... Without suspecting it, Javert, in his fear-inspiring happiness, was pitiable, like every ignorant man who wins a triumph. Nothing could be more painful and terrible than this face, which revealed what we may call all the evil of good" (Hugo 292-293).
This quotation clearly illustrates the symbolism contained in the character of Javert. Similar to Javert, we generally consider the law to be a very noble and dignified institution, but see through Javert's malice that it can be horribly misused to the detriment of society. Though Javert posseses all qualities that appear to be repectable, he is inherently malevolent and pitiless. The law as well can be exhibit both respectability and goodness as well as cruelty and injustice. This symbolism is greatly important to the overall theme of the novel, which is inequality, both in society and in the justice system.
Symbolism is used frequently in Les Miserables to support the themes of the novel and elevate the novel from simply an entertaining story to an important social statement.
The pages of Les Miserables are liberally sprinkled with symbolism, which help reinforce the reader's undestanding of the themes and enrich the story with deeper meaning. Symbolism often occurs through the use of metaphors and other literary devices, and is found behind nearly every main character in the story.
The character of Javert is one such example. He is a policeman who dedicates much of his life to tracking down Jean Valjean, and his character symbolizes the blindness of the law. According to description, Javert was a "concientious, straightforward, clear, sincere, upright, austere, fierce man" (Hugo 206); "he protected order, he hurled forth the thunder of the law, he avenged society..." (Hugo 292), all of which seems to be noble and good qualities.
However, the darker side of this seemingly decent man is revealed when he finally corners Jean Valjean and prepares to arrest him. At this time, the narrator proclaims that "probity, sincerity, candour, conviction, the idea of duty, are things which , mistaken, may become hideous, but which, even though hideous, remain great... Without suspecting it, Javert, in his fear-inspiring happiness, was pitiable, like every ignorant man who wins a triumph. Nothing could be more painful and terrible than this face, which revealed what we may call all the evil of good" (Hugo 292-293).
This quotation clearly illustrates the symbolism contained in the character of Javert. Similar to Javert, we generally consider the law to be a very noble and dignified institution, but see through Javert's malice that it can be horribly misused to the detriment of society. Though Javert posseses all qualities that appear to be repectable, he is inherently malevolent and pitiless. The law as well can be exhibit both respectability and goodness as well as cruelty and injustice. This symbolism is greatly important to the overall theme of the novel, which is inequality, both in society and in the justice system.
Symbolism is used frequently in Les Miserables to support the themes of the novel and elevate the novel from simply an entertaining story to an important social statement.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Character Development in Les Miserables
(Question 11)
The novel Les Miserables is based entirely around the life of Jean Valjean and a host of supporting characters that are thoroughly developed and well-explained. The novel is character-driven, and accordingly each character is well supported with a personal background and full character sketch with provides motives and rationale for the character's actions and beliefs. Even minor characters are given extensive personal histories and backgrounds, the brevity of which is often unecessary and serves more to bog down the plot than enrich it. For example, the Bishop of D-- plays a relatively unimportant part in the book, except in conjunction with Jean Valjean's character and his transformation, which the Bishop ignites, from a theif to an honest man. Though this is undoubtedely a crucial part in the story, the amount of history given on the Bishop of D-- (65 pages dedicated to chronicling his good deeds) is excessive and frustrating. This shows that there is a happy medium between too much and too little character development.
The descriptions of main characters are so detailed that readers feel not only acquainted with the character but that they are the character in some ways. The physical, psychological and factual background on each character is immense, and makes readers emotionally invested in each, which leads to pathos. They also show the transformations in the characters very clearly, such as Jean Valjean's ascent to the height of goodness from the depths of evil, and Marius' change of heart from conservative bourgeoisie to radical revolutionary.
An example of the effect of pathos due to the character development is the description of the poor orphan Cosette as she looks at a doll in a toy booth.
"The whole booth seemed a palace to her; this doll was not a doll, it was a vision. It was joy, splendour, riches, happiness, and it appeared in a sort of chimerical radiance to this unfortunate little being, buried so deeply in cold and dismal misery. Cosette was measuring with the sad and simple sagacity of childhood the abyss which separated her from this doll" (Hugo 385).
This short excerpt shows how, in a few short sentences, Hugo transforms the character of Cosette from writing on a page to a living, breathing little child, who has wishes of happiness despite the destitution in which she lives. The sympathy we feel is very strong; instead of just reading about Cosette, we feel moved by the heartbreaking reality of her life. This shows the powerful effect that well-developed characters can have on a reader, as is demontrated time and time again throughout the novel.
The novel Les Miserables is based entirely around the life of Jean Valjean and a host of supporting characters that are thoroughly developed and well-explained. The novel is character-driven, and accordingly each character is well supported with a personal background and full character sketch with provides motives and rationale for the character's actions and beliefs. Even minor characters are given extensive personal histories and backgrounds, the brevity of which is often unecessary and serves more to bog down the plot than enrich it. For example, the Bishop of D-- plays a relatively unimportant part in the book, except in conjunction with Jean Valjean's character and his transformation, which the Bishop ignites, from a theif to an honest man. Though this is undoubtedely a crucial part in the story, the amount of history given on the Bishop of D-- (65 pages dedicated to chronicling his good deeds) is excessive and frustrating. This shows that there is a happy medium between too much and too little character development.
The descriptions of main characters are so detailed that readers feel not only acquainted with the character but that they are the character in some ways. The physical, psychological and factual background on each character is immense, and makes readers emotionally invested in each, which leads to pathos. They also show the transformations in the characters very clearly, such as Jean Valjean's ascent to the height of goodness from the depths of evil, and Marius' change of heart from conservative bourgeoisie to radical revolutionary.
An example of the effect of pathos due to the character development is the description of the poor orphan Cosette as she looks at a doll in a toy booth.
"The whole booth seemed a palace to her; this doll was not a doll, it was a vision. It was joy, splendour, riches, happiness, and it appeared in a sort of chimerical radiance to this unfortunate little being, buried so deeply in cold and dismal misery. Cosette was measuring with the sad and simple sagacity of childhood the abyss which separated her from this doll" (Hugo 385).
This short excerpt shows how, in a few short sentences, Hugo transforms the character of Cosette from writing on a page to a living, breathing little child, who has wishes of happiness despite the destitution in which she lives. The sympathy we feel is very strong; instead of just reading about Cosette, we feel moved by the heartbreaking reality of her life. This shows the powerful effect that well-developed characters can have on a reader, as is demontrated time and time again throughout the novel.
The Element of Surprise in Les Miserables
Victor Hugo makes considerable use of surprise throughout the novel Les Miserables, as a means of intriguing and engaging the reader as well as adding dramatic flair to the story. Although Hugo uses a great deal of foreshadowing, it is often very ambiguous and the true meaning is not understood until later in the story. This allows the surprise to be even greater, because although the reader knows something is afoot, the foreshadowing misleads them so the end result is very different from what the reader had imagined.
The story of Les Miserables switches between many different characters who at first seem entirely unrelated but whose paths inevitably collide. After this pattern is established, the reader is constantly wondering at the connection of one character to another. Hugo makes the most of this by keeping the reader unaware for as long as possible as to the identity of new characters, who often often turn out to be previously-introduced characters who have changed their identity for some reason. The prime example of this is during a scene which united every main character in one strange circumstance. Within the space of a few pages, it is revealed that Marius' neighbours the Jondrettes are actually the Thenardier family, and that they are planning to rob Jean Valjean, who took Cosette away from their cruel home many years before. However, Marius overhears this plan and, in hopes of protecting his love Cosette, whom Jean Valjean has since adopted, alerts the police. By some twist of fate, the policeman whom he speaks with is Inspector Javert, who has been searching for Jean Valjean since his escape from prison. These events are revealed one after another and remain unexplained, which leaves the reader wondering.
Hugo's drawn-out style of writing is very conducive to surprises, and he witholds the identity of the policeman until the last sentence of the chapter, when he says to Marius, "By the way, if you need me between now and then, come or send here. You will ask for Inspector Javert" (Hugo, 764). This prolonged build-up of curiousity and suspicious makes the surprise even greater.
This consecutive unveiling of characters also serves another purpose: to mask to complete improbability of all these characters meeting in such a way. The realisticness of these events is extremely low, but readers do not notice this at the time because they are so flabbergasted by each new development.
The element of surprise plays an important part in Les Miserables, both to keep the reader interested in a sometimes stagnant plot and disguise the implausibility of the events.
The story of Les Miserables switches between many different characters who at first seem entirely unrelated but whose paths inevitably collide. After this pattern is established, the reader is constantly wondering at the connection of one character to another. Hugo makes the most of this by keeping the reader unaware for as long as possible as to the identity of new characters, who often often turn out to be previously-introduced characters who have changed their identity for some reason. The prime example of this is during a scene which united every main character in one strange circumstance. Within the space of a few pages, it is revealed that Marius' neighbours the Jondrettes are actually the Thenardier family, and that they are planning to rob Jean Valjean, who took Cosette away from their cruel home many years before. However, Marius overhears this plan and, in hopes of protecting his love Cosette, whom Jean Valjean has since adopted, alerts the police. By some twist of fate, the policeman whom he speaks with is Inspector Javert, who has been searching for Jean Valjean since his escape from prison. These events are revealed one after another and remain unexplained, which leaves the reader wondering.
Hugo's drawn-out style of writing is very conducive to surprises, and he witholds the identity of the policeman until the last sentence of the chapter, when he says to Marius, "By the way, if you need me between now and then, come or send here. You will ask for Inspector Javert" (Hugo, 764). This prolonged build-up of curiousity and suspicious makes the surprise even greater.
This consecutive unveiling of characters also serves another purpose: to mask to complete improbability of all these characters meeting in such a way. The realisticness of these events is extremely low, but readers do not notice this at the time because they are so flabbergasted by each new development.
The element of surprise plays an important part in Les Miserables, both to keep the reader interested in a sometimes stagnant plot and disguise the implausibility of the events.
The Importance of Setting to Les Miserables
(Question 4)
The setting of the book Les Miserables is absolutely essential to the novel, which takes place in France during the years leading up to the Uprising of 1832. This was a very turbulent and troubled time for the French, especially the French working class, and the plot is made up of characters who each struggle in different ways to survive. France holds huge importance in the book, as it deals with themes of its history, politics and the importance of nationalism to all Frenchmen. As the revoltionary Enjolras says to Marius, "Citizen, my mother is the republic" (Hugo 667).
One of the major themes of the novel is poverty, and the treatment and condition of the poor. Although this is a universal theme, it is especially poignant during the era in which Les Miserables is set because of the political and social atmosphere. The plight of poor Fantine, for instance, is impacted by the time period in many ways. She is a grisette in Paris, abandoned by her lover despite her pregnancy, who must find work. She is forced to leave her daughter Cosette with the Thenardiers so that her reputation will not be sullied, and she can get a job. When it is discovered that she has a child, she is fired and must resort to prostitution to pay her daughter's room and board. In modern times this social stigma regarding unwed mothers does not exist (to the same degree), and the plot simply wouldn't work. There are countless other incidents which require the time period in which the novel is set in order to be plausible.
Paris plays an important role in the novel, and the plot doubtless would not have held the same impact were it set in any other city. The city was undergoing what is referred to in the book as "the process of moulting" (Hugo 640), and this is reflected in the characters in the book - Marius sheds his grandfather's conservative ideals for republican fever, the other members of the Friends of the ABC debate and deliberate the ideas of the time. Paris' cafes/revolutionary-gathering-spots are the scene for the coming revolution, its tangled streets serve to conceal Jean Valjean from Javert, and its bright gardens bear witness to Cosette and Marius' young love. Its varied and diverse population is a key element in the story.
Finally, Les Miserables is a piece of historical fiction which relies heavily on factual events which serve as a base to the story. One of the most important events in the plot is the Student Uprising of 1832, in which Jean Valjean performs his most selfless act- saving the life of a man who will take his daughter away from him- which simply could not have occured in any other time or place. The plot could not function without the extensive history of France which is intrinsically linked to each of the characters.
Though the themes of this novel are universal, the setting plays an extremely important role, and it would not hold the same historical and social importance, nor the same emotional appeal, if the setting was altered.
The setting of the book Les Miserables is absolutely essential to the novel, which takes place in France during the years leading up to the Uprising of 1832. This was a very turbulent and troubled time for the French, especially the French working class, and the plot is made up of characters who each struggle in different ways to survive. France holds huge importance in the book, as it deals with themes of its history, politics and the importance of nationalism to all Frenchmen. As the revoltionary Enjolras says to Marius, "Citizen, my mother is the republic" (Hugo 667).
One of the major themes of the novel is poverty, and the treatment and condition of the poor. Although this is a universal theme, it is especially poignant during the era in which Les Miserables is set because of the political and social atmosphere. The plight of poor Fantine, for instance, is impacted by the time period in many ways. She is a grisette in Paris, abandoned by her lover despite her pregnancy, who must find work. She is forced to leave her daughter Cosette with the Thenardiers so that her reputation will not be sullied, and she can get a job. When it is discovered that she has a child, she is fired and must resort to prostitution to pay her daughter's room and board. In modern times this social stigma regarding unwed mothers does not exist (to the same degree), and the plot simply wouldn't work. There are countless other incidents which require the time period in which the novel is set in order to be plausible.
Paris plays an important role in the novel, and the plot doubtless would not have held the same impact were it set in any other city. The city was undergoing what is referred to in the book as "the process of moulting" (Hugo 640), and this is reflected in the characters in the book - Marius sheds his grandfather's conservative ideals for republican fever, the other members of the Friends of the ABC debate and deliberate the ideas of the time. Paris' cafes/revolutionary-gathering-spots are the scene for the coming revolution, its tangled streets serve to conceal Jean Valjean from Javert, and its bright gardens bear witness to Cosette and Marius' young love. Its varied and diverse population is a key element in the story.
Finally, Les Miserables is a piece of historical fiction which relies heavily on factual events which serve as a base to the story. One of the most important events in the plot is the Student Uprising of 1832, in which Jean Valjean performs his most selfless act- saving the life of a man who will take his daughter away from him- which simply could not have occured in any other time or place. The plot could not function without the extensive history of France which is intrinsically linked to each of the characters.
Though the themes of this novel are universal, the setting plays an extremely important role, and it would not hold the same historical and social importance, nor the same emotional appeal, if the setting was altered.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
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