Les Miserables

A detailed Summary of Les Miserables


In a book, it is very important to know who your characters are and their qualities. Therefore, characterization is very important in a book to make the book interesting to the reader. In Les Miserables, Victor Hugo does a wonderful job of portraying his character, especially Jean Valjean and his changes in qualities from the beginning of the book to the end.

Jean Valjean starts the story out as a thief. This is first brought to the reader's attention when someone breaks into the bakery, "The thief had thrown away the bread, but his arm was still bleeding. It was Jean Valjean" (Hugo 23). Here you learn that he is a thief but he only did it to support his daughter's kids. Therefore, it is thought he only steals for the goodness of the other people but once he is out of jail he has lots of money. He also no longer has his family or a place to stay and a Bishop takes him in. In return Jean Valjean stole silver from the Bishop. He did not need them but he did so anyway. Later he is caught and brought back to the Bishop's house by a brigadier. The Bishop then covers for Jean Valjean, gives him two candlesticks, lets him go. The last thing the Bishop tells Jean Valjean is, "forget not, never forget that you have promised m


e to use this silver to become an honest man.... 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 33). This is a turning point in Jean Valjean's life.

Jean Valjean starts out his honest life by saving two children in a big fire. From here he invented a new clasp for bracelets that changed the town, making it more industrial. He wanted honest workers and "seemed that he thought much for others, and little for himself" (Hugo 50). He changed from his selfish stealing past to a caring honest person all because of the Bishop. This is proved later in the book upon the Bishop's death, "Monsieur Madeleine appeared the next morning dressed in black with crepe on his hat" (Hugo 54). He has devoted his life to the words of this Bishop and therefore he mourns upon the Bishop's death. Later in the story a man is accused of being Jean Valjean and Monsieur Madeline goes to the trial and announces himself as Jean Valjean. This was probably the kindest and most honest thing that Jean Valjean did because he had a glamorous and noble life that he gave up to bac

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Approximate Word count = 818
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels

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