Les Miserables

Personal notes and analysis

Les Miserables

Summary

Biography of author

-         Written and later published in 1862, by Victor Hugo. He is criticized to be shallowed in mind and

The historical perspective on why Hugo wrote Les Miserables

1.      Why did he write this novel or play?

2.      Does he portray himself as one of the characters in the novel?

3.      What is his motif and voice through the novel?

The novel was written after the French revolution. Victor Hugo wrote this after the French revolution and the Napoleon war. Hugo wrote about the government and the people. He shows different characters in the story varying from the rich to the poor and from the government to the slaves. Through different characters of the story, different perspective of the government or justice, freedom was brought up. Some plot in the story that shows this is that Javert has a very different perspective of justice than Jean Valjean. Because of the difference in their given authority, they think differently. Javert thinks that by capturing the convict Jean Valjean who has ran from his parole a long time ago is his way of the law. On the other hand, Jean do what is right out of love and the generosity of the priest that gave him the silver and gold. He swored to God to be an honest man and later in his life he continues to learn to be an honest man, to love and to give.

Time and period and setting of this film

-         The time period of this film is in the year 1815, when Napoleon was just defeated and a new king came back to reign over the country.

-         French revolution(1789-1799) was over and so is the Napoleonic wars(1803-1815).

-         The film was during the 1820s when napoleon was just defeated and many people suffered and die. Those who are weak and powerless and poor suffers more than those of higher authority.

Character analysis

1.      Jean Valjean

-         Once a convict that was ender to law to be in prison for

2.      Javert

3.      Fantine

-         Cosette’s mother. She was kicked out of her job and forced to be a prostitute to earn enough money to treat her daughter’s deadly sickness. She was taken to the hospital after being assaulted by a man called Bamatabois. She was charged by Javert to jail but was saved by Valjean’s plead. Valjean took her to the hospital and Valjean promised her he will look after her daughter Cosette. Then she died.

4.      Cosette

-         Fantine’s daughter

5.      Eponine

-         Daughter of the   “cunning couple”, loves Marius and saved him once.

6.      Marius

Themes

1.      Redemption

2.      Struggles and hardships

3.      Different perspective of  justice

4.      The struggle / Pursuit for freedom

Things that shows Marxism

Interesting  Quotes

Critical lenses

1.      Marxist lens

-         “Cut the fat ones down”

Shows the wealthy and rich powerful people

-         Javert says“clear the garbage off the street”(LM)

-         Fantine says“Making love to one already dead”(LM)

-         Fantine says “ there was a time when love was blind”(LM)

A little about freedom through the Marxist lens

In Les Miserables  ,  the characters are struggling to escape their misery. Throughout the story there is a pursuit for freedom.

Having freedom of human rights and authority is also the same as having power and being on a higher social status. This shows that the freedom of living of a person can be affected through Marxist issues.

Important things I can write about – the theme of freedom through the Marxist lens.

Important parts in the screenplay of the movie “Les Miserables ”

1.      Setting – Toulon. Home port of the French navy.  Year 1815, French revolution is a distant memory. Napoleon has been defeated again. This scene shows police inspectors and guards of the port of Toulon and the slaves and prisoners forced to pull in a great big ship into the docks. The prisoners including 24601, Jean Valjean, was also at the scene being forced by Javert to retrieve the flagpole that was extremely heavy. The prisoners was slaves to the French navy and was forced to work for them. They were slashed and chained by manacles. They are convicts that is under the control of the higher authority people. Here it shows the difference in social class and that the French navy holds all the authority and rights. They are the ones that holds their destiny whether they are destined to live their life as a convict for the rest of their lives or to be set free from the law and sentence. This shows the power and authority that the government have on normal citizens or slaves. Having power and rights over someone else can also mean that they have more freedom outside the law because they are placed in a higher position in society.

2.      Marxism – Patriarchy

-         Setting – red light district Montreuil, where the whores of the street come together. They have business with men by having sex earning quick easy money. Patriarchy, the authority and power that men have over women. When a men named Bamatabois assaulted and touched Fantine’s body, she scratched his face. Javert the police inspector came into the scene and asked what happened. The men who touched Fantine accuses her of what she did to his face and made up a story that she was the one who attacked him. Javert believes his story and accuses Fantine of being sent to the court. Patriarchy is shown here, that the men have authority over the women, that Javert chooses to believe the story made up by the men instead of her. To him, she is just a mere prostitute and that her words are not worth to be believed.

Analysis of film and development of the Thesis

Themes and  thoughts

1. Power and authority

-          In the film, there is various scenes where mistreatment towards lower class people were shown. Power and authority determines a person’s worth and quality.

-          There is patriarchy in the film where men are seen to have power over women.

-          People will automatically judge and treat you according to your class. This provides a huge amount of evidence where Marxism is seen. A person’s worth and quality is measured by the class and power.

When a men named Bamatabois assaulted and touched Fantine’s body, she scratched his face. Javert the police inspector came into the scene and asked what happened. The men who touched Fantine accuses her of what she did to his face and made up a story that she was the one who attacked him. Javert believes his story and accuses Fantine of being sent to the court. Patriarchy is shown here, that the men have authority over the women,  that Javert chooses to believe the story made up by the men instead of her. To him, she is just a mere prostitute and that her words are not worth to be believed.

2. Fighting for freedom

-          They fight for freedom because their freedom was restricted.

-          They are restricted by the laws and they have no power to choose their own way in life.

-          The characters in the film are restricted from being able to become an honest and better person. Judgments was placed on top of their heads even before they have the strength to change their lifestyle.

The theme where freedom to choose one’s path in life and the will to live determined with pride by higher class people shows how one’s freedom to live their life freely is stolen away from them. This is significant to the plot because it shows how people are judged and their life can be freely lived according to classes in society.

 Quotes in film(shows Msrxist in society)

      -  The film argues that it is not right to determine one’s behavior by only recognizing the class they belong to.

Q: “And of course the thief denies it, You’d expect that from a con. But he couldn’t run for ever, No, not even Jean Valjean.”(Hugo)

     -  The antagonist in Les Miserables by the name Javert is wrong to discriminate Jean Valjean, saying that he will never change. (not given any opportunities)

Q: “Men like me can never change. Men like you can never change. No, 24601! My duty is to the law. You have no rights. Come with me, 24601!”(Hugo)

3    -  Putting judgments on one based on their class, considering their honorable lives as much more valuable and worthy and that those of the lower classes that is judged to be worthless. 

Q: “He knows his way in the dark.Mine is the way of the Lord. Those who follow the path of the righteous Shall have their reward. And if they fall as Lucifer fell - The flame! The sword!”(Hugo)

1.      Patriarchy- shows how men and women is treated with a totally opposite approach when Javert chose to believe the men’s tale instead of the women’s. People that are unfairly treated.

Q: “My life was a war that could never be won. They gave me a number and murdered Valjean. When they chained me and left me for dead. Just for stealing a mouthful of bread! ” (Hugo)

2.      Higher class people in Les Miserables have better life and people treat them with honor and courtesy, but people considered as of the lower class losses their pride and dignity. One should not treat a person with a judgmental eye but he should accept them like any other.

Q: “He treated me like any other. He gave me his trust. He called me brother. My life he claims for God above...Can such things be? For I had come to hate the world -This world that always hated me!”(Hugo)

1.      Valjean, the protagonist of Les Miserables, having to run away from the despicable yet stubborn Javert that hunts him for years and he is not allowed to be free from the law.

Q: “I am the law and the law is not mocked! I’ll spit his pity right back in his face! There is nothing on earth that we share! It is either Valjean or Javert! How can I allow this man, to hold dominion over me?” (Hugo).

Using the Marxist criticism to make an analysis and connection to the film:

1. Les Miserables is all about how one’s quality of life if affected by their class. There are many people from different backgrounds and class, and they were treated and judged differently. It raises Marxist issues when a person’s freedom and opportunity was restricted just because of their class.

2. Les miserables criticizes on class differentiation and inequality, portraying the social abomination.