Character analysis

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The people we meet become part of our lives , no matter how brief or how long the encounter may be . They contribute to the development of our personality and in special cases , they contribute to the radical change in our convictions . Les Miserables ' a novel written by Victor Hugo illustrates this principle in the story of three major characters : Jean Valjean , Fantine and Cosette . All three are saved and

redeemed by strangers who are kind and compassionate enough to look past their moral flaws , so that their hearts and the souls may be revealed in the purest form

Jean Valjean , the protagonist of the novel , is a man who suffers through so many tragedies , and so many changes in his life and personality . From the very start of his story , the readers learn that he is a selfless man he is imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread for his sister . He commits a criminal act not to gratify himself , but to meet the need of another person . After his imprisonment he becomes a hardened criminal nineteen years of incarceration can certainly transform a selfless man to a selfish beast , and the reader now sees Valjean as a good-for-nothing ex-convict who does not seem to deserve a second chance . However , Valjean is saved and redeemed by Bishop Myriel , a stranger who helps him out by offering love and compassion . Valjean is a character who offers the readers so much hope when he radically transforms himself into a man with dignity , compassion and love after the encounter with the bishop . From then on his beautiful growth as a kind , compassionate man continues . He helps out a prostitute named Fantine and rescues her daughter Cosette by adopting her as his own daughter . He also shares his Saved Page 03 brilliance , talent and immense physical strength to the populace when he becomes the Mayor of a village called Montreuil-sur-mer . The fact that the pursuit of police inspector Javert , which sends him back to prison does not deter his upright convictions proves that Jean Valjean is a man whose virtues are boundless . His selflessness is even more emphasized when he rescues Marius , Cosette 's fiance , from certain death . Even when he disapproves Marius earlier in the story , Valjean sets aside his worries and distaste and instead focuses on making his adopted daughter happy . When he dies in peace after reuniting with Cosette , the reader admires Valjean more for his happiness lies in the love for family , and not in any other trivial thing

Fantine , on the other hand , is a victim of circumstances and of her own moral weakness . She is born into poverty and illiteracy two difficult circumstances that must be faced by a person , especially by a frail one , like Fantine . She has limited wisdom in dealing with the cruel realities of the world , and so she trusts people so easily . As a result , people take advantage of her . For instance , she entrusts her whole self to her lover , Tholomyes , but he ends up abandoning her when he learns that she is pregnant and then when she realizes she would be treated in scorn for being an unmarried mother she easily entrusts her daughter to the Thenardiers , without making sure that Cosette would be in good hands . theless , the reader sees Fantine as a tragic but heroic figure when she strives to do everything possible for her child It could have been easier for someone like her , who suffers so much , to just abandon her child . When Jean Valjean rescues her , Fantine experiences being understood , loved and cared for , luxuries she long deserves . A devoted mother , Fantine asks for Cosette in her final days when she falls ill . It further proves the point that Fantine 's moral decent into prostitution is actually her moral ascent to righteous Saved Page 04 motherhood she gives up her dignity and reputation as a woman in to provide for her child , to be a good mother

Cosette , the precious daughter of Fantine and the endeared adopted daughter of Jean Valjean , is the luckiest character among the three Although she experiences being maltreated by the Thenardiers , she is passionately loved and cared for by three people : her mother Fantine her adoptive father Jean Valjean , and her lover Marius . It is not surprising that a woman like Cosette would be fervently loved by everyone around her , for her character is impeccable . Her childhood days may have been spent with the cruel Thenardiers , but her upright moral convictions never wavered . She remains a decent , honorable person all throughout the novel . When Valjean ransoms her from the Thenardiers , the reader sees her as an unhappy , neglected child but as the novel progresses the reader sees her transformation occur : she embodies the values that Valjean fervently believes in . However , the reader discovers that although she is fierce in her love and loyalty to her adoptive father , she is also fierce in pursuing her passion , such as her love for Marius . Despite the protective warning from Valjean she agrees to meet Marius and declares her love for him , an instance that validates her intense character . Towards the end of the novel , Cosette proves that her upbringing , coupled with her innate goodness , is what sustains her relationship with her adoptive father when Marius tries to prevent her from seeing Valjean

These three characters , as earlier mentioned , are all saved and redeemed by strangers . Jean Valjean is helped out by Bishop Myriel while Fantine and Cosette are helped out by Jean Valjean himself Through the kindness of strangers , three lives are radically changed three lives are made better .Saved Page 05 References

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