“Yes, it means I’m free. / No!” ("LES MISERABLES CAST LYRICS - Look Down") these are the dreaded words shared between Jean Valjean and Javert in the movie musical. This phrase is a mirror image of Jean’s life in the novel Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Valjean is a criminal of simple actions, but has major obstacles to overcome. Difficulties within Valjeans path make it almost impossible for him to find the joy in life. Throughout his life, Cosette and other obstacles take the life away from Jean Valjean and he was unable to find true happiness.
Valjean goes through some troubling times, and nothing backs it up more than the words he speaks. From getting released from the galleys to becoming the caretaker of Cosette, Jean Valjean lives …show more content…
He is so caught up with Cosette, that he believes the happiness is shining through her. Yet, he still needed to take a step back and restate what it truly means to have happiness. “The supreme happiness in life is the assurance of being loved; of being loved for oneself, even in spite of oneself.” (Hugo, et al. 161) Stating the words, even in spite of oneself, is single handedly the only thing that is holding Valjean back. Also to support this idea, Jean was having a conversation with Cosette, and he uses the word happy in comparison. He mentions that he could be happy because he is good with Cosette, but also he gets confused with if he’s actually happy. “Are we happy because we are good, or are we good because we are happy?” (Hugo, et al. 1378) If he still stumbles on how he finds happiness, how can Valjean be …show more content…
Hugo used the idea of light or God within his novel, but within Victors quotes he also mentions another idea. “To love another person is to see the face of God.” ("Quotes from Les Miserables") Yet, throughout the novel, Valjean was lost in his moral direction. If he is unable to follow the way of the Lord, then how is he able to love Cosette? Connecting the last two quotes together, Valjean struggles with his direction, so he will lose his ability to love another person.
Jean Valjean was dealt a bad hand with life, and he has come up short of finding happiness due to Cosette. Valjean was a convict coming out of prison and trying to get his feet back under himself, but with the difficulties in his path he fails to do so. So, Valjean has to place his own happiness and satisfaction in his back pocket, and focus on the tasks at
Valjean goes through some troubling times, and nothing backs it up more than the words he speaks. From getting released from the galleys to becoming the caretaker of Cosette, Jean Valjean lives …show more content…
He is so caught up with Cosette, that he believes the happiness is shining through her. Yet, he still needed to take a step back and restate what it truly means to have happiness. “The supreme happiness in life is the assurance of being loved; of being loved for oneself, even in spite of oneself.” (Hugo, et al. 161) Stating the words, even in spite of oneself, is single handedly the only thing that is holding Valjean back. Also to support this idea, Jean was having a conversation with Cosette, and he uses the word happy in comparison. He mentions that he could be happy because he is good with Cosette, but also he gets confused with if he’s actually happy. “Are we happy because we are good, or are we good because we are happy?” (Hugo, et al. 1378) If he still stumbles on how he finds happiness, how can Valjean be …show more content…
Hugo used the idea of light or God within his novel, but within Victors quotes he also mentions another idea. “To love another person is to see the face of God.” ("Quotes from Les Miserables") Yet, throughout the novel, Valjean was lost in his moral direction. If he is unable to follow the way of the Lord, then how is he able to love Cosette? Connecting the last two quotes together, Valjean struggles with his direction, so he will lose his ability to love another person.
Jean Valjean was dealt a bad hand with life, and he has come up short of finding happiness due to Cosette. Valjean was a convict coming out of prison and trying to get his feet back under himself, but with the difficulties in his path he fails to do so. So, Valjean has to place his own happiness and satisfaction in his back pocket, and focus on the tasks at