Journal 1:
[Valjean] strained his eyes in the distance and called out . . . “Petit Gervais! . . .” His cries died away into the mist, without even awakening an echo. . . . [H]is knees suddenly bent under him as if an invisible power suddenly overwhelmed him with the weight of his bad conscience; he fell exhausted . . . and cried out, “I’m such a miserable man!”
This part of the novel is an early turning point in which Jean Valjean goes from a criminal to an honest man. I wondered what made Jean Valjean turn into the same evil that turned him hardened and empty to then steal money from an innocent little boy. Then he realizes how immoral his soul has become after years of misery, but he doesn't use his misery and all the brutally he experienced to rationalize his twisted act. Does anyone have a right to be mean no matter what they've experienced? I believe positivity and good will defeat misery. I think Hugo makes the contrast between Myriel and Valjean through obvious imagery, relating to the men in the terms of light and dark. Myriel, who trusts in and hopes for other people, goes to the light and god, whereas the mistrustful broken down hardened Valjean work with a darkness almost to accept that he is criminal and almost to embrace what …show more content…
Valjean’s love for people—especially, for Cosette—is what keeps him going in despairing moments in his life. Hugo emphasizes greatly that love is a gift and to cherish it because it can be gone in moments notices. If you show people love and compassion you will receive gratitude and good fortune like Monsieur Madeleine. When Monsieur Madeleine saved old Fauchelevent then when Jean Valjean needed a place to stay old fauchelevent comes out of nowhere to give him a place to stay. In the same concept as karma if you give love and compassion love and compassion will find
[Valjean] strained his eyes in the distance and called out . . . “Petit Gervais! . . .” His cries died away into the mist, without even awakening an echo. . . . [H]is knees suddenly bent under him as if an invisible power suddenly overwhelmed him with the weight of his bad conscience; he fell exhausted . . . and cried out, “I’m such a miserable man!”
This part of the novel is an early turning point in which Jean Valjean goes from a criminal to an honest man. I wondered what made Jean Valjean turn into the same evil that turned him hardened and empty to then steal money from an innocent little boy. Then he realizes how immoral his soul has become after years of misery, but he doesn't use his misery and all the brutally he experienced to rationalize his twisted act. Does anyone have a right to be mean no matter what they've experienced? I believe positivity and good will defeat misery. I think Hugo makes the contrast between Myriel and Valjean through obvious imagery, relating to the men in the terms of light and dark. Myriel, who trusts in and hopes for other people, goes to the light and god, whereas the mistrustful broken down hardened Valjean work with a darkness almost to accept that he is criminal and almost to embrace what …show more content…
Valjean’s love for people—especially, for Cosette—is what keeps him going in despairing moments in his life. Hugo emphasizes greatly that love is a gift and to cherish it because it can be gone in moments notices. If you show people love and compassion you will receive gratitude and good fortune like Monsieur Madeleine. When Monsieur Madeleine saved old Fauchelevent then when Jean Valjean needed a place to stay old fauchelevent comes out of nowhere to give him a place to stay. In the same concept as karma if you give love and compassion love and compassion will find