Ms. Molyneux
H English D
29 April 2015
Blog Post #1 -
Significant and Symbolic scene for Jean Valjean
In the novel, Les Misérables,
Jean Valjean is presented as a prisoner that escaped prison during the French
Revolution. As he returns to the town of D---, Valjean is rejected from every
inn in the village. Out of complete desperation, the former prisoner knocks on
one of the town’s resident’s door and proceeds to ask for food and shelter for
the night. At first, the peasant did not refuse Valjean and then soon wonders
the reason why the local shelters did not take him in for the night. The rejected
man lies and answers that all of the inns were fully stocked, with no room for
Valjean. Soon the poor man realizes that the man in front of him was “the man!”(10)
and instantly yells at him to get away. Jean Valjean then travels into the
woods where he finds a straw bed suitable for a night’s sleep. As soon as he
lies down on the bed, Valjean hears a mighty growl; he intruded a dog- kennel! Shortly
after, the homeless fellow is rejected from the place of an animal; Valjean
runs out of the kennel while screaming “I am not even a dog” (11).
In the beginning of this
book, this scene is one of the most significant and symbolic events that occurs
to the main character, Jean Valjean. As he returned to D---, he was treated
like an animal; he was treated like a dog. His criminal record, indicated by
his yellow passport, reminds the townspeople of the hazardous potential Valjean
carries everywhere with him. In the town of D---, he is shunned and frowned upon
by the townspeople. This scene calls the readers to infer that Valjean is going
to have to settle in a different region in order to earn a clean name.
I agree with Deandra because this is a very important scene for Hugo to introduce Jean Valjean as an important yet complex character. It is very important to realize that the people of D--- are all very harsh and demeaning towards Valjean, all because of a yellow passport which signifies him as a dangerous criminal. I also think it is important to realize that there was a special reason behind why Valjean was in prison, which was to get food for his poor, starving family. Valjean is not necessarily a 'bad guy' or dangerous, but the people of D-- refuse to accept him, forcing him to eventually move to M--- sur M---, under the new name "Monsieur Madeleine" (86) like Deandra had mentioned.
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