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Deep Analysis of Les Misérables: Jean Valjean's Redemption (Pt.1: Pages 71-108) (Patreon)

Published:
2021-09-28 15:32:17
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Jean Valjean is the heart of Les Misérables.

And now it's time to meet him at the beginning of his redemption arc.

In this video, we'll discuss a unique way of viewing people, how to take up Bienvenu's unfinished work, Hugo's symbolism (of money, the yellow ticket, gardens, inns, candles, the guillotine, and sewers), representations of Utopia in literature, Jean Valjean's moment of salvation, and much more.

Video Timestamps:

  • 0:00 meeting Jean Valjean
  • 4:00 taking people as they could become
  • 8:00 no room at the inn
  • 12:00 the essence of Bienvenu's philosophy
  • 14:00 taking up Bienvenu's unfinished duty 
  • 19:00 knock, and it shall be opened unto you
  • 24:00 what is your yellow ticket of leave?
  • 29:00 Hugo's symbolism in Les Misérables
  • 33:00 living a life of allegory
  • 35:00 Thomas More's Utopia 
  • 40:00 Hugo, society, and the soul of man
  • 45:00 the psychology of nature vs nurture
  • 50:00 Jean Valjean's moment of salvation
  • 59:00 questions for you

Questions to Consider:

1) What is utopia for you?

2) Is the death penalty ever appropriate? And how might society rehabilitate prisoners/criminals?

3) Pretend that you are Jean Valjean at this moment of change. How might you live going forward?

Happy reading!

Files

Previews only

Deep Analysis of Les Misérables: Jean Valjean's Redemption (Pt.1: Pages 71-108)

0:00 meeting Jean Valjean 4:00 taking people as they could become 8:00 no room at the inn 12:00 the essence of Bienvenu's philosophy 14:00 taking up Bienvenu's unfinished duty 19:00 knock, and it shall be opened unto you 24:00 what is your yellow ticket of leave? 29:00 Hugo's symbolism in Les Misérables 33:00 living a life of allegory 35:00 Thomas More's Utopia 40:00 Hugo, society, and the soul of man 45:00 the psychology of nature vs nurture 50:00 Jean Valjean's moment of salvation 59:00 questions for you

Comments

Jonathon Glover

What a powerful section. And a memorable piece of literature. There was a line in Part 2 that jumped out at me as being particularly insightful. ‘Cities produce ferocious men as they develop corrupt men’. This Rousseau like critique of civilisation is really landing for me, and as an Australian, I like to think that if John Valjean was an Englishman, that he may have been on a convict boat to Botany Bay. Finally, there was some wonderful imagery and use of motif and the sky to capture Valjean’s feelings of entrapment that were wonderfully poetic and very memorable. These natural elements are used as a conduit for exploring society itself, and how it encapsulates its members of society - ‘the one a tomb; the other is a shroud’. ‘He is in the tremendous sea. Under foot he has nothing but what flees and crumbles. The billows, torn and lashed by the wind, encompass him hideously; the tossings of the abyss bear him away; all the tongues of water dash over his head; a populace of waves spits upon him; confused openings half devour him; every time that he sinks, he catches glimpses of precipices filled with night; frightful and unknown vegetations seize him, knot about his feet, draw him to them; he is conscious that he is becoming an abyss, that he forms part of the foam; the waves toss him from one to another; he drinks in the bitterness; the cowardly ocean attacks him furiously, to drown him; the enormity plays with his agony. It seems as though all that water were hate.’ ‘There are birds in the clouds, just as there are angels above human distresses; but what can they do for him? They sing and fly and float, and he, he rattles in the death agony. He feels himself buried in those two infinities, the ocean and the sky, at one and the same time: the one is a tomb; the other is a shroud.’

Sharon xx

Interestingly I have been watching the BBC Serialisation of Les Mis (2018) on iPlayer and although I much prefer this adaptation to any of the musical versions it still doesn't give the true flavour of the book. By the time you get to the part where JVJ keeps Petit Jervais' coin in the series you're really finding it hard to see any chance of redemption or meaning behind what he's done. However, the book clearly outlines the back story and mind set of Jean Valjean at this point and you can begin to empathise with why he has become 'this' person. Note to self - the book should ALWAYS come before the film!! Utopia for me is where we all treat each other and the planet with respect, care, compassion and courtesy. It doesn't exist but it begins with me. . . I'm very anti the death penalty. I don't believe it prevents crime and surely it endorses the type of crimes we're trying to prevent. Thou shalt not kill unless of course you're part of the judicial system and then suddenly, it's okay to do so. Nope! As the wife of a Prison Officer I have very strong views on rehabilitation. Without hope of rehabilitation there would be no point [or hope] to a custodial sentence for the majority of prisoners or the officers who care for them. We have to try and give/find a reason and motivation for living within the confines of the law once on the 'outside'. Most crimes start as something very different, often something from childhood. Many crimes are just the result of one bad choice. Many crimes are due to the failure of the state to provide support at the right time. Often crimes are the result, like Jean Valjean, of poverty: yes even today. There are those who are beyond redemption but they are very few. We all need to be Bienvenue - see the good, no matter how deeply buried it may be or how badly wounded the soul. Redemption is hope and hope springs eternal. I've thought about how I would proceed if I were JVJ but I know that I'd have died in that prison. His strength of character already overshadows my own. I am privilege personified in comparison. I can only empathise and admire him. I can learn from him. This book has so much of value to say about society, both then and now. It is timeless in its message; it could be written for today and still be relevant. I'm doing the chapter a day approach [with a few extras on my days off] and I can't wait to pick it up every day. It has taken the top spot over everything I've read in the Book Club so far - I'm enthralled and captivated. Thank you so much for the opportunity to share this experience with all of you. xx