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Deep Analysis of Les Misérables: Cosette's Childhood (Pt.1: Pages 144-213) (Patreon)

Published:
2021-10-12 17:19:35
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Today we're meeting the Thénardiers, Cosette, and Javert.

We'll be discussing childhood according to Piaget and the Romantics, physiognomy and character being one's destiny, how animal metaphors help us understand our human nature, symbolism vs realism, and much more. 

After this, prepare and fortify yourself for 'Waterloo'. 

Video Timestamps:

  • 0:00 what are your thoughts on Part One?
  • 1:40 meeting the Thénardiers
  • 2:40 the Hugoic Preoccupation
  • 4:00 Hugo’s parallelism
  • 5:00 the split running through each character
  • 7:00 the street urchins
  • 7:50 how the Romantics saw childhood
  • 9:00 Cosette and Piaget’s cognitive development theory
  • 11:00 how the idea of childhood changed across the 19th Century
  • 13:00 physiognomy, naming, character, and destiny
  • 16:00 ‘the child is the father of the man’ (Wordsworth)
  • 18:00 the butterfly effect, daily pinpricks, and paying it forward
  • 19:00 what happened to Tholomyès
  • 19:30 standing upright, Madame Thénardier, and Cosette
  • 20:30 “social oppression can begin at any age”
  • 22:00 Victor Hugo on the first French serial killer
  • 23:00 Monsieur Madeleine and individual as society
  • 24:00 “First they came for the socialists…”
  • 25:00 falling back one old character habits
  • 26:00 “Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.” (Donne)
  • 27:05 Meeting Javert
  • 28:40 how anthropomorphism helps us understand human nature
  • 30:00 visible vs latent personality
  • 32:00 corrupt man fallen and separate from nature
  • 34:00 the symbolism of gardens
  • 35:00 symbolism vs realism
  • 36:15 my favourite passage: a tempest in a human skull
  • 38:00 ending Part One: Fantine
  • 41:15 prepare to breach Waterloo in Part Two: Cosette

In the next video, we'll discuss how Hugo left Jean Valjean at the end of Part One, before breaching the infamous 'Waterloo' together.

This section has a reputation for being difficult, but the rewards are rich indeed. We'll use this opportunity to see how Hugo conceives of war up against other great writers (and painters). 

If you're interested in a brief history of French society (the Ancien Régime and bourgeoisie), I would recommend you check out the beginning of the latest Proust lecture, 'The Craze of Connoisseurship'. 

Questions to Consider:

1) How do you feel about each of the characters introduced thus far? The Thénardiers? Javert? Monsieur Madeleine/Jean Valjean? Fantine? Cosette?

2) Is character destiny?

Happy reading!

Files

Previews only

Deep Analysis of Les Misérables: Cosette's Childhood (Pt.1: Pages 144-213)

0:00 what are your thoughts on Part One? 1:40 meeting the Thénardiers 2:40 the Hugoic Preoccupation 4:00 Hugo’s parallelism 5:00 the split running through each character 7:00 the street urchins 7:50 how the Romantics saw childhood 9:00 Cosette and Piaget’s cognitive development theory 11:00 how the idea of childhood changed across the 19th Century 13:00 physiognomy, naming, character, and destiny 16:00 ‘the child is the father of the man’ (Wordsworth) 18:00 the butterfly effect, daily pinpricks, and paying it forward 19:00 what happened to Tholomyès 19:30 standing upright, Madame Thénardier, and Cosette 20:30 “social oppression can begin at any age” 22:00 Victor Hugo on the first French serial killer 23:00 Monsieur Madeleine and individual as society 24:00 “First they came for the socialists…” 25:00 falling back one old character habits 26:00 “Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.” (Donne) 27:05 Meeting Javert 28:40 how anthropomorphism helps us understand human nature 30:00 visible vs latent personality 32:00 corrupt man fallen and separate from nature 34:00 the symbolism of gardens 35:00 symbolism vs realism 36:15 my favourite passage: a tempest in a human skull 38:00 ending Part One: Fantine 41:15 prepare to breach Waterloo in Part Two: Cosette

Comments

Jonathon Glover

What a powerful discussion above. Some of the observations around Nature v. Nurture are some of the more interesting and nuanced I have seen. Thank you. I found this section of the novel very confronting. The treatment of Cosette and Fantine really impacted on me. I grew up in what could only be called a welfare family. We lived in public housing in Sydney, and in an area that was filled with colourful characters, that ranged from honest working class to downright nefarious. I have two younger sisters, who have both done well in life. But it makes me think about how we were only a 100-200 years away from death on a battlefield and outright destitution. It makes me grateful for the opportunities that we have in Australia today, but also mindful that the quality of life for the working class has declined since I was young, and that inequality is on the rise. Otherwise, I am really enjoying the central conflict between JVJ and Javert. While the characters are fairly one-dimensional, the conflict between them is surprisingly complex.

Peter F

Completed Part I: This is quick read. Remain disappointed that Valjean risked life and limb to arrive in Arras, then confessed. Hugo writes at the beginning of V (pg 269 - Donougher) "In less than two hours all the good he had done was forgotten, and he was nothing but ‘a convicted felon.’” His factory closed. Those close to him disassociated and lost their positions. Hugo is saying the system in France during that time was unfair to convicts and the poor; the mark the convict carried was for life, regardless of any good deeds. Of course, this was a scar on French society early 19th century, however: was Valjean acquainted with the ‘rules’ of society? He was. Those he lifted in Montreuil-sur-Mer, the poor, workers, et al, how did he serve them by making a guilt-ridden, and self-centered confession in front of a court in Arras? He helped no one, except his conscience. Selfish. Self-centered and contemptable. Valjean is deeply flawed, especially in his ‘renaissance.’ It’s fiction. Ok. Hugo moves the plot like a fluid genius. Great read. No questions. But, analyzing Valjean’s reborn character – almost perfect. But not. Just, almost.