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Deep Analysis of Les Misérables: Psychology, Play & Predestination (Pt.2: Pages 325-495) (Patreon)

Published:
2021-10-28 16:28:41
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Congratulations on making it halfway through Les Misérables.

By the end of this video, we'll have finished the second part (Cosette), and will be ready for Part Three (Marius).

Let us know what you think of this epic novel so far.

Have you changed over the course of the reading experience?

In this video, we're discussing the psychology of play and love, sentimentality in literature, colour symbolism in French Literature, multiple philosophical theories, and much more.

Video Timestamps:

  • 0:00 Cosette and Jean Valjean brought together
  • 3:00 the psychology of childhood play
  • 5:00 Vygotsky and Piaget on “play”
  • 6:00 pre-operational stage and symbolic play (ages 2-7)
  • 7:30 the importance of playing with dolls
  • 8:00 what kind of play does Cosette need?
  • 11:30 Hugo on dolls and darkness
  • 15:30 the mode of sentimentality
  • 16:30 Hugo and Dickens
  • 17:15 Wilde and the evolution of laughter
  • 19:30 why Hugo’s characters are not realistic
  • 20:00 three different aesthetic schools of thought
  • 24:00 colour symbolism in French Literature
  • 27:00 the corruption of yellow
  • 29:31 colour symbolism in Post-Revolution France
  • 33:30 literary stock characters
  • 37:30 the symbolism of money
  • 48:00 the philosophy of Thénardier
  • 51:39 the philosophy of Voltaire
  • 53:38 the philosophy of Saint Augustine
  • 56:30 Hugo around the time of 1823
  • 1:00:00 Hugo the Historian
  • 1:01:00 the divine right of Kings (and Rights of Man)
  • 1:03:00 “a gardener is also something of a gravedigger”
  • 1:07:40 Erich Fromm and The Art of Loving
  • 1:11:00 Javert and the split within Jean Valjean

Questions to Consider:

1) Do you find Hugo’s sentimentality too heavy-handed? Do you find yourself emotionally affected?

2) Why do you think Hugo uses money on such a symbolic level?

3) Is love a feeling that happens to you? An active decision you make in the moment? Or something else?

Happy reading, everybody!

Files

Previews only

Deep Analysis of Les Misérables: Psychology, Play & Predestination (Pt.2: Pages 325-495)

0:00 Cosette and Jean Valjean brought together 3:00 the psychology of childhood play 5:00 Vygotsky and Piaget on “play” 6:00 pre-operational stage and symbolic play (ages 2-7) 7:30 the importance of playing with dolls 8:00 what kind of play does Cosette need? 11:30 Hugo on dolls and darkness 15:30 the mode of sentimentality 16:30 Hugo and Dickens 17:15 Wilde and the evolution of laughter 19:30 why Hugo’s characters are not realistic 20:00 three different aesthetic schools of thought 24:00 colour symbolism in French Literature 27:00 the corruption of yellow 29:31 colour symbolism in Post-Revolution France 33:30 literary stock characters 37:30 the symbolism of money 48:00 the philosophy of Thénardier 51:39 the philosophy of Voltaire 53:38 the philosophy of Saint Augustine 56:30 Hugo around the time of 1823 1:00:00 Hugo the Historian 1:01:00 the divine right of Kings (and Rights of Man) 1:03:00 “a gardener is also something of a gravedigger” 1:07:40 Erich Fromm and The Art of Loving 1:11:00 Javert and the split within Jean Valjean

Comments

Florian Pesantes

Only today I have listened to this lecture after finally having finished the foreword and the annex of the book itself. Once more I see and happily admit how much more I can take out of the lecture after listening to your thoughts on Hugo’s work as well as others prior. Through your lens I see what play in childhood meant to me, what money meant to me throughout my life (the licence to be an imbecile and a philanthropist, and being protected from stomped upon by the likes of the Thenardiers of this world). There’s so much going through my head now, I could write another 1232 pages. No worry, I won’t. Just one rather tiny revelation I had when listening to your digression (not only the author is a master in this art) into the meaning of the colour yellow: Not only the house Habsburg but also an animal which evokes ambivalent feelings, the wasp shows the combination of black and sunny colour. Thanks again, Benjamin. Before I enjoyed this talk I was sure I won’t touch the huge book again, now I’m not at all convinced of this.

Jonathon Glover

I’m enjoying the sentimentality of the novel. The relationship between an older man taking responsibility of a younger person is a trope that still works well to this day. I think of Leon the Professional as a recent example of this trope being super effective. The Netflix series Sweet Tooth too. Add in the cruel guardian trope, as we see in Harry Potter and Matilda, and you’ve got the foundations for a story that is emotionally charged. In fact, I think that Hugo is a wonderful genre writer, with different sections of the novel utilising relevant conventions exceedingly well. I like to think of his extraction of Caussette as a heist film. And his escape from Javert through the streets of Paris as a chase scene in an action film. I found Part 2 of the novel super exciting. Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it does allow the chance to escape misery. Thernadier does not have the potential for happiness and economic means gives JVJ and Caussette a chance. After reading Brothers Kamarazov, I like Zosima’s philosophy of active love. Love is a verb and is demonstrated through actions, sacrifice and generosity. Thanks for a great lecture Ben!