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The Life Lessons of Les Misérables
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Book Review
The first chapters of Les Misérables read more like a biography than one of the greatest achievements in classic literature.
Little in the early prose foreshadows the powerful life lessons the book teaches us. That begins when Jean Valjean’s moral compass and actions compel us to look inward. We soon learn that forgiveness, simple acts of kindness, and compassion can soften hearts of stone.
In reading the Signet Classic edition of Victor Hugo’s magnum opus, nearly 1,500 pages, I quickly overcame my initial hesitation about the novel’s length.
Jean Valjean, the complex, yet lovable protagonist, is released from 19 years of brutal imprisonment. He initially was sentenced to five years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving children. Then years get tacked on for his failed escape attempts.
Finally set free, Valjean is branded an outcast based on his yellow ticket identifying him as an ex-convict. He finds refuge with the Bishop of Digne, who gives him a bed. Still bitter and psychologically scarred from his long confinement, he repays Bishop Myriel by stealing his silver. Soon, the police capture the thief. But in an act of mercy, Myriel lies and tells the police that the silver was a gift.
"Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul I buy from you; I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God."
Deeply moved by the bishop’s grace, Valjean sheds his convict past, breaks his parole, and vows to become an honest man—dedicating his life to God. And so he begins again and we as readers are eager to join him on his remarkable journey.
Valjean is just one of multiple characters in the masterpiece that move us. These characters reflect the struggles of people living in France during this turbulent period, 1815–1832, a time of political unrest and social inequality.
The obsessed and relentless Inspector Javert represents rigid law and order, while Fantine symbolizes the cruelty faced by the poor and vulnerable. The iconic Cosette embodies hope and innocence, and the young revolutionaries mirror the idealism of youth fighting for social change. Each character contributes to Hugo’s larger message that compassion and humanity matter.
Hugo’s writing lifts us and the novel far beyond the powerful storyline he shares. Vividly, he gives us valuable backdrops—discussing history, poverty, politics, religion, and even the Paris sewer system—in ways that make the work unforgettable. In totality, Hugo paints a vivid portrait of nineteenth-century France. He wrote literature that confronts society’s injustices and Les Misérables became a beloved novel worldwide.
The book's great emotional intensity contributes to its enduring popularity. Les Misérables has undergone multiple adaptations for film, television, and the stage. Years before reading the book, I enjoyed with my wife a splendid musical production of Les Misérables at the West End Theater in London.
In Les Misérables, Hugo takes readers deep into the Parisian underworld, and pulls us in a battle between good and evil. We instantly connect with its themes of forgiveness, sacrifice, redemption, and hope.
“Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” — Victor Hugo
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