Caused by his upbringing, Javert turned into a strict, ignorant inspector of the law, who feels that people deserved to be punished even if they need help. Javert, the inspector who imprisoned the main character, Jean Valjean, is serving time in the French prison, the galleys. JVJ is serving time for stealing bread for his starving niece and nephew, and Javert made the decision to imprison him, regardless of JVJ’s situation. However Javert himself “was born in a prison. His mother was a fortune teller
years, Javert is unable to capture the convict while given multiple opportunities. When adversity hits Javert, a man of the law, in the book Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, the individual uses suicide as his solution to escape his inability to understand compassion. While everyone in the community has dealt with Javert’s unwavering commitment to the law, the people instantly judge him, as they are unaware of his past which influences his decision making and actions. Despite public opinion, Javert takes
Inspector Javert is the primary antagonist character in the movie. He is seen treating Jean Valjean unfairly in the beginning of the movie because he was once a criminal who would never change in Javert's eyes. After his escape and avoidance of parole, Javert goes on to a search for Valjean. After, not seeing Valjean for a long period of time, he couldn't recognize him since he had gone on to become a successful businessman as well as a mayor, after his encounter with the Bishop. However, when Valjean
well and making the whole town very proud of his accomplishments as he was also the mayor of this town. Cultural Relativism: Javert assumed because Valjean owned a factory, and he was the mayor of the town, it was a good enough reason to be an honorable person. Being rich brought respect, and increased their worth as humans were the thought process of people such as Javert, as that was as far as they could think. The rich and affluent ruled the poor to get whatever they wanted. Scene: A rich gentleman
Javert prides himself on following the law without excusing himself or anyone else. Javert’s avid following of the law is likely because he “was born in a prison,” (54). Both of Javert’s parents are convicts who met in prison which leads Javert to want to break away from his family’s reputation as criminals and gypsies. Javert begins to feel only disdain toward his family, then later all criminals. His narration says as much when he states that he has “nothing but disdain, aversion, and disgust for
Throughout Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables the main character, Jean Valjean went through multiple turning points. Jean Valjean was once an honest tree pruner, but was arrested for a stealing a loaf of bread. After serving nineteen years in prison, he became calloused and despises the world for what it did to him. He traveled to the mountain town of Dinge, where a virtuous bishop lived. Valjean attempted to stay in an inn, but is kicked out due to him being an ex-convict. Valjean stayed with the bishop
People change. Sometimes they change for good and sometimes the bad. It is an everyday thing. People can change by a simple act of kindness. In the book Les Miserables, Jean Valjean is arrested and put into jail for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. After being released from prison and breaking parole, Valjean is having a hard time finding a place to stay. Since his papers said that he was a criminal, he was denied a place to stay. He finally stopped at a Bishop’s house where
and justice clash. In Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, the tension and clash are demonstrated. Jean Valjean and Bishop Myriel represent justice and mercy, while Javert portrays the law. They are all honorable in their principles, yet they clash as opposing tides of society. First, it is important to understand what the law carried by Javert is defined as. In Hugo’s novel, the law is a series of principles and standards laid out by the government and society. The law states that stealing is a crime
Prompt #3 Change can happen anywhere, to everyone whether it's big or small. But with change comes an outcome which can be good or bad. Le Misérables displays change in Jean Valjean and Javert physically, emotionally, and morally. Jean Valjean is a very important character who goes through so many changes. His moral character changes when he steals from the bishop and is taken back to him and the bishop forgives Valjean showing him compassion in a way that he has never received. When he emotionally
Victor Hugo made it so that the characters in Les Miserables progressed throughout the novel. The theme “progress” can be seen and used widely. Three main characters, Jean Valjean, Cossette, and Javert expressed positive and negative forms of growth. Jean Valjean began the story as an ex-convict who was searching for food and shelter after working in the galleys for sixteen years. Unfortunately, he failed to receive compassion from any lodging, or home. While he was wandering through the streets
Revived in modern society through the popularity of Les Misérables (the movie and musical), Victor Hugo is an author unafraid to address the ironies interwoven into the fabric of life in the 1800s. In his writings, Hugo alludes to the idea that life itself is a form of war as people battle individual enemies specific to their circumstances. Les Misérables and Quatre-Vingt-Treize are didactic in nature, ironically depicting the false stereotypes associated with social class and religion, while expanding
chasing after Jean Valjean for years, Javert ultimately let’s Jean Valjean go, as he finally realizes that Jean Valjean is truly a virtuous man and the law does not define his moral values. Javert was caught by the revolutionaries at the barricade for being a spy, and they gave him to Jean Valjean to kill. Jean Valjean unties Javert and lets him go, but not before telling him his address so Javert can come and arrest him after fighting at the barricade. Javert, shocked that Jean Valjean forgives him
characteristics they could not help but have. So, with this in mind, why is Javert any different from us? In Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, Inspector Javert is the antagonist of Jean Valjean, a selfless and beloved man; he is constantly seen obsessing over catching Jean Valjean. But, do these aspects of Javert actually deem him evil? While Javert’s views are narrow-minded and his treatment of Jean Valjean is cruel, Javert is not a villainous character; Hugo uses him not necessarily just to antagonize
were meticulously related. The ones that were the closest related were the two that seemed to contradict the most with one another. Throughout the novel, the actions, thoughts, and words showed that there were many parallels between Jean Valjean and Javert because of their love and devotion the law
The Grand Spirits of The Miserable Javert and Valjean The world is composed of light and dark. It is of evil and good, concrete and abstract, black and white, planes and curves, stark and subtle. Like the faces of the coin, these opposing forces can never fully merge into the other, yet as separate entities, they make up a singular material which cannot do without one of the two missing. This is Les Miserables, a never ending search for freedom which can only be the fruit of acceptance. This is
Javert is in a position of authority who is using knowledge as power. Javert is a crooked detective who mercilessly hunts Valjean even after Valjean has tried his hardest to be a good man, turning his life in a completely different direction. Throughout the whole book Javert has followed Jean’s trail since he first saw him in D-----. Javert is known as the bloodhound because of his ruthlessness in his hunt. After taking
Character Analysis- JaVert "Les Miserables" written by Victor Hugo is a novel set during the inception of the French Revolution. Through the characters in the book, the author has tried to depict the life of the French middle class people and their exploitation by the upper class. One of the most intriguing characters in the novel is the character of Javert, who is a police officer and therefore, belongs to the upper class. He has a cold temperament and has an outlook of not treating the criminals
assistance of animal imagery and metaphors, Hugo develops the characters of Javert, Jean Valjean, and Thénardier. Throughout the novel, Hugo represents Javert as a tiger, which is a major part of his characterization. Javert is captured by the barricade for spying, and is sentenced to death. Valjean comes in and takes him away from the barricade and sets him free. After Valjean reveals his address to Javert, the narrator says, “Javert had the scowl of a tiger half opening the corner of his mouth, and he
with themes of grace, mercy and redemption as seen through Javert and Jean Valjean. Javert is very committed to the chance of righteousness and the denial of transformation and the possibility of spiritual redemption. He says to Valjean, “Men like you can never change,” (72) which was shown to be one of his many basic principles. Children who are raised as strongly evangelical have been drilled the opposition between law and grace. When Javert says, “My duty’s to the law; you have no rights,” (104)
attempt to live honourably in successive years. Valjean spends his life working his way out of poverty, dealing with many different social classes and ways of life during the French Revolution. The characters Javert, Fantine and the bishop all demonstrate different approaches to life; Javert focusing on enforcing the law, Fantine willing to do anything to support her child, and the bishop demonstrating generosity and forgiveness towards Valjean's wrongdoings. As Valjean encounters each character,