Les Misérables

Title: Les Misérables

Genre:Drama

Setting: 19^th Century France

Characters:

• ·         Jean Valjean- Frenchman released from Toulon prison after 19 years of imprisonment for stealing bread and failed attempts at escaping from the prison.
• ·         Inspector Javert- a police inspector dedicating his life to imprisoning Valjean once again.
• ·         Fantine-struggling factory worker and mother of an illegitimate child, Cosette, who is kept by the Thénardiers until Valjean buys her from them.
• ·         Cosette- the daughter of Fantine.
• ·         Gavroche-a streetwise urchin cooperating with the revolutionaries.
• ·         Maurius Pontemercy- a student revolutionary who is friends with the Thenardiers' daughter, Éponine, but falls in love with Cosette.
• ·         Thénardiers- two swindling innkeepers.
• ·         Éponine Thénardier-is introduced as a spoiled and pampered child, but appears later in the novel as a ragged and prematurely aged teenager who speaks in the argot of the Parisian streets, while retaining vestiges of her former charm and innocence.

THEME:

• ·         POVERTY
• ·         POWER OF LOVE
• ·         HUMAN RIGHTS
• ·         TRANSFORMATION

Plot

In 1815, convict Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is released on parole by prison guard Javert (Russell Crowe) after serving a nineteen-year sentence. Valjean is driven out of every town, because of his paroled status. He is offered food and shelter by the Bishop of Digne (Colm Wilkinson), but steals his silver during the night. He is caught by the authorities, but the Bishop informs them that the silver was given as a gift, then gives him even more, securing Valjean's release. Moved by the Bishop's grace, Valjean breaks his parole, vowing to start an honest life helping others under a new identity. Javert swears he will bring the escaped convict to justice.

At a café, Enjolras organises a group of idealistic students as Lamarque's death is announced. Meanwhile, Éponine (Samantha Barks), Marius's friend, leads him to Cosette, where the two profess their love for one another. Lamenting that her secret love for Marius will never be reciprocated, Éponine fatalistically decides to join the revolution. When a gang led by Thenardier attempts to capture Valjean for ransom from Javert, Éponine screams to warn Valjean and Cosette; Valjean decides to flee despite Cosette's desire for Marius. As they leave, Enjolras rallies the Parisians to revolt, and Marius sends a farewell letter to Cosette. The next day, the students interrupt Lamarque's funeral procession and begin their revolt. Javert poses as a rebel in order to spy on them, but is quickly exposed by Gavroche and captured. During the ensuing gunfight, Éponine saves Marius at the cost of her own life, professing her love to him before she dies in his arms. Valjean, intercepting the letter from Marius to Cosette, goes to the barricade to protect Marius. After saving Enjolras from snipers, he is allowed to execute Javert. However, when the two are alone, Valjean frees Javert, telling him to run.

With the Parisians not joining the revolution as the students expected, they resolve to fight to the death. Everyone is killed but Marius, who is saved when Valjean drags his unconscious body into the sewers. Thénardier, scavenging the dead bodies, steals Marius's ring. Valjean recovers and escapes the sewers carrying Marius, but is confronted at the exit by Javert. Javert threatens to shoot Valjean if he refuses to surrender, but Valjean ignores him. Unable to reconcile the conflict between his civil and moral duties, two things which he always considered the same, Javert commits suicide by plunging himself into the Seine.

Later, Marius mourns for his friends but Cosette comforts him. Revealing his past to Marius, Valjean tells him he must leave because his presence endangers Cosette, and makes Marius promise never to tell her. Marius and Cosette marry; the Thénardiers crash the reception and testify that they saw Valjean carrying a murdered corpse through the sewers. Thénardier unwittingly shows Marius the ring that he stole from him as "proof." Recognising the ring, Marius realises that it was Valjean who saved his life. Being told Valjean's location by Thénardier, Marius and Cosette depart to find him.

As Valjean sits dying in a local convent, he perceives the spirit of Fantine appearing to take him to Heaven. Cosette and Marius rush in to bid farewell. Valjean hands Cosette his confession of his past life, and joins the spirits of Fantine, the Bishop, Enjolras, Éponine, Gavroche, and the other rebels at the barricade.

SYMBOLISM

·         Snakes, Insects, and Birds: describing the novels characters. Uses animal imagery to accentuate these characters’ qualities of good and evil. The Thénardiers, on the other hand, are described as snakes, and Cosette’s time among them is likened to living with beetles. These opposing symbols suggest that whereas Cosette and Gavroche can rise above their miserable circumstances, the Thénardiers are rooted in their immoral pursuits. They are creatures of the earth, which means that they are not as free as Cosette or Gavroche, who can fly wherever they please.

·         Myriel’s Silver Candlesticks: symbolizes the love and compassion. It always bring the shed of love and hope. When Valjean dies, the candlesticks shine brightly across his face, a symbolic affirmation that he has attained his goal of love and compassion.

Questions:

1   1. What does the title mean in relation to the film as a whole?
-          ITS ALL ABOUT THE SUFFERINGS OF THE LESS FORTUNATE PEOPLE IN FRANCE. THE POVERTY AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS.
 
 2.  Among the characters, to whom can you relate to?
-          I WILL CHOOSE JEAN VALJEAN, I KNOW HE IS A PRISONER BEFORE BUT HE CHANGED IT, HE HELPS PEOPLE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE ESP. COSETTE, WHEN FANTINE DIED, HE MADE PROMISES TO FANTINE THAT HE WILL TAKE GOOD CARE COSETTE AND HE WILL FIND IT.
 
3.     Which part of the presentation struck you the most? Why?
-          WHEN THE PRIEST FORGIVE JEAN VALJEAN, AND EVERY MISTAKES OF PEOPLE THERES A FORGIVENESS.
 
4.     What is the movie’s message?
-          THE MOVIE MESSAGE TO US THAT WE NEED TO STAND IN OUR OWN FEET AND NOT TO BE DEPENDENT WITH OTHER PEOPLE. WE SHOULD FACE ALL THE STRUGGLES IN OUR LIFE AND LEARNED FROM OUR MISTAKES.
 
 5.     Did I like this in general? Why?
-          - YES, I CAN RELATE IN OUR SOCIETY BECAUSE OUR GENERATION TODAY WE ALREADY EXPERIENCING POVERTY AND ALSO THE TRANSFORMATION. THAT’S WHY WE NEED TO FACE THE REALITY IN OUR LIFE AND WE SHOULD BE READY.
 
6.     Did I agree with the main theme/purpose? Why or why not?
-          - I AGREE, LOVE, HOPE AND COMPASSION IN OUR LIFE. WE CAN SURPASS EVERYHTING.
 
7.     What specifically did I like/dislike? Why?
-          THE MOVIE WAS GREAT, BUT? THE TUNE OF THE SONG I DON’T LIKE IT, I FEEL SLEEPY WHEN I WATCHED IT. J
8.     Are there any aspects of theme which are left ambiguous at the end? Why?
-          NOHOHOHO. IF YOU KNOW HOW TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT, YOU CAN CATCH UP.
 
9.    How does this film relate to the things that are happening in your life?
-          ALL OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED SUFFERINGS, CHALLENGES AND STRUGGLES IN OUR LIFE. WE HAVE TO SURPASS IT AND WE NEED TO HAVE A POSTIVE THINKING AND CLEAR VISIONS. NOT ALL THE TIMES WE NEED TO BE DEPENDENT WITH OTHER PEOPLE, WE NEED TO STAND ALONE AND HAVE A FORGIVENESS WITH OTHER PEOPLE. J