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How Does Victor Hugo Use Coincidence In Les Miserables

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Les Miserables: Roman de coïncidence Doug Cooper said a quote about coincidence “There’s a drive in a lost soul—in one that is searching for acceptance, companionship, belonging, whatever you want to call it. The slightest coincidence ignites a spark that one hopes will lead to something meaningful.”. In Les Miserables, Victor Hugo uses this same coincidence to help his characters develop, grow and solve their problems. A lot of the issues in the story would never get resolved without coincidences. In Les Miserables, Victor Hugo used coincidences to help characters develop. Fantine is struggling to make money to send to her daughters caretakers after being fired from Monsieur Madeline’s factory. She starts selling her teeth, hair and even …show more content…

One big coincidence is how Marius just happened to be the son of Pomercy who Thendiar “saved” in the war. Then Marius ended up living in the apartment right next to the Thenediars and had a hole to spy on them with. On top of all that Marius overheard them planning to kill his love’s dad. “This man, whom he, Marius, burned to devote himself, was a monster!” (Page 222). This helped the story progress because Marius figured out a lot of information in a short amount of time and ended up accidentally getting Jarvert off of Jean Valjean’s case for a little while. One of my favorite coincidences is the fact that Eponine, Cossette’s “Adoptive sister” from when she was little is now in love with Marius who loves Cossette. Eponine to Marius “you don't seem glad to see me?” (Page 240). This was a very important part of the story. Not only was it a coincidence but, the Thenediars got karma when Cossette, who they used to treat horribly, ended up better off then their daughter Eponine. This progressed the story and when Eponine sends Marius to the barricade because she couldn't have him. When a coincidence appears in Les Miserables, it carries the plot line along and help it flow

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Earlier in the movie when someone else is framed for being him and is put on trial, he accepts fault which is accepting to go back to prison. Still Val Jean evades this situation and continues his life of suffering as he cares for Cosette. After Val Jean lets Javert go, he carries Marius who was injured fighting, through sewers because he knows this is the man Cosette loves. Val Jean is willing accept suffering even though as he races through the sewers, Javert is still after him. When Val Jean finally emerges from the underground pipes, Javert is waiting to arrest him, and Val Jean pleads not for his own life, but for the life of Marius.

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Khaled Hosseini, the author of The Kite Runner, once said, “People find meaning and redemption in the most unusual human connections”. That is, encountering a certain person or two may change that person’s whole life. In Les Miserables, Jean Valjean is a man with a dreadful past, serving 19 years in prison for breaking the window pane of a bakery to steal a loaf of bread for his sister’s starving children, and attempting to escape out of jail several times. After his release, Jean Valjean is known by all as a criminal, and is only provided shelter by the kind bishop of Digne, Monseigneur Bienvenu. The bishop kindness purifies and humanizes Valjean, and so he becomes a respectful man who changes his identity in order to forget his past and start a new life.

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She gave him the courage to steal the books and put his life at risk for curiosities sake. The impact Clarisse made on Montag made him ponder his personal beliefs. “How rarely did other people's faces take of you and through you back to your own expression, your own innermost trembling thought” (8). One look or thought of Clarisse made Montag wonder how he went his whole life under the influence of the government. She made his beliefs shift to reality and looking or thinking of her made him question her ability to influence him.

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This was yet another one of his selfless acts that could’ve hurt him. Moreover, “Jean Valjean with gentleness of movement of a brother for his wounded brother, laid Marius upon the side of bank of a sewer” (321). Marius fell in love with Jeans “daughter” Cosette, and Cosette fell in love with Marius. However Jean did not approve, scared he may lose his little girl, Jean was being overprotective about Cosette, not allowing her to live her life. Jean did not want Marius and Cosette seeing each other.

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As you can read in the quote, Jean Valjean just thought it was an unknown person and he also was not aware of Cosette talking with Marius during this time. Jean Valjean probably thought that someone saw them as a target for something or that Javert knew where he was, and if Javert would catch him, he would not be able to provide safety for Cosette anymore. Another event, happening during this time, was Jean Valjean receiving a note with the words REMOVE on it. ‘’He was about to turn around, when a folded paper fell upon his knees, as if a hand had dropped it from above his head. He took the paper, unfolded it, and read on it this word, written in large letters with a pencil: REMOVE.’’

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He is unaware that Cosette has changed and transformed from the little reliant girl she once was. Marius’ letter tells Valjean that he has taken over the relationship and has made it unjust, which has prevented Cosette and him from communicating their true thoughts and feelings. If the relationship was still existing in a “space of us”, where each party can freely express their wants and needs then Cosette would be aware of how much Valjean thinks he needs her in his life. Whereas, Valjean would have known that Cosette found new love and that he was preventing her from having it. By this point, neither sees the other for who they are, which tears them apart and puts them in misery.

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Hugo through his novel wants his reader to contemplate on morally rich topics like value and goals in life, implication of destiny and isolation. Several characters in the novel wrestle with abstract feelings within their mind. Valjean craves for retribution because he was once imprisoned unjustly. On receiving kindness and comfort, he changes into a considerate and benevolent human. Javert goes through a similar emotional transition when decides to let Valjean live a free life and does not arrest him.

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