Jean Valjean's Selflessness

Jean Valjean’s selflessness is more evident in the novel, Les Miserables, than it is in the movie as shown through his rescue of Fauchelevent, Javert, and Marius. Jean Valjean’s selflessness is more evident in the novel, Les Miserables, than it is in the movie as shown through his rescue of Fauchelevent. First, the novel provides a detailed description of Fauchelevent, which strengthens Valjean’s selfless act. Through this description, the reader learns the backstory between Fauchelevent and Valjean. For example, in the novel, Hugo describes how Fauchelevent was always filled “with jealousy [of Valjean], and he had done what he could on all occasions to injure Madeleine” in the past (58). Knowing that Fauchelevent actively tried to ruin Valjean’s life, the reader is impressed that Valjean risks his own life to rescue such a man. In the movie, however, the audience simply sees Valjean rushing to Fauchelevent’s aid, but it does not see the backstory between the two characters (Les Miserables). Without

First, the novel provides a dialogue between Javert and Valjean that is not included in the movie. The additional dialogue in the novel helps the reader learn that Valjean completely surrenders to Javert. In the novel, for example, after Valjean spares Javert’s life, Valjean says to him, “I don’t expect to leave this place. Still, if by chance, I should, I live, under the name of Fauchelevent, in the Rue de l’Homme Arme, number seven” (Hugo 313). By saying this, Valjean gives Javert all the tools to track him down, which gives him no chance of living a free life. In the movie, Valjean spares Javert’s life, but he does not tell Javert his fake name and address (Les Miserables). This gives Valjean the opportunity to evade Javert in the future, which is not as selfless as Valjean’s complete surrender in the