Light And Dark Imagery In Cosette, By Victor Hugo

“Some people stand and move as if they have no right to the space they occupy.” - Nathaniel Branden. Many individuals in society are unable to stand still and experience the moment. They cannot rest to process their emotions because they condition themselves to suppress them in the presence of others. The heavy hardships that many go through have been discussed by many authors throughout history. No differently, Victor Hugo addresses this topic, through a young girl named Cosette in his 1862 book, Les Misérables. Victor Hugo utilizes light and dark imagery in the settings of “Cosette” to enlighten civilization on the process of how some people handle abusive and stressful situations.
When Cosette is first introduced towards the beginning of

The Paris Streets hold shadows and crevices that many malice people luke in, with the intent to commit evil acts. Jean Valjean was a former convict yet did many heroic deeds, including buying Cosette from the Thenardiers thus giving Cosette free will. As they lived and traveled together, they found love and comfort within each other. One night they had to leave their home on the account of Jevert and his men. They were all policemen with the intent to hunt down Cosette and Jean Valjean. Jevert and his entourage were chasing Cosette and Jean Valjean down the streets of Paris. Jean Valjean held Cosette in his arms while he stealthily would “conceal himself in a doorway” (Hugo 191) and stay hidden in the shadows. Even though the “moon lighted up the square” (Hugo 191), he continued to thrust forth. When he came across an eighteen foot tall wall, instead of abandoning her, he used a rope that he had “sprang the bolt of a little box” (Hugo 197) to pull Cosette over the wall and then himself. Throughout this chase, Jean Valjean not only was incredibly selfless but he had stayed hidden in the dark from his captors. He had used his prior knowledge as a prison escapee to help them escape the gasps of their fate. When they were escaping Jean Valjean was carrying Cosette, yet she appeared to be sleeping. Cosette appeared to be calmer being chased by Jevert than when she was with the Thenardiers. As established, Cosette is much calmer with Jean Valjean than the Thenardiers even though she only has known Jean Vlajean for a few days but has known the Thenardiers for her whole life. The vast streets may seem like a long and treacherous tunnel but to Jean Valjean he focused past the dark and into the light at the end of the