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The Moral Dilemmas In Victor Hugo's Les Miserables

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A single quiet splash heard by no one signaled the end of Javert, a man of the law in Victor Hugo’s novel Les Miserables. He chases after Jean Valjean for years without rest or relenting, simply because Valjean broke parole. Given an opportunity to capture him, Javert would show no hesitation or mercy to the man who stole a loaf of bread. His resolve in this goal is shattered when Valjean, given the chance to the man pursuing him, instead saves Javert’s life. The conflicting examples of a galley slave and a holy man confound Javert’s biases. Valjean’s actions caused him to struggle internally, and eventually led him to give up on the world that he no longer understands and commits suicide. Rather than fight through the sudden change in his life, Javert succumbed to the struggle. Javert should have endured his moral dilemma rather than end his life. Javert is either unable or unwilling to comprehend the contradiction he experienced. The novel voices his thoughts by stating, “Where was he? He sought himself and found himself no longer,” (Hugo 282). Beliefs building a worldview were shattered by one man, with no obvious repair. At least, that’s what Javert believes. Unquestioned morals controlled Javert leaving him unprepared for when someone unexpected – Valjean – appeared. Without having experienced some opposing views, Javert was unprepared for any challenge. Reevaluating his beliefs or examining them from other angles to make sure he was satisfied with them would have

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