The Role Of Lying In Elie Wiesel's Les Miserables

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From the beginning of their lives, children are taught that telling the truth is always the best choice. Although lying is considered a nefarious act, it is justifiable under certain circumstances. In the novel Les Miserables, Victor Hugo describes Jean Valjean as an ex-criminal trying to redeem himself through promising Fantine that he will save her daughter. He lies to the guardians of Cosette that he was never a criminal so he could sound reliable enough to adopt her. By this act of dishonesty, he saves her life through taking her away from people who mistreated her. This example demonstrate how lying saved the little girl’s life, which proves that certain circumstances allow dishonesty to be justifiable. In the novel Night, Elie Wiesel