Theme #1: People notice the bad things over the good.
"People are ignorant of things they they ought to know, and know of things which they ought to be ignorant."- page 540, Les Miserables- Victor Hugo
~People want to always have the dirt on everyone else. This gets them fame and other's mean stares. This applies to the book Les Miserables because it is Jean Valjean's entire life. As a young man he stole money just to feed his family. Everyone looked at the fact that he stole, instead of looking at the fact that Jean was just trying to provide for his family. Then, once Jean finally got out of jail he was an honest man and tried to get some money. He was cheated and lied to, so he became an angry man. After being turned around by the bishop for the better, he was an honest and loving man; he cared only for people. Once it was discovered people turned him away, even though he had saved many people, made a town rich, and loved and cared for the entire community. Jean would freely give away any of his money to people who needed it. People still decided to ignore him for attempting to steal a loaf of bread for his family. People noticed his past and dirt rather than the good that he has done.
Theme #2: Love conquers all.
~This is an extremely cliche theme, but very true for Les Miserables. Marius and Cosette are deeply in love with each other, and when Cosette finds out that she will be moving away and Marius can't come, both her and Marius are filled with sorrow. They can't stand to be away from each other after being together every night for months. Marius tries to figure out a plan for them to get married which fails after Cosette moves a day early to obey Jean Valjean's wishes. Marius goes into a deep depression and decides to form a suicide plan. He goes into the barricade and fights for them. He would have died if it weren't for Jean Valjean. Meanwhile, Cosette is very upset but has less that she can do about it. She is not the child who would run away and totally disregard her "father's" wishes. She loves him and does not want to disobey him. After all of this, though, Cosette and Marius end up back together again. Jean Valjean carried Marius through the sewers at night to safety in his home. Jean Valjean also let Cosette visit him, without Marius' knowing, while he was recovering. By the end they were married and living in a dream. Love can conquer all things, including war, distance and injury.
"People are ignorant of things they they ought to know, and know of things which they ought to be ignorant."- page 540, Les Miserables- Victor Hugo
~People want to always have the dirt on everyone else. This gets them fame and other's mean stares. This applies to the book Les Miserables because it is Jean Valjean's entire life. As a young man he stole money just to feed his family. Everyone looked at the fact that he stole, instead of looking at the fact that Jean was just trying to provide for his family. Then, once Jean finally got out of jail he was an honest man and tried to get some money. He was cheated and lied to, so he became an angry man. After being turned around by the bishop for the better, he was an honest and loving man; he cared only for people. Once it was discovered people turned him away, even though he had saved many people, made a town rich, and loved and cared for the entire community. Jean would freely give away any of his money to people who needed it. People still decided to ignore him for attempting to steal a loaf of bread for his family. People noticed his past and dirt rather than the good that he has done.
Theme #2: Love conquers all.
~This is an extremely cliche theme, but very true for Les Miserables. Marius and Cosette are deeply in love with each other, and when Cosette finds out that she will be moving away and Marius can't come, both her and Marius are filled with sorrow. They can't stand to be away from each other after being together every night for months. Marius tries to figure out a plan for them to get married which fails after Cosette moves a day early to obey Jean Valjean's wishes. Marius goes into a deep depression and decides to form a suicide plan. He goes into the barricade and fights for them. He would have died if it weren't for Jean Valjean. Meanwhile, Cosette is very upset but has less that she can do about it. She is not the child who would run away and totally disregard her "father's" wishes. She loves him and does not want to disobey him. After all of this, though, Cosette and Marius end up back together again. Jean Valjean carried Marius through the sewers at night to safety in his home. Jean Valjean also let Cosette visit him, without Marius' knowing, while he was recovering. By the end they were married and living in a dream. Love can conquer all things, including war, distance and injury.