The four main parts of the novel are named after the main characters: Fantine, Cosette, Mario and Jean Valjean. The author thinks that each character has its symbolic meaning: Fantine symbolizes suffering, Cosette symbolizes purity and happiness, Mario symbolizes social struggle, and Jean Valjean symbolizes suffering and transcendence, or the salvation of the soul. Despite so many characters, Jean Valjean is always the central role in the book.
Jean Valjean suffered hardships and injustices that most people in the world can't imagine and bear all his life, but he got the inspiration of "transcendence" (a symbol of "goodness" or "tolerance") from Bishop Miller. At the beginning of the book, when Bishop Miriam learned of Jean Valjean's tragic experience, he said, "Yes, you come from an unfortunate place. . . If you leave there with resentment and resentment towards mankind, you deserve our sympathy; But if you can leave with goodwill and your heart is full of tenderness and peace, then you will surpass all of us. " ; ("Yes, you come from an unhappy place. But listen. ... if you leave the painful place with hatred and anger in your heart, you will deserve our sympathy; But if you leave with goodwill, gentleness and peace, you will surpass any of us. " After that, the plot of the book revolves around "transcendence", and Jean Valjean finally realized this transcendence.
Although human beings have been fighting for justice in history, unfortunately, injustice has always been a common phenomenon in human society. Human society often uses the slogan of "justice" and relies on the law to commit crimes. Les Miserables shows this reality from all angles and concentrates this injustice on Jean Valjean. Hugo seems to be spreading a belief through the image of Jean Valjean: the real judgment comes from "God" other than human beings. This is why Jean Valjean couldn't get rid of Sheriff Javert's pursuit (Sheriff Javert is a symbol of social injustice), and Sheriff Javert finally chose to commit suicide (justice and the rule of law can't be coordinated in his eyes), which is also why Jean Valjean was finally happy at the last moment of his life. Therefore, although Jean Valjean suffered all his life, he still said to Cosette and Mario on his deathbed: "God is beautiful".
I quite agree with a netizen's evaluation of this book: Les Miserables is a book about forgiveness. Jean Valjean was innocent except that he stole a piece of bread because of his livelihood. However, he is always in a state of repentance and forgiveness for others-those who have hurt him. Hugo's attitude towards Christianity is critical, and the author himself denies the sense of "original sin" in the Christian sense, but the spirit of "goodness" and "love" conveyed in this book is far-reaching: "love" will eventually melt "hate".
Jean Valjean's penitent but noble soul is in sharp contrast with the other two characters in the book-Tenetiè re and his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Tenetier symbolize the indelible evil attributes of human nature: selfishness, greed and cruelty. If Jean Valjean's tolerant spirit can finally influence Sheriff Javert brainwashed by artificial system, it can't eliminate the sins of Tantati people. The author thinks that Hugo has challenged the belief that "love" mentioned in the previous paragraph will eventually melt hatred, implying his helplessness to the fact that evil will always exist. This ultimate contradiction is also one of the profound reasons for this book, because the author has not deluded himself into beautifying reality for a certain belief.
Besides suffering, Hugo did not forget to write a book about happiness. As a lyric poet, Hugo vividly described the love between Cosette and Mario in The Seeds of Love. However, there was a deeper love between Jean Valjean and Cosette. The relationship between Jean Valjean and Cosette is the most essential part of this book: the former's unconditional love for the latter and the latter's unconditional trust in the former combine the two purest souls in the world. For Jean Valjean, Cosette was a gift from God and an angel sent by heaven, which gave Jean Valjean a new meaning to her originally barren emotional life. This is why when Jean Valjean found that Cosette was in love with Mario and was in danger of losing Cosette, he felt that he really faced the real "disaster" of life. He cried for the first time in decades of tenacious struggle against misfortune.
I was fascinated by Hugo's works in high school. At that time, I read several of his novels in one breath, and each one was deeply moved. I don't remember why I didn't choose to watch Les Miserables. Now it seems that even if I read it at that time, I may not be able to understand it, because people without certain life experience can't understand the profound significance of this book. I remember watching an interview with a dead celebrity on American TV (I can't remember the name). This man said something that I will never forget: there are joys and pains in life, but the latter is more important to me (not the original words). Personally, I totally agree with this view. We may take happiness stories for granted, and suffering stories will make us think hard. Les Miserables is such a masterpiece about suffering and transcending suffering. As long as human society exists, its value will never be out of date.
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Postscript: Les Miserables is one of the longest-running plays on Broadway in new york, and has been adapted into movies for countless times. The author has seen about 4 or 5 adapted films, and thinks that the best one is the French version 1958 which was once staged in Chinese mainland. Several parts of the English version (USA) are more or less deviated from the original text.
07/09/20 1 1 manuscript
11/27/2017 has been revised and finalized.