Book Report# due July 6th.

Book report2 IEⅢ due. July 6th. 11309091 Michiko KAWAKITA
MLA citation:
Hugo, Victor (1862). Les Miserables, England: Person Education Limited in association with Penguin Books Ltd.

Introduction
This is the very famous and popular novel. Many musicals or movies, Les Miserables were made based on this book. Hugo Victor’s fictional novel Les Miserables made me sad when I was reading. However, I think a real world is like that. There are a lot of trials and collapsed. The story takes place mainly in Paris. This book first published 1862 by Person Education Limited in association with Penguin Books Ltd. In this book, readers can sympathize the situation and their feelings. In the paragraphs that follow, I will give a summary of the story, including plot, climax, and point of view, theme, symbolism, and irony.

Summary
The prisoner was released. He was jailed for 19 years because he robbed a piece of bread. Although Jean Valjean became free, everyone did not trust him and rejected since he was a convict. Then, he dropped on to Bishop Myriel. Bishop Myriel gave him a meal and a shelter and he treated Valjean warmly. However, Varjean stole the silver dish which was owned by Bishop Myriel. Next morning, when Valjean was arrested, Bishop Myriel said did not steal the dish and he gave him so Valjean was discharged again. Then, Bishop Myriel presented Valjean two candlesticks. Then, although Valjean could not have believed people, he became able to trust. Then, he confessed to Bishop Myriel his sins that he robbed money from Petit-Gervais who lived Savoy. After he repented his sin, he made up his mind to live with honest and then, he introduced himself as Madleine, not Valjean. In 1819, Vajean succeeded in black glass bead and jewel industry. Then, as people lived in Montreuil-sur-Mer placed confidence in Valjean, he became a mayor. A woman worked at the factory which is run by Valjean. Her name was Fantine. She left her daughter with Thénardiers. Four years later, she became a prostitute and she became sick so Valjean investigated and he saw Thénardiers exploited from Fantine. Then, he decided to get back her daughter. When he tried to go to Montfermeil, he heard the fact that a man was arrested instead of Valjean. Though Valjean was confused, he revealed who he really was and he was captured by Javert. However, he escaped from jail by going into the sea. After that, he delivered Fantine’s daughter, Cosette from Thénardiers. At that time, Fantine has already been dead. Valjean got away to Paris with Cosette and Cosette loved Valjean like a father or a friend. He continued to love Cosette. Cosette and Marius loved each other, since Cosette and Valjean had to go to England. Finally, Valjean decided he would die. Although Cosette asked him not to die hard, he did not change his mind and he died with peace. This is the climax.

There are some conflicts in the story. The biggest one is Valjean versus himself. After he met Bishop Myriel he could trust people so he decided to live with honest. However, he faced the situation that he might be arrested, in other words, he could be avoided by people but finally, he chose he would be arrested.

Analysis
There are five main characters. They are Veljean, Bishop Myriel, Cosette, Marius, Fantine, and Javert. Veljean is obviously main character. Although he could not believe someone, after he met Bishop Myriel, he changed dramatically. He loved and helped people. Bishop Myriel is really great peosn. Veljean was rejected everyone but Bishop Miriel did not. He had true kindness. Fartine was a worker who worked at the factory which was run by Verjean. She is described as an admirable woman. She worked very hard for her daughter, Cosette. When Veljean met Cosette, she was three years old. Seventeen years later, Marius fell in love with Cosette. Cosette is described as an affectionate woman. Javert is a police. He described as the cold-hearted police inspector.

Les Miserables is told from third person. In this book, the author uses “he” or “she”. The readers relatively read easily.

In this story, some ironies exist. Things which I hardly expected happened. First, although Veljean was released from prison he was not real free. People rejected him so after all, he felt lonely. Second, though Bishop Myriel was the only person who accepted him, Verjean betrayed him and then, Bishop Myriel forgave Verjean stealing his silver dish.

I have finished giving an over view of the characters and point of view, now I would like to talk about some theme and some symbolism in Les Miserables. I think mutability is the theme. In this world, things continuously are changed. In this book, many sad things happened and some people died. Feelings that people have change easily so it is very difficult for us to live happy at all times. I think that a prison and a prostitute symbolize taboo. Although a prison or a prostitute is not always a bad person, in other words, they can become according to the situation. However, people criticize them whether they know the fact or not.

In conclusion, Victor Hugo’s novel refers how uncertain the world is. Actually, there are a lot of happy story and happy ending in the world. However, they are fiction. We cannot live so happily in fact. In this book, you can see how the real world is, so I recommend that you read this book. You probably sympathize the situation and you will be moved.