Les_Miserable

Les Miserable A Test of Morals Along the dark alley way he steadily approaches the bakery. The moonlight bounces off the window and he imagines the face of his sister and her hungry children. He stands torn, his conscience distraught. The bread, delicious and inviting, taunts him and with a furious sweep he shatters the glass. Does stealing bread to support one’s family justify theft' In Victor Hugo’s fervent novel Les Miserables, Jean Valjean’s actions lead to imprisonment where he remains in moral bewilderment. Though his rise from poverty and confession showcase Valjean’s ability to solely redeem his conscience. Jean Valjean’s rebirth as Father Madeleine and his admiral feats demonstrate his rise from poverty and his strive to redeem his soul. Valjean, a social drifter, emerges as a released convict in the commencement of the novel. After being rejected by several inn’s, he finds refuge from a bishop. Generously, the bishop teaches Valjean compassion and forgiveness when Valjean steals two silver candle sticks and the bishop pardons him. “Father Madeleine employed everybody; he had only one condition, ‘Be an honest man!’ ‘Be and honest woman!’” (40). In this passage, the affect of the bishop’s poignant teachings change the perspective of Valjean as valjean, bishop, valjean’s, past, himself, man, soul, redeem, quest, novel, morals, innocent, conscience, upon, teachings, strives, stealing, stands, society, saw, redemption, rebirth, madeleine, life, jean, father, distraught, demonstrate, bread, bishop’s, become, another, accused, 60, ‘be, victor