Rachel Lin

Mrs. Hope
World Literature/Writers Workshop
13 January 2016

Movie Analysis
Les Miserables is a Broadway musical, turned into a movie, which follows the story of
Jean Valjean, a prisoner who was released then broke parole to lead a new life as a mayor. After
the death of her mother, Fantine, Cosette is adopted by Valjean as his own. But the pair is
constantly hunted down by Officer Javert, who was the one who had released Valjean from
prison and never stopped searching for him since he broke parole. Les Miserables also follows
the stories of Cosette and her love for Marius, the young leader of a group of rebels.
The movie takes place during the July Revolution where King Louis-Phillipe took the
throne. Many rebelled, setting the stage for Les Miserables. The effects of the revolution and the
king play a major role in the movie. Les Miserables honestly shows the terrible conditions
Frances lower class lives in. For example, when Fantine was fired from her job, she was forced
into prostitution to make enough to support her child who lived with an innkeeper. In Les
Miserables, the whole movie is fueled by the revolution. France is unbalanced and on the brink
of chaos during this time, resulting in a poor economy and law enforcement. Valjean stole a piece
of bread and for that he served 19 years in prison, which is the foundation the movie is based off
of. Additionally, characters such as Marius, Eponine, Gavroche and Cosette are affected by the
revolution. Marius leads a group of rebels and ends up being the only survivor due to the people
of France not supporting them. Eponine and Gavroche both gave their lives during a battle

between rebels and French soldiers. The death of Eponine, a young girl, and Gavroche, a little
boy, provides a face to the revolution. It proves the brutality of the fighting and how real it was.
The revolution also symbolizes change. While the monarchy of France is undergoing change, the
characters are simultaneously changing. For instance, Javert was obsessed with order in society
but at the end of the movie, he starts to question his morals and learns that the laws are not
always right. Furthermore, Valjean, once a man full of hatred, turns into a man of love and
compassion. The revolution symbolizes the changes in all the characters and society. Overall, the
July Revolution impacted the characters of Les Miserables in a huge way, through death, love,
and change.