Les Misérables

Themes

Importance of love and compassion

It is shown in the movie that love is very important. It is the thing that makes the world go ‘round. It is
the thing you need to make yourself better like Jean did. He helped those people who are in need
because he learned how to love and be compassionate. It shows that love can change people. It shows
that love is very strong. Without love and compassion we wouldn’t know what kind of a world we are
living in. Without love and compassion it is like living in hell. When you give love you’ll receive love,
when you give compassion you’ll receive compassion. It was shown in the scene where Jean helped a
man who got stuck under a carriage and when he was running away from Javert, he stumbled upon this
man and when the man recognized him he offered help immediately.

Social Injustice

The movie shows how the justice system in the nineteenth-century France was. It was terrible. They
sentenced a man to be in jail for 19 years for just stealing a loaf of bread for his nephews and nieces.
While those who committed much heavy crimes are only sentenced in jail in such a short time. They
don’t educate and treat the female society right. They treat women as if they were a useless trash. An
example of this is Fantine. She got fired from her work because her secret that she has a child from an
aristocratic man and was abandoned by him was reported to her boss by her co-workers. This led
Fantine to sell her hair, teeth, and body just to earn money for her child.

Character Analysis

Jean Valjean

Jean Valjean was a decent man before he went in prison. He became a cold hearted man who hates
society once he was mistreated inside. Myriel was the only person who was kind to feed him and let him
stay at the Digne Cathedral but Valjean treated him with hatred and he stole Myriel’s silver. Once
Valjean was caught and brought back to Myriel, Myriel gave him the silver with candles saying that
Valjean forgot to take those. That event became an eye opening for Valjean. That night he repented to
God. Myreil was the reason he changed to a loving, kind and helpful man.

Cosette

Cosette grew up under the care of the Thénardiers. Fortunately, she did not adopt their crazy and
devious behavior. It shows that she has a discipline for herself. She was adopted by Valjean. She applied
the teachings that Valjean taught her by showing her love for Marius.

Javert

Javert is a man who thinks that everything he believes in is right, especially the law. He believes that
whatever the law says is right, he doesn’t care if the law is unjust. Valjean taught him that not everyone
is really evil, just because it is stated in the law. He himself might be the evil one. Valjean saved his life
for a couple of times already and his still trying to kill Valjean. This showed him that he is living a
dishonorable life and it leads to his suicide.

Marius Pontmercy

Marius was already rich since he was a child. He is a good man since then but he is also very blind to the
feelings of others, especially to the feelings of Eponine for him. But the only woman he notices is
Cosette, it was love at first sight for them. Marius has a good heart and he seeks freedom for his people.

Fantine

Fantine lived a life of misfortunes. She was left by her lover and she had to leave her child to the
Thénardiers, so the child could live. Then she was fired from her job which led her to become a
prostitute. It showed that the French society treats women unfairly. They don’t give equal rights to
women. There are still some countries like this in our time.

Social Conflicts

There are several social conflicts shown in Les Misérables. First, they don’t treat women with equal
rights. They treat men with more respect. They wouldn’t care if an elite man did something wrong, but if
it was a woman who did it, they will start treating her like a trash. Second, it is shown in Les Miserables
that there are social inequalities. Aristocrats have more money but they do less work, peasants have less
money but they do more work. This event can still be seen in our society. Third, they have imperfect
justice system. They sentence a man in jail for decades for a petty crime but they sentence a man with a
heavy crime in a short time.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Theme

Justice

It was shown in the movie that the justice system in France is very unfair. It was shown in the scene
where Frollo decided to burn the house of the innocents who helps the needy. Another example is the
scene where Frollo told his men to capture Esmeralda just because she helped Quasimodo when he was
being bullied by the people. It shows that Frollo doesn’t care about others and he does everything to get
what he wants.

Love

Love was shown in different forms in the movie. The love of Quasimodo for Esmeralda had been
developed because of Esmeralda’s kindness. The love of Frollo for Esmeralda is so intense that’s why he
became obsess. The love Esmeralda have for Phoebus is very strong that’s why she would do anything to
save his life, even to risk her life for him.
Loyalty

Quasimodo showed intense loyalty to Frollo because he is the only one who showed him kindness, at
first. He soon realized that Frollo is just fooling him; it is of course with the help of Esmeralda. Esmeralda
showed Quasimodo that everything Frollo made him believe is not true. She told Quasimodo the he is
beautiful because he has a beautiful heart. This made Quasimodo fell in love with Esmeralda and have
much loyalty to her than to Frollo.

Character Analysis

Quasimodo

He was known as “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” because of his giant humpback. He was told that he
is a monster and he has the ugliest face in Paris. He was judged by his looks not what is in his heart. He
was a very obedient and helpful person. He always follows the commands of his master, Frollo. He
always helps the needy.

Archdeacon Claude Frollo

He is the antagonist in the story. He’s not purely evil; he fed Quasimodo and gave clothes to him. He
became the teacher of Quasimodo. But his obsessive lust towards Esmeralda drove him to madness. He
wanted to make Esmeralda his. That’s why he made her choose between death and him.

Esmeralda

She is a beautiful gypsy dancer who helped Quasimodo when he was being mistreated by the people
during the festival. She was very charming and helpful. She knows how to stand up for herself.
Quasimodo fell in love with her but she fell in love with Phoebus.

Phoebus

He is the Captain of King Archer. He is very compassionate. He helped the gypsies and people who are in
need. He saved a family from a fire that was caused by Frollo. This made Frollo mad and sentenced him
to death. He escaped but an arrow was shot on his chest, luckily he survived. He is also the love interest
of Esmeralda.

Social Conflict

One of the social conflicts shown in The Hunchback of Notre Dame is about beauty. People judge the
outer beauty of a person instead of their inner beauty. They called Quasimodo a monster because of his
face and humpback but they don’t know that by calling Quasimodo a monster makes them a monster
too. They don’t know how kind Quasimodo is and yet they call him a monster. This social issue is still in
our society. Another social conflict shown was they don’t have equality. They don’t give women a
chance to have the rights that the men have. Esmeralda fought for what she believes in yet she was
being sentenced to jail because of what she did.
Comparative Analysis

Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame have almost the same theme. Both have imperfect
justice and love revolves around the story. Both have the antagonist who implements unfair
justification. Both of the protagonists show love and compassion to others. The only difference is The
Hunchback of Notre Dame has a theme of loyalty. It was really shown in the story how Quasimodo is
very loyal to his master. Victor Hugo, author of both stories, has something against unfair justification. It
is clearly shown in his works.