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80 pages 2 hours read

Victor Hugo

Les Miserables

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1862

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Essay Topics

1.

Valjean's quest for redemption begins with an escape from prison. How does Valjean struggle to escape his criminal past? What societal and cultural obstacles stand in his way?

2.

Javert is a man driven by a total commitment to the law. How does this commitment waver? What drives him to die by suicide at the end of the novel?

3.

In what ways does Fantine’s death explore the tragic plight of the poor during the period in which Les Misérables is set?

4.

How do the narrator’s informative asides affect the narrative of Les Misérables, and how do these asides develop the narrator as a character?

5.

How does the novel explore the relationship between religion and society in 19th century France?

6.

To what extent is the French monarchy the antagonist in Les Misérables? What moral relationship does the novel create between the wealthy and the poor?

7.

During the doomed revolution, the students erect barricades in the Parisian streets. How do these barricades symbolize the social injustice of the time period?

8.

In what ways does Marius struggle with his revolutionary ideals and his family's history?

9.

Cosette spends most of her life with Valjean as her guardian. Why does she eventually begin to chafe under his strict guardianship?

10.

By the end of the novel, has Valjean fulfilled his promise to the bishop? Has he become an honest man? Support your response with evidence from the text.

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