Lilia Bellahcen, Grade 12
UWC Costa Rica
Who doesn’t know Les misérables ? the most popular historical, social and philosophical novel of all French literature. “But, who actually read it? It is long and hard, very few people have enough patience for that.” That’s what my 10th grade French teacher said to us the day we were studying literature of the nineteenth century. I saw it as a challenge. The next day, I grabbed the massive book that was sitting on top of my shelf for as long as I could remember and I opened it with the firm intention to read it entirely. I read the first page, then the second… and after a few minutes I fell asleep.
The next day I decided I couldn’t stay on this defeat. After all, the Great Victor Hugo wrote this book. I had to give it a second chance.
My dad quietly opened the door and I saw an expression of surprise on his face when he saw I was still awake. It was almost 5 a.m. and I had been reading Les Miserables for ten hours straight now.
I was sobbing and my heart was torn apart by the pain and frustration at the injustice I was reading about. Why did she have to die? Her daughter will never know what she has done for her! He repented, he was good now, why does the world try to bring him back to his misery? I felt overwhelmed by the incomprehension. I had the revolted need to contest the course of the events. I had the need to tell Clodette that her mom sold her teeth in order for her to have a better life, I had the need to tell her that she didn’t give up on her! I also wanted to defend Jean Valjean in this court, tell them that he had nothing to do with the man he was, now he was helping people, and everything he did he had done to save his family anyways.
Victor Hugo had me in his nets, I have to admit. He was brutally and mercilessly exposing the reality of society in this masterpiece. When the novel first came out in 1862, people knew his genius had struck again. Victor Hugo was one of the most important romantic poets, novelists and dramatists of his time, if not, of all time. He studied law but ended up engaging in a career in literature (Biography.com Editors, 2021) A lot of his works were about politics and society's flaws and were very eye opening.
Besides the rough reality he exposed in this book, we also have incredibly dynamic characters that we see change and evolve in different environments throughout the story. From poor to rich to poor again. From happy to wretched and vice versa.
This book helped me see beyond my little bubble, it put me out of my comfort zone and made me grow as a person. It is to be read and not just heard about.
“Vous voulez les misérables secourus, moi je veux la misère supprimée.” _ Victor Hugo.
Citations:
Biography.com Editors, A&E Networks Television. (2021, April 1). Victor Hugo. Biography.com. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.biography.com/writer/victor-hugo
The next day I decided I couldn’t stay on this defeat. After all, the Great Victor Hugo wrote this book. I had to give it a second chance.
My dad quietly opened the door and I saw an expression of surprise on his face when he saw I was still awake. It was almost 5 a.m. and I had been reading Les Miserables for ten hours straight now.
I was sobbing and my heart was torn apart by the pain and frustration at the injustice I was reading about. Why did she have to die? Her daughter will never know what she has done for her! He repented, he was good now, why does the world try to bring him back to his misery? I felt overwhelmed by the incomprehension. I had the revolted need to contest the course of the events. I had the need to tell Clodette that her mom sold her teeth in order for her to have a better life, I had the need to tell her that she didn’t give up on her! I also wanted to defend Jean Valjean in this court, tell them that he had nothing to do with the man he was, now he was helping people, and everything he did he had done to save his family anyways.
Victor Hugo had me in his nets, I have to admit. He was brutally and mercilessly exposing the reality of society in this masterpiece. When the novel first came out in 1862, people knew his genius had struck again. Victor Hugo was one of the most important romantic poets, novelists and dramatists of his time, if not, of all time. He studied law but ended up engaging in a career in literature (Biography.com Editors, 2021) A lot of his works were about politics and society's flaws and were very eye opening.
Besides the rough reality he exposed in this book, we also have incredibly dynamic characters that we see change and evolve in different environments throughout the story. From poor to rich to poor again. From happy to wretched and vice versa.
This book helped me see beyond my little bubble, it put me out of my comfort zone and made me grow as a person. It is to be read and not just heard about.
“Vous voulez les misérables secourus, moi je veux la misère supprimée.” _ Victor Hugo.
Citations:
Biography.com Editors, A&E Networks Television. (2021, April 1). Victor Hugo. Biography.com. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.biography.com/writer/victor-hugo
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