At the beginning of the
film "Les Miserables" by Jean Valjean, Jean Valjean appears as a convict. When the policeman Javert announced that his days as a convict had come to an end, there was a war of words between the two. An interesting sentence is that Javert directly addressed Jean Valjean as 24601, because Jean Valjean's number in prison was 24601, but Jean Valjean gritted his teeth and said that my name is given to Jean Valjean. For Jean Valjean, being released from prison meant the restoration of social identity, and calling him by his first name showed respect for him.
The author believes that this opening is much more vivid than the opening of the novel version of "Les Miserables". The beginning of the novel version focuses on the description of Bishop Bian Furu's personality and his philosophy of benevolence. Although this paved the way for Bishop Bian Furu to help Jean Valjean on a decent path, the conflict between the characters at the beginning of the film version is more vivid. After all, the conflict between Jean Valjean and Javert existed for a long time. Moreover, we have seen Jean Valjean's pursuit of identity. In fact, Jean Valjean's entanglement about identity runs through the film, including several subsequent name changes.
Because the French society at the time could not accommodate convicts, Jean Valjean could not find a job at all. In the following years, Jean Valjean had to change his name to Madeleine. He later became mayor. This identity trap has always been with him. One time, the old man of Fauchelevent came out at the risk of death. At that time, Fauchelevent was being pressed down by the carriage, and the carriage was too heavy for most people to push it away. Jean Valjean was very strong, and of course he could save him, but Javert had already suspected that Madeleine was the Jean Valjean of the year, and strength was another characteristic of Jean Valjean, so this time saving people became Javert again. Evidence that doubts Madeleine's identity. But Jean Valjean pushed the carriage to the top and rescued Fauchelevent. The Shangmadi incident was even more serious. The detained worker, Merchant Maddie, was mistaken for a fugitive Jean Valjean because of his resemblance to Jean Valjean. If Jean Valjean voluntarily admits his true identity, then Shangmadi will be saved, but he himself will be imprisoned again. If you don't admit it, then you will just watch Shang Ma Di get wronged. The final decision that Jean Valjean made was to go to court to reveal his identity, even if he was about to start a career on the run.
It can be seen from this that although Jean Valjean is obsessed with his identity, he will put these aside when it is critical, saving people is the most important thing, and he has the courage to sacrifice himself. Jean Valjean was such a very kind man.
Javert's suicide, social anomie
Durkheim distinguishes several types of suicide in "Suicide", namely egoistic suicide, altruistic suicide, anomic suicide and fatalistic suicide. And anomie-type suicides appear more often in the period of social transition, when the original values are shaken, which will make people feel frustrated and even lose the meaning of life, making these people finally embark on the road of suicide. Javert's suicide is an anomalistic suicide.
As a policeman, Javert's previous idea was to be loyal to the government. Javert's loyalty can be seen by looking at the pursuit of Jean Valjean. Jean Valjean's identity has changed many times, from prisoner to mayor, successful businessman, to a lonely old man, Javert pursues him persistently.
But Javert's mind was shaken for the first time after the students rioted in the streets. Javert first mixed in with the students, trying to divide the students, but was seen through by the students. The students were so excited that Jean Valjean offered to let him deal with Javert. Javert thought that Jean Valjean would take revenge, but he did not expect that Jean Valjean would forgive him and let him go.
Javert could not accept the fact that, in his eyes, a thief one day is a thief for life (Jean Valjean was originally imprisoned for theft). Even more unacceptable is that in the sewer later, Javert had the opportunity to capture Jean Valjean, but Javert let him go.
At this time, Javert was conflicted in his heart. From the point of view of enforcing the law, he should still arrest Jean Valjean, but in his heart, he no longer thinks that Jean Valjean is a bad person, and he should not arrest him. For the first time, he acted according to his inner concept of good and evil rather than the legal system, and for the first time felt that there was a higher value beyond the law, which was love and forgiveness.
Society couldn't give Javert the answer, and Javert didn't know the answer. In hesitation, Javert jumped off the bridge.
Marius, the story of growing up
Lukacs once divided novels into four categories. The first category of novels is the ideal type of novels represented by Don Quixote. This type of novel presents the conflict between the subject world and the object world. The second category is educational novels, Goethe's "The Age of Learning of Wilhelm Meister", about how individuals live in harmony with society, and the third category is disillusionment novels, which are said to be just vain self-descriptions reflecting that ineffective and monotonous world. The fourth is Tolstoy's novel, a combination of novel and epic.
There is also a coming-of-age novel embedded in "Les Miserables", which is Marius' upbringing. Marius' maternal grandfather was a conservative who regarded Napoleon as his enemy, while his father fought with Napoleon. At first Marius lived with his grandfather, and he accepted his grandfather's point of view in his mind, and did not approve of his father's life.
Later, Marius gradually grew up and was exposed to many progressive ideas. He began to re-understand the Napoleonic Wars and his father. Finally, he completely affirmed the Napoleonic Wars, supported his father's determination at that time, and broke with his grandfather. On Marius' journey to find the truth, his father's bravery and selflessness deeply moved him, and it has always given him spiritual motivation, because breaking with his grandfather would also mean that he would lose his source of income-his grandfather was rich and originally Love him too.
It is a pity that this experience is not developed in the film, after all, this experience played a big role in Marius taking to the streets to fight. Marius began to fight for democracy and republic, threw himself into the street movement, even at the expense of his own life. Through Marius, Hugo presented the growth experience of a progressive youth, which was an inspiration to the young people of the time.
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