Les Miserable

Les Miserable

I will introduce Cosette of Les Miserable. She lives in Montfermeil. When she was young, she was small and thin. As she grows up, she becomes tall and charming with her silky hair. Everyone loves her because of her beautiful smile. The only family member she has is her mother. She lives in poverty and only works under observation.

Her mother, Fantine, had to find work to earn a living. However, she knew that she would never be able to get a job with an illegitimate child. So, she sent Cosette to the Thénardiers, who turned out to be a cruel family who abused her, in Montfermeil. Cosette remained optimistic in spite of these circumstances. At one point in the story, Cosette had changed not only herself, but also her surroundings. For example on page 18 chapter 3 in this book, an event that changed her life occurred when Cosette met Jean Valjean. Valjean had an intimate acquaintance with Fantine, so he came to give Cosette a helping hand. With his help, she got out of the tyrannical care of the Thénardiers, and they moved to Paris. Before Cosette met Valjean, she was a dirty and unhappy child. After Cosette got under the care of Valjean, she ultimately blossomed into a lovely, well-educated young woman. If she didn’t meet Valjean, she might have lived an unfortunate life. Maybe she would have escaped from the Thénardiers, became a wanderer, and then died an untimely death. She took to Valjean as if he were her real father. Also Valjean loved her as if she were his own daughter. They were like a family, and they lived in peace. In the near future, Cosette meets a perfect man for her and marries him, since she is intelligent, beautiful, and good-hearted now.

     I think Les Miserable is one sad story. On the other hand, it is also a cheerful story. Both Cosette and Valjean grew up in an atmosphere of poverty and fear, however they live happy lives in the latter half of the story. For example, as mentioned above, they have turning points which have led them into fine lives. I also have turning points in my life. One of them is that I entered the military. I served as a conscripted policeman. I have changed a lot during the term of my military service. Entering the military has been a great help in my life, but I would never join the military again because of the repetitive daily life. I could hardly be free from anything. For this book, I could think of my turning points again.