10 Highly effective Jean Valjean Quotes from Les Misérables

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Jean Valjean quotes from Les Misérables have turn out to be iconic.

Nick Cartell in Les Miserables - 2023 Review

For the 2024 A to Z Problem, I’m sharing favourite quotes from favourite books. Get pleasure from!

Who Was Jean Valjean?

Jean Valjean is the central character in Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables. He’s initially launched as a hardened convict who has spent nineteen years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s ravenous little one. After his launch, Valjean finds it troublesome to reintegrate into society attributable to his standing as a former convict. Nonetheless, an encounter with a compassionate bishop prompts him to vary his methods and begin anew.

Valjean adopts a brand new id and turns into a profitable businessman and philanthropist, however he’s continually pursued by Inspector Javert, who is set to carry him to justice for breaking parole. All through the novel, Valjean grapples with problems with morality, justice, and redemption, finally evolving right into a compassionate and selfless particular person who dedicates his life to serving to others.

Jean Valjean’s character embodies themes of forgiveness, compassion, and the potential for redemption, making him some of the iconic and beloved characters in literature. His journey from a convict burdened by his previous to a logo of hope and redemption is central to the narrative of Les Misérables.

Why are Jean Valjean Quotes so Common?

Jean Valjean is quoted as a result of his character embodies profound themes and beliefs that resonate with readers all through the years. Listed below are a couple of the reason why his quotes are sometimes cited:

Ethical and Moral Dilemmas: Valjean grapples with complicated ethical and moral dilemmas all through the novel, and his quotes typically mirror these struggles. His inside conflicts and eventual choices to pursue goodness and redemption make his phrases thought-provoking and significant.
Redemption and Transformation: Jean Valjean undergoes a exceptional transformation from a hardened convict to a compassionate and virtuous man. His journey of redemption is central to the novel, and his quotes seize the essence of this transformation, inspiring readers with the potential of change and progress.
Compassion and Empathy: Valjean’s character is outlined by his compassion and empathy for others, particularly the marginalized and downtrodden. His quotes typically categorical sentiments of affection, kindness, and empathy, serving as reminders of the significance of compassion within the face of adversity.
Common Themes: The themes explored via Valjean’s character—comparable to love, justice, sacrifice, and forgiveness—are common and timeless. His quotes resonate with readers as a result of they contact upon basic features of the human expertise, making them related and impactful throughout totally different cultures and generations.

General, Jean Valjean’s quotes are quoted as a result of they encapsulate the essence of his character and the profound themes of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, Les Misérables.

10 Jean Valjean Quotes from Les Misérables:

“To owe life to a malefactor; to be, regardless of himself, on a stage with a fugitive from justice; to betray society with the intention to be true to his conscience: that each one these absurdities needs to be mingled with love.”
“I’m not a saint. I’m a sinner. I’m evil. I’m depraved. I’m a prison. I’m Jean Valjean!”
“The soul of a simply man needs to be a sanctuary the place no human hand can disturb the silence.”
“The saint who’s married is the one who lives with God.”
“If folks didn’t love each other, I actually don’t see what use there could be in having any spring.”
“To destroy evil with goodness—that is good; to slay one’s personal sin with one other’s sin—that is evil.”
“There’s nothing like a dream to create the long run.”
“I’ve a previous. I’ve an notorious identify. I’m a convict. I’m Jean Valjean. Allow them to do what they like with me, I’m not what I used to be ten years in the past. I’ve no different identify than Jean Valjean.”
“When the darkness comes, control the sunshine—no matter that’s for you—regardless of how distant it appears.”
“Love one another dearly, all the time. There’s scarcely the rest on the earth however that: to like each other.”

Jean Valjean’s character undergoes profound transformation all through the novel, and these quotes mirror his struggles, his redemption, and his deep sense of compassion and morality.