Re-Reading Les Misérables

Posts Tagged “Gorbeau Tenement”

• Valjean sure knows how to pick a hiding place Continuing my series on re-reading the novel. Valjean and Cosette arrive in Paris, but are soon driven out, pursued by Javert.
• Ambush in the Slums Marius meets his wretched neighbors, the Thenardiers, who try to extort money from Jean Valjean and Cosette. A tense standoff is interrupted by Javert.
• Rescuing Cosette The woodcut of Little Cosette drastically understates how badly she’s treated by the Thénardiers. So do all the adaptations I’ve seen.
• Wretched in Every Sense of the Word Their parents may be terrible people, but Éponine and Azelma don’t deserve it. You can see why Gavroche left. He and the younger brothers are better off on the streets.
• The Ambush We see the ambush entirely through Marius' limited POV. The reader has to piece things together, making the multiple dualities even clearer.