Posts Tagged “Revolution”
- Part 2…4601 My re-read continues, as the Bishop learns a lesson about nobility, and an ex-con named Jean Valjean has a life-changing experience. 118 pages and counting.
- You Say You Want A Revolution Before the barricades arise, Hugo establishes the political mood in Paris from 1830-1832, making clear the scope of unrest and that they DID have a chance.
- A Revolting Development The day of the barricade arrives, and the revolt is much bigger than the show makes it look. Gavroche is having a blast running around singing and pranking.
- (From) Drinking to Revolution Grantaire holds court in a tavern, the barricade goes up, Javert is discovered, and Marius has a very different experience getting into the combat zone.
- Hey Barricade, Who’s in Charge Here? Initial skirmishes on the barricade, the first deaths, Marius' suicide mission, Gavroche pushing things a bit too far, and Valjean reaching another crisis.
- Barricades of Future Past (Plus Cannon Geekery) After a look ahead to the 1848 barricades, Enjolras gives a speech, Valjean makes an entrance, and the students talk geek out over the army's new cannon.
- Passing Peak Ammunition The barricade holds against several attacks the next morning, but they start running out of bullets...and defenders. Adieu to Gavroche and Javert.
- Last Stand at the Barricade Hugo lays out the main theme of the book, 1000 pages in. The barricade falls, the surviving defenders retreat to the tavern, and Grantaire wakes up at last.
- Dominoes Hugo explains the political background leading up to 1832, because it *was* a historical novel already. Grantaire misses the point of all the dominoes, though.
- Paris has the best riots? Hugo has opinions on riot vs. insurrection, real-life experience with riots in Paris, and remarks on how the June rebellion actually started off strongly.
- Let’s Go Build a Barricade Nobody realizes that Éponine is a girl dressed as a boy, even Courfeyrac, who thinks the boy asking about Marius looks like a girl dressed as a boy.
- Commandeering the Tavern Grantaire is drunk and angry, Joly has a cold, and the students casually take over the tavern over the objections of the owner and staff.
- Hitting the Fan A gripping description of Paris under siege. Mabeuf's BSOD leads to him being the first casualty. And then, everything happens at once.
- On The Barricade Philosophical thoughts on revolutions, civil wars, who should or shouldn't fight, and then everyone dies in bullet points.