"Be it true or false, what is said about men often has as much influence upon their lives, and especially upon their destinies, as what they do." (pg 1) Is this a true statement? Why (not)?
What is the difference between a life and a destiny?
"There was something of divinity in this man [the Bishop], thus unconsciously august.
"Jean Valjean was in the shadow with the iron drill in his hand, erect, motionless, terrified, at this radiant figure. He had never seen anything comparable to it. This confidence filled him with fear. The moral world has no greater spectacle than this; a troubled restless conscience on the verge of committing an evil deed, contemplating the sleep of a good man." (pg 87) Why would the Bishop's 'confidence' fill Jean Valjean with fear? What gave the Bishop that confidence? Do people sinning always feel that way? What are your thoughts?
"Might it have been possible for Napoleon to win this battle? We answer no. Why? ... Because of God." (pg 329) How might history of changed if Napoleon was the emperor of Europe, or even just France? How do you think faith helps us understand history?
"Faith is a necessity to man. Woe to him who believes in nothing." (pg 521) Why is faith necessary? What would your life be like if you had no faith in anything? How has faith strengthened you?
"Everyone has noticed the way cats stop and loiter in a half-open door. Hasn't everyone said to a cat: For heaven's sake why don't you come in? With opportunity half-open in front of them, there are men who have a similar tendency to remain undecided between two solutions, at the risk of being crushed by fate abruptly closing the opportunity. The over-prudent, cats as they are, and because the are cats, sometimes run more danger than the bold." (pg 548) What opportunities are you facing right now? How long can you wait before you make a decision? How can indecision hurt someone?
"For now, Cosette laughed.
"Even her face had, in some measure, changed. The gloomy cast had disappeared. Laughter is sunshine; it chases winter from the human face." (pg 569) Have you noticed this with others, or with yourself? Try to go for a week smiling at yourself every chance you get. How does it make you feel?
"(Marius said) '...To be the grand nation and to bring forth the Grand Army, to send your legions flying across the whole earth as a mountain sends out its eagles.... What could be greater?'
"'To be free' said Combeferre." (pg 674) Is freedom better than worldly glory? Why or why not?
There are a couple of occasions in the book when people bless their misfortunes. The first occasion is page 771 when Marius is glad that he gave Eponine his 5-franc piece and wasn't able to take a coach to follow Cosette and Jean Valjean because he was able to overhear the Thenardier's plot. Also on page 916, Jean Valjean blesses the wound her received at the Thenardier's ambush because it helped him reconnect with Cosette. Have you seen incidents of this in your life or in the lives of others? What are your thoughts on this subject?
"Cosette would have answered... 'How can I be blamed for something I can't help and about which I know nothing?'" (pg 898) What's your answer? Can people help falling in love? When does ignorance pardon a person?
"Cosette ...exclaimed, 'Father! What can that be in the wagons?'
"Jean Valjean answered: 'Convicts'
"'And where are they going?'
"'To prison.'
..."'Are they still men?' (pg 911)
How would you answer this? What makes a person a human?
"'My child! Through laziness you are entering into the most laborious of existences.'" (pg 920; finish the paragraph for more thoughts and maybe some answers) How is this statement true? Can we see the result of laziness in the Thenardiers? How does laziness make life harder?
"...Said Courfeyrac to Feiully,... 'The light of a torch is like the wisdom of a coward; it's not clear, because it trembles.'" (pg 1179) Why would he say 'the wisdom of a coward'? Does fear keep you from thinking clearly? Or is it acting in fear that affects your mind? Or neither? Explain your answer.
"The down of the peach, the dust of a plum, the radiated crystal of snow, the butterfly's wing powdered with feathers, are gross things beside that chastity (of a young maiden)." (pg 1204) What is it about virtue that is so beautiful? Why do you think Victor Hugo picked the items he did to compare with virtue? What does virtue mean to you?
"We are never done with conscience. ... We cast into this pit the labor of our whole life, we cast in our fortune, our riches, our success, we cast in our liberty or our country, we cast in our well-being, we cast in our repose, our happiness. More! More! More! ... We must ultimately cast in our heart." (pg 1386) What does this make you think about? Rather than referring to our conscience as a "pit" what word would you use? What are your thoughts on Jean Valjean's continuous struggle with his conscience? What other characters or people do you think of when you hear this quote? (ie, Jane Eyre, a religious leader, etc.)
What is the difference between a life and a destiny?
"There was something of divinity in this man [the Bishop], thus unconsciously august.
"Jean Valjean was in the shadow with the iron drill in his hand, erect, motionless, terrified, at this radiant figure. He had never seen anything comparable to it. This confidence filled him with fear. The moral world has no greater spectacle than this; a troubled restless conscience on the verge of committing an evil deed, contemplating the sleep of a good man." (pg 87) Why would the Bishop's 'confidence' fill Jean Valjean with fear? What gave the Bishop that confidence? Do people sinning always feel that way? What are your thoughts?
"Might it have been possible for Napoleon to win this battle? We answer no. Why? ... Because of God." (pg 329) How might history of changed if Napoleon was the emperor of Europe, or even just France? How do you think faith helps us understand history?
"Faith is a necessity to man. Woe to him who believes in nothing." (pg 521) Why is faith necessary? What would your life be like if you had no faith in anything? How has faith strengthened you?
"Everyone has noticed the way cats stop and loiter in a half-open door. Hasn't everyone said to a cat: For heaven's sake why don't you come in? With opportunity half-open in front of them, there are men who have a similar tendency to remain undecided between two solutions, at the risk of being crushed by fate abruptly closing the opportunity. The over-prudent, cats as they are, and because the are cats, sometimes run more danger than the bold." (pg 548) What opportunities are you facing right now? How long can you wait before you make a decision? How can indecision hurt someone?
"For now, Cosette laughed.
"Even her face had, in some measure, changed. The gloomy cast had disappeared. Laughter is sunshine; it chases winter from the human face." (pg 569) Have you noticed this with others, or with yourself? Try to go for a week smiling at yourself every chance you get. How does it make you feel?
"(Marius said) '...To be the grand nation and to bring forth the Grand Army, to send your legions flying across the whole earth as a mountain sends out its eagles.... What could be greater?'
"'To be free' said Combeferre." (pg 674) Is freedom better than worldly glory? Why or why not?
There are a couple of occasions in the book when people bless their misfortunes. The first occasion is page 771 when Marius is glad that he gave Eponine his 5-franc piece and wasn't able to take a coach to follow Cosette and Jean Valjean because he was able to overhear the Thenardier's plot. Also on page 916, Jean Valjean blesses the wound her received at the Thenardier's ambush because it helped him reconnect with Cosette. Have you seen incidents of this in your life or in the lives of others? What are your thoughts on this subject?
"Cosette would have answered... 'How can I be blamed for something I can't help and about which I know nothing?'" (pg 898) What's your answer? Can people help falling in love? When does ignorance pardon a person?
"Cosette ...exclaimed, 'Father! What can that be in the wagons?'
"Jean Valjean answered: 'Convicts'
"'And where are they going?'
"'To prison.'
..."'Are they still men?' (pg 911)
How would you answer this? What makes a person a human?
"'My child! Through laziness you are entering into the most laborious of existences.'" (pg 920; finish the paragraph for more thoughts and maybe some answers) How is this statement true? Can we see the result of laziness in the Thenardiers? How does laziness make life harder?
"...Said Courfeyrac to Feiully,... 'The light of a torch is like the wisdom of a coward; it's not clear, because it trembles.'" (pg 1179) Why would he say 'the wisdom of a coward'? Does fear keep you from thinking clearly? Or is it acting in fear that affects your mind? Or neither? Explain your answer.
"The down of the peach, the dust of a plum, the radiated crystal of snow, the butterfly's wing powdered with feathers, are gross things beside that chastity (of a young maiden)." (pg 1204) What is it about virtue that is so beautiful? Why do you think Victor Hugo picked the items he did to compare with virtue? What does virtue mean to you?
"We are never done with conscience. ... We cast into this pit the labor of our whole life, we cast in our fortune, our riches, our success, we cast in our liberty or our country, we cast in our well-being, we cast in our repose, our happiness. More! More! More! ... We must ultimately cast in our heart." (pg 1386) What does this make you think about? Rather than referring to our conscience as a "pit" what word would you use? What are your thoughts on Jean Valjean's continuous struggle with his conscience? What other characters or people do you think of when you hear this quote? (ie, Jane Eyre, a religious leader, etc.)
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