Les Miserables (abridged) by Victor Hugo

Reviewed by Jennifer

Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES



Abridged by James K. Robinson

Ratings Explanation

Language: Several instances of taking the Lord’s name in vain.

Violence: Some descriptions of life in prison: chain gangs, solitary confinement, prisoners treated like animals. Jean Valjean is held captive by Thenardier and several other thugs. There is a struggle and when Valjean is subdued he is tied to a bed. He escapes and burns his own arm with a white hot chisel. Shots are fired at the battle of the barricade and both students and soldiers fall. Eponine takes a bullet to save Marius and dies in his arms. Gavroche is shot and dies outside of the barricade. Javert throws himself into the rapids of the Seine.

Adult Themes:  The near impossibility of those at the fringes of society to better their lives in an honest way. The judicial and social systems ensure that they never rise to anything better. Valjean rises above his circumstances because he commits a crime. Mercy vs. justice. Forgiveness vs. revenge. Suicide.

Synopsis

Jean Valjean is imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving children. Nineteen years and several foiled escape attempts later, he is released back into society with  his yellow papers, marking him an ex-convict for life. Unable to even procure a night’s lodging and a meal, he turns once again to crime. Valjean steals silver from a priest who has given him a place to sleep, food, and acceptance and love. When the priest forgives him, Valjean sees the good in man. From this priest he learns forgiveness and caring which leads him to devote the rest of his life to God.

Valjean becomes a wealthy mayor, employing and serving all the less fortunate in his city. He takes Fantine, a destitute woman, into his care and rescues her daughter, Cosette, from the exploits of the Thenardiers. Caring for her as a beloved daughter, Valjean learns what it is to love another person.

While Valjean devotes his life to serving God and his fellowmen, Javert, a former prison guard and now police chief, devotes his life to finding Valjean and bringing him to justice. This game of cat and mouse continues over years with Valjean always looking over his shoulder, but never afraid to do good.

Hugo’s classic tale of Jean Valjean and his struggle against society and conscience is starkly abridged in this edition. While the major characters and basic story line are kept intact, nearly all of the social and political commentary is eliminated. The story feels choppy and a little confusing at times, but for someone only interested in the bare bones of the plot, it will do the job. I thought that much of the emotion of the story was lost and felt like characters just appeared to do their job in the story and then disappeared again. (Eponine was only mentioned twice before she died in Marius’s arms. It was hard to believe that she really loved him with so little interaction between them.) I would recommend reading either the unabridged version or a much longer abridged version to get the full effect of this wonderful and moving piece of literature.

©2010 The Literate Mother