{Spoiler Alert! This article gives a detailed analysis of the movie Les Miserables}

I have long loved the story of Jean Valjean’s redemption. I grew up watching a little-known movie version of the story, and read the book when I was 12 or 13. The fact that Valjean served 19 years hard labor for stealing a single loaf of bread, became bitter and cynical, and then found redemption through the kindness of a priest, has always intrigued me. But when I went to see the movie two days after Christmas, I saw something I had never seen before, in spite of my multiple viewings of the many movie versions, my reading of the book, my countless times listening to the musical soundtrack, and my previous stage viewing. About ten minutes in, I realized something:

Les Miserables is the story of two men, Jean Valjean, and Inspector Javert, and these two men embody the constant struggle between grace and legalism.

This realization shocked me, and I literally gasped. It was suddenly clear before me, and I was thrilled by my new discovery, amazed I’d never caught onto it before. But there it was, before my eyes and ears, on the big screen.

I’ll start with Valjean. He began as an ordinary man, who, like many during this time in France, was poor and starving. He stole a single loaf of bread to keep his sister’s son from dying, was caught, and through a series of events, wound up serving 19 years of hard labor for the one loaf of bread. Valjean lived in less-than-human conditions, and was treated like a hardened criminal. When he finally got out on parole, he was given papers which branded him a dangerous man, meaning he couldn’t find a job or make a living. Right before he left, Valjean had an exchange with Javert, where Javert tells him he will starve unless he learns the meaning of the law, to which Valjean replies that he had spent the last 19 years “a slave to the law.”  At this point, Valjean did not understand grace, because he had yet to experience it.

Enter the priest. Valjean, upon discovering he could not get a job, and knowing he would be on parole his entire life because the courts had deemed him dangerous, decided to steal a living. One night, he was given dinner and a place to sleep by a priest in his rectory. Valjean saw the vast amount of silver the priest had, and while everyone else was sleeping, Valjean stole the silver and ran off. The next morning, he was brought back to the priest by the police, who had accused him of stealing. Though Valjean had indeed stolen the silver, the priest said he had given the silver to Valjean, and even gave him two silver candlesticks he hadn’t taken. The police left, and Valjean was speechless. The priest said Valjean’s soul now belonged to God, and he should take the silver and use it to turn his life around, and be of service to others. Valjean then has a moment in the chapel, where he sees that all that was left in his heart was hate, but he then sings,

“And why did I allow that man
To touch my soul and teach me love?
He treated me like any other,
He gave me his trust; he called me ‘brother.’
My life he claims for God above,
Can such things be?
Though I had come to hate the world,
And this man who was hate to me.
Take an eye for an eye!
Turn your heart into stone!
This is all I have lived for!
This is all I have known!
One word from him and I’d be back,
Beneath the lash upon the rack;
Instead he offers me my freedom;
I feel my shame inside me like a knife.
He told me that I had a soul,
How does he know?
What spirit comes to move my life?
Is there another way to go?”

After this, Valjean decides that his old self is dead, and determines to create a new identity and a new life, recognizing now that his life belongs to God. Of course, the priest could not actually claim Valjean’s soul — Valjean had to give it to God himself. But this was Valjean’s first real encounter with grace, and he decided to accept it, and dedicate his life to serving God and extending grace to others.

Eight years later, Inspector Javert, who had been a guard at Valjean’s prison for most of Valjean’s time there, arrived in a smallish town, where he reported to the mayor, and proclaimed himself to be at the mayor’s service. By this time, Valjean had disappeared, having failed to report for parole for the last eight years. Javert felt as though he recognized the mayor, but couldn’t place him. Through a series of events, Javert starts to suspect that the mayor was actually Jean Valjean. Of course, Valjean had recognized Javert immediately, and had become alert to his own danger.

At this point Javert has seen that Valjean had built a successful business which was the lifeblood of his town, and was a much beloved, revered, and successful mayor. Javert had even witnessed Valjean extend grace to a prostitute, Fantine, who was being charged with assault. (Valjean took the time to listen to Fantine’s story, and not only apologized when she told him she had been dismissed from his factory unjustly, but he also took her in and cared for her as she died, promising to care for her daughter.) Even so, as becomes clear later, Javert is a slave to the law. He lives only to see justice served; the concept of grace is entirely foreign to him. Because of this, he still suspects Valjean of being the criminal he is chasing. But a few days later, Javert comes to Valjean and apologizes for making a false judgment; he had thought the mayor (Valjean’s character) was a former criminal who had skipped parole, but he was wrong, as the real Valjean had just been apprehended.

Thus begins much turmoil for Valjean. He is torn between turning himself in, to save an innocent man, and allowing that man to be his insurance; if another man was imprisoned as Valjean, he’d never have to worry about being found out again. He knew the people of his town depended on him, and if he admitted his guilt and was arrested, many of them would likely be out of jobs. But he also couldn’t live with the guilt of knowing an innocent man was in prison in his place. He finally went and appeared at the sentencing of the “other” Valjean, and admitted to his true identity. The judge didn’t believe him at first, but Javert saw, and finally knew for sure, this man was Jean Valjean, which of course does nothing but strengthen Javert’s resolve to apprehend him.

The scene cuts to the hospital, where Fantine lies dying, and this is where Valjean promises to get her daughter, Cosette, and raise her as his own. We again see Valjean extend Christ-like grace. He had no prior acquaintance with Fantine or Cosette, but he sees what is right, and does not hesitate to do it, regardless of Fantine’s status as a prostitute or the personal sacrifice to himself. But before he can leave, Javert confronts him. Valjean begs Javert to allow him three days to find Cosette and take her to a safe place, but of course, Javert refuses. His reply to Valjean is telling:

“You must think me mad–
I’ve hunted you across the years.
Men like you can never change;
A man such as you.
Men like you can never change,
Men like me can never change,
No, 24601.
My duty’s to the law, you have no rights,
Come with me, 24601,
Now the wheel has turned around,
Jean Valjean is nothing now.
Dare you talk to me of crime,
And the price you had to pay.
Every man is born in sin,
Every man must choose his way.
You know nothing of Javert,
I was born inside a jail;
I was born with scum like you,
I am from the gutter too!
There is no place for you to hide,
Wherever you may hide away,
I swear to you, I will be there too!”

Javert’s words are filled with loathing — both for Valjean and for himself, for being born inside a jail. Of course, he’s not entirely wrong, in that every man is born in sin, and every man must choose his way. However, he misses what true grace is, and that men indeed can change, and in fact, Valjean had changed. He even begins to call Valjean by his prison number (24601), rather than his name — further proof of his utter lack of regard for Valjean as a person. He also had some warped idea of righteousness (as we’ll see again later), as he said men like himself couldn’t change. It’s as though, in Javert’s head, once each person has chosen his or her path, they’re locked in and can’t change their mind. This of course then puts Javert in a position where he thinks he can’t fall from righteousness. Less obvious here is also the idea that a person can earn righteousness, whereas Valjean clearly realizes this is pure gift. Because Javert feels he must earn his righteousness, he is relentless in bringing those he sees as criminals to “justice.” How else could he earn favor with God, and erase the shame of his birth? Valjean manages to get away and rescue Cosette, while Javert is pursuing him. Valjean again manages to escape with Cosette and slip into Paris.

[To be continued…. Click here to go to Part 2]