GENRE: Historical Novel
CHARACTERS: Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean
Anne Hathaway as Fantine
Russel Crowe as Inspector Javert
Amanda Seyfried as Cosette
Eddie Redmayne as Marius
Daniel Huttlestone as Gavroche
SETTING: France
THEME: Love, Forgiveness, Self- Sacrifice, Injustice
PLOT:
The convict Jean Valjean is released from French prison after 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. No one is willing to give him a shelter because he is an ex-convict. Valjean masks his identity and enters the town of Montreuil -sur- mer. Under the assumed name of Madeleine, Valjean invents an ingenious manufacturing process that brings him the town's mayor.
A few years, Valjean escapes from prison and heads to Montreuil, where he is able to buy Cosette from the Thenardiers.
Cosette and Marius got married. Their wedding is a happy one, marred only when Vlajean confess his criminal past to Marius.
SYMBOLISM: Silver Candlesticks
1) WHAT DOES THE TITLE MEAN IN RELATION TO THE FILM AS A WHOLE?
The title means how the people struggle to fight against corruption in their country. The title reveals what the movie is all about. How the people struggle to fight against injustice and their freedom.
2) AMONG THE CHARACTERS, TO WHOM CAN YOU RELATE TO?
Among the characters, I can relate to Cosette. At a very young age she already lose her parents. I know how hard it is to live with the people who do not give you enough attention. But Im thankful that I have a loving and supportive family who cares for me.
3) WHICH OF THE PRESENTATION STRUCK YOU THE MOST?
The part that struck me the most is when the French soldiers fires a cannon to the people who fought for their freedom. When Gavroche go outside the barricades that they built and the soldiers fires him. Even though he was a child, still he is brave enough to fight for what he believes is right. And when Inspector Javert saw all the dead especially Gavroche I was so touched and it made me cry when Inspector Javert gave his medal to Gavroche.
4) WHAT IS THE MOVIES MESSAGE?
Hugo had many major messages in his novel Les Miserables. He
criticized the injustice of the French justice system. He pointed out
the incredulous suffering of the miserables, such as Eponine and
Fantine. Hugo criticizes society for their harsh and unforgiving
treatment of convicts, but he does make a point of not making all
criminals capable of turning their lives around the way that Jean
Valjean does. Hugo describes what the ideal government would consist of
in Enjolras' speeches in the barricade.
5) DID I LIKE THIS IN GENERAL? WHY?
I really like this movie. It shows how the French Revolution happen. And even the most powerful country struggles on how to fight against injustice and poverty. It also have a love story of a father and his adopted daughter.
6)DID I AGREE WITH THE MAIN THEME/PURPOSE?
Yes, I agree. There's always poverty,corruption and injustice in every country. FOREGIVENESS : The first example of this was at the very beginning, when Jean Valjean
stayed with the bishop. Valjean stole his silver…and ran off. He ends up
being caught by police, but when the police questioned the bishop, he
claimed to have given the silver to Valjean. Jean was confused…and the
bishop claimed that with the silver, he had purchased the convicts soul,
and had given it to God, and from that day forward, Valjean must be a
good man.
SELF SACRIFICE :. This is also another widely used theme in Les
Miserables. One such example of this element is with Valjean. He lets
Marius and Cosette marry, and for a while, he seems all right with that
fact. Later on however, he goes to Marius, and confesses to his past.
7) WHAT SPECIFICALLY DID I LIKE/DISLIKE? WHY?
I specifically like how Jean face Javert whenever they encountered with one another. Jean is brave enought to face death to save not only his self but to save also the other people. And I like how Valjean treated Cosette as his own child. And of course how Cosette and Marius find each other and live a happy life.
8)ARE THERE ANY ASPECTS OF THE THEME WHICH ARE LEFT AMBIGUOUS AT THE END? WHY?
I don't think that there are parts that are left ambiguous, because Valjean already fulfilled his responsibility to Cosette. And Marius and Cosette got mariied and are very happy with each other.
9) HOW DOES THIS FILM RELATE TO THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE?
We cannot dent the fact that we are living in a country that has always been a corruption,poverty and injustice. We cannot resolve this problem with a blink of an eye. Sometimes we need to use our power to the things that we want to do.
