Volume 1/ Books Three-Eight: Summary

Volume 1/ Book Three: Summary

Book Three is set in Paris in 1817 and focuses on Fantine, a beautiful orphan girl. Determined to lead a good life, she arrives in Paris with no money and falls in love with Tholomyes, a charming but pompous bourgeois university student. The narrator reveals that Paris is home to many men like Tholomyes: bourgeois students who have temporary flings with lower class women they never intend to marry. Fantine, lovestruck and new to Paris, is unable to recognize as much. Though her more experienced girlfriends know that young bourgeois men in Paris are not reliable, they, too, are involved in relationships with Tholomyes’ friends.

The couples meet often and make it a point to enjoy Paris together. However, Tholomyes and his friends only see the women as “mistresses.” Tholomyes suggests that the couples spend an entire day together. The day begins with an early outing and breakfast, and by evening the men are drunk and boisterous. One of the men announces that they have prepared a surprise for the ladies, and that they must leave early to ensure the surprise reaches them on time. A while later, the women are handed over a note by a porter. The note states that the men would no longer be able to prolong their affairs and that they will be returning to their families immediately. Fantine’s friends are not surprised by the note; being more experienced than Fantine, they’d expected as much from the men. Fantine, on the other hand, feels abandoned and devastated by the news. The narrator reveals that Fantine is pregnant with Tholomyes’ baby.

Volume 1/ Book Four: Summary

At the beginning of Book Four, Fantine’s daughter, Cosette, is almost three years old. Fantine is unable to find work in Paris; she struggles to feed herself and Cosette. Worried that she might not be able to keep Cosette healthy in the city, she decides to find work in M. sur M., her hometown. At the same time, Fantine is also concerned that she might not be able to find work in her hometown if people find out that she has had an illegitimate child.

Fantine then notices two young, healthy, and well taken care of girls at an inn. She finds out that the girls are the daughters of the Thenardiers, the innkeepers. She asks the couple if they’d be willing to take care of Cosette till Fantine can find work in M. sur M. The Thenardiers agree, but they also demand that Fantine send them money every month for taking care of Cosette.

Fantine is devastated to leave Cosette in someone else’s care, but believes that the Thenardiers will take good care of her daughter. The Thenardiers, however, take advantage of Fantine’s dire situation. Not only do they sell Cosette’s clothes but they also spend Fantine’s money for their own personal purposes. In their letters to Fantine, however, they assure her that Cosette is happy and well cared for. In truth, Cosette is subject to severe neglect and abuse; the child is even dressed in rags and not given proper clothing. Soon, the couple begin to demand more money from Fantine to take care of Cosette. When Fantine hesitates, they tell her that they would inform the townsfolk that Cosette is an illegitimate child.

Volume 1/ Book Five: Summary

M. sur M.  a rather mysterious philanthropist and owner of the local bread factory. Madeleine had arrived in the town in 1815 with no possessions to speak of. He had put himself in harm’s way to rescue two children from a raging fire. As a token of gratitude, the authorities of M. sur M. had decided to not scrutinize the newcomer’s passport or check his personal history. Father Madeleine went on to reinvigorate M. sur M.’s bread industry by incorporating new methods and technologies. He also becomes famous for his humane treatment of his employees and his general goodwill.

In 1820, he is declared the Mayor of M. sur M.. The same year, the people of M. sur M. find out that Bishop Myriel of Digne has passed away. Madeleine is deeply moved by this news and goes into a long period of mourning, which causes speculation among the townsfolk. When probed, Madeleine states that he had once served the Bishop as a young man. Javert, the police inspector of M. sur M., is not convinced by Madeleine’s explanation and resolves to probe Madeleine’s past.

Javert’s regard for the law is absolute. He is a strict enforcer and rule-follower himself and dislikes rebellion and disorder. He notices a striking resemblance between Madeleine and a criminal named Jean Valjean, a convict he remembers from prison. When Fauchelevent, a resident of M. sur M., finds himself trapped under his carriage, Madeleine manages to lift the heavy carriage to save the man’s life. Javert is struck by Madeleine’s improbable feat, and he even tells him that he has reason to suspect Madeleine’s identity. Madeleine, however, does not seem too perturbed and goes about his life as Mayor of M. sur M.

Fantine is able to find work at Madeleine’s bread factory. She rents a small apartment for credit in M. sur M. and sends money to the Thenardiers to take care of Cosette. Being illiterate, Fantine is forced to hire a letter writer to communicate with the Thenardiers. Soon, there are several rumors in the village about Fantine and her illegitimate child, and she is fired by her factory manager for her immoral way of life. Mired in debt, Fantine takes up sewing and is forced to work seventeen hours a day, but she is still unable to make ends meet.

Though Madeleine was never made aware of her situation, Fantine assumes that he is responsible for her plight. She even grows resentful of him as her circumstances become more dire. Soon, she is unable to support herself, let alone send money to the Thenardiers. In the grips of severe poverty, she first sells her hair and her two front teeth. She then takes up prostitution in her desperation to send money to the Thenardiers for Cosette’s upkeep.

As word spreads about Fantine’s involvement in prostitution, the people of M. sur M. become more vicious in their treatment of her. Soon, Fantine also develops a persistent cough and is often struck by fevers. One night, a local harasses her by dropping a snowball down the back of her dress. Incensed, Fantine tries to get back at the man, but is arrested by Javert. She explains the incident to Javert and pleads with him to let her go, but he sentences her to six months in prison. When Madeleine hears about the incident, he intervenes on Fantina’s behalf and overrules Javert’s sentence.

Javert now finds himself more motivated to probe the Mayor’s mysterious past and identity. Meanwhile, Fantine still believes that Madeleine is responsible for her being fired from the factory, and she spits in the Mayor’s face when she sees him. Madeleine is surprised and sorry to learn that she had been fired from the factory and promises to take care of Fantine and Cosette.

Volume 1/ Book Six: Summary

Fantine is at the Mayor’s home where he takes care of her and prays for her swift recovery. Fantine still seems to be struggling with a persistent chest infection. She now knows that the Mayor had nothing to do with her being fired from the bread factory and is grateful for his concern and help.

She resolves to bring Cosette back to M. sur M. To that end, she writes the Thenardiers a note and sends the couple money. The Thenardiers, however, view this as another opportunity to take more of Fantine’s money. They make up excuses to not send Cosette to M. sur M. and continue to demand exorbitant sums for her upkeep.

Fantine’s health deteriorates steadily, and Madeleine considers visiting the Thenardiers to bring back Cosette. Meanwhile, Javert visits Madeleine and informs him that he had alerted the authorities about what he believed was Madeleine’s real identity. Enraged by the Mayor’s decision to overrule his decision to imprison Fantine, Javert had sought revenge; he had believed that the Mayor was none other than the ex-criminal Jean Valjean, but had found out only later that the “real” Jean Valjean had been arrested recently for stealing apples and that the criminal had changed his name to Champmathieu. He apologizes to the Mayor for his hasty actions and urges him to relieve him of his duties.

Assumed to be Jean Valejan, Champmathieu is brought to trial in Arras and faces a life sentence. He is also held accountable for stealing the Bishop’s silver and the coin from the young boy. Javert informs the Mayor that he (Javert) is looking forward to testifying against Champmathieu. Though the Mayor is shaken by the news, Javert is unable to notice his panic. Nonetheless, the Mayor gathers himself and assures Javert that his deeds do not merit dismissal.

Volume 1/ Book Seven: Summary

Madeleine finds it difficult to decide if he should announce himself as the “real” Jean Valjean at Champmathieu’s trial. On the one hand, he believes that the moral thing to do would be to absolve the innocent Champmathieu by revealing his own identity in court. On the other hand, he fears that doing so may not allow him to continue as Mayor of M. sur M. He considers it his duty to help the poor and marginalized, and he suspects that he won’t be able to do so were he to confess.

After much deliberation, he decides not to attend the trial so as to continue serving the people of M. sur M. He goes about burning and destroying anything that could link him to his criminal past. As he prepares to destroy the Bishop’s candlesticks, he is reminded of the promise he’d made to the Bishop. At once, he decides to leave for Arras and do all he can to free the innocent Champmathieu.

On his way to Arras, Madeleine runs into several obstacles. He wonders if these obstacles could be God’s way of preventing him from reaching Arras on time so he could continue serving the people of M. sur M. However, he manages to reach the court on time.

Though he is not involved in the trial, Madeleine is permitted to enter on account of his position as Mayor of M. sur M. and his reputation as a philanthropist. At once, he notices that he shares a striking resemblance with Champmathieu. He then reveals to the court that he, Mayor Madeleine, is the real Jean Valjean, not Champmathieu. The courtroom is taken aback when Madeleine shares details of his painful reformation. He is seen as the embodiment of goodness, as a saint-like figure. Taking his admission and reformation into account, Valjean is not charged for his earlier crimes and is allowed to walk free. Champmathieu is also set free.

Volume 1/ Book Eight: Summary

Valjean returns to M. sur M. and assures Fantine that he will bring Cosette back from the Thenardiers. Fantine’s condition has deteriorated alarmingly, and she is now on her deathbed. In the wild hope of improving her health, the visiting doctor lies to her that Cosette has returned. Valjean is now pursued by Javert who has been ordered by the district attorney to arrest him following Champmathieu’s acquittal. As Valejan prepares to reunite Cosette with her mother, he is visited by Javert who seems happy and determined to arrest Valjean. Though Valjean pleads with Javert to let him bring Cosette back before he is arrested, the policeman remains unmoved. Meanwhile, Fantine finds out just before her death that Cosette is still with the Thenardiers.

As word spreads about the Mayor’s real identity, people are quick to distance themselves from him. He is deserted by most of his friends, acquaintances, and well-wishers. However, Valjean manages to escape from prison the very night he is taken there. He flees to his home, and Sister Simplice helps him evade Javert. Before leaving for Paris, he packs the Bishop’s silver candlesticks along with his other belongings and advises Sister Simplice on how to distribute money to the poor.

Analysis: Volume 1/ Books Three to Eight

Fantine’s situation represents the plight of the poor and marginalized in nineteenth-century France. Even more particularly, Fantine represents the marginalization and oppression of poor, illiterate women in nineteenth-century France. At the beginning of the novel, Fantine is hopeful about forging a respectable life in Paris, but she is devastated by Tholomyes’ cruel abandonment. Fearing being ostracized, she is unable to take Cosette, her illegitimate child, to M. sur M. The Thenardiers, under whose care she leaves Cosette, only add to Fantine’s misery by taking advantage of her financially.

Eventually, the people of M. sur M. find out about Cosette through Fantine’s letter writer, and this incident highlights the extent of disenfranchisement suffered by illiterate women. Though she is willing to work hard, the people of M. sur M. are quick to ostracize her for her “immoral” ways, and Fantine is forced to take up prostitution to support herself and Cosette. Fantine is not just a marginalized figure but also a deeply humiliated figure; she is treated with impunity until she is rescued by the Mayor.

Inspector Javert is unthinking and incosiderate in his obedience to authority. He seems unconcerned about justice and fairness. When he arrests Fantine, he does not take into account her already wretched situation, let alone the fact that she was only defending herself from one of her many harassers; he sees her as an undesirable element of society and believes that he is duty-bound to imprison such a person. He is equally blind to the nuances of justice and fairness in his pursuit of the Mayor. Through Javert, Hugo shows that unquestioning, uncritical adherence to the law not only comes in the way of justice but can also become a tool for exacting revenge. Incensed by the Mayor’s decision to overrule his decision to imprison Fantine, Javert finds himself more motivated than ever to probe the Mayor’s past.

Sister Simplice’s character is in stark contrast to Javert’s. Though she is pious and committed to an honest life, she conspires with Valjean to help him evade Javert. In doing so, she shows that justice and obedience to the law are not necessarily the same thing. She understands that Valjean is a noble, reformed man without whom the poor of M. sur M. would have suffered greatly.

Jean Valjean’s new identity as M. Madeleine, the philanthropist, is not only a means to conceal his criminal past. It represents his reformation, his rebirth as a saintly man. He sees the Bishop’s forgiveness as a gift and makes it his duty to lead a compassionate life. When he finds himself torn by whether or not he should reveal his real identity and save Champmathieu, it is the Bishop’s memory and the silver candlesticks that guide him. Since the candlesticks represent kindness, justice, and redemption to Valjean, he resolves to save Champmathieu’s life.