Les Misérables

Dear All,

In honour of our forthcoming trip to the Les Misérables musical, now is the perfect time to examine the differences between the 2012 movie adaption and Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel, upon which it is based. I am aware that this email is very lengthy and will not be offended if you choose to hit delete (a pdf is attached too for easy reading). I have already written one thesis this year and have aimed to avoid writing a second by including only items required for a logical and systematic examination of the respective versions in, what to me, was an interesting personal project. It is my hope that you will find it stimulating and interesting and perhaps consider reading the novel yourself.

While both the movie and novel tell the same basic story with similar characters, the former adds extensive detail and digressions that would have resulted in a meandering and unfocused story. Though on the surface, it appears that the Les Misérables film is plot heavy and clunky, in reality, it is as faithful to the spirit of the book as possible, excluding only some superfluous material that impedes brevity.

Key differences can be grouped under the headings, ‘structural’ and ‘thematic’.

Structural

Immediately establishing the presence of structural differences, both media begin the story in different places. The novel first tells the story of a generous bishop, M. Myriel, who gives all that he has to the poor. The film opens with Jean Valjean (JV) working as part of a crew pulling a boat into a dry dock. For the film, the character of Javert (J) is introduced immediately, overseeing this work, while in the novel he does not appear until later. JV in both is forced to work in the galleys for stealing bread and his redemption arc is the narrative backbone of both book and film. His prisoner number is 24,601. Though it is unclear in the film how much bread he stole, ‘a loaf’ or ‘a mouthful’, the book clarifies that his 19-year sentence came about because he stole a loaf by breaking a window, in addition to four failed escape attempts. This novel is OBSESSED with bread. The word appears 101 times.

When released on parole, in both, JV has difficulty obtaining any work and is ostracised by various communities and potential employers. Similarly, he is given accommodation by the kind bishop, M. Myriel, in both and steals his silverware, is caught by the authorities, and absolved on the condition that he uses the stolen items to perform good and charitable works. The bishop of the film, resides in building located on the site of a large church or cathedral, the book’s bishop is humble and lives in an ordinary house. In the novel, this section is tense and exciting, the film offers only a few shots to portray these events. The novel describes, afterwards, that JV continues to steal from others, and he takes 40 sou from a ten-year-old. In the film, JV has learned his lesson immediately and begins to strive to be an honest man and undertake good works.

The novel and film diverge at this point, where the former offers background on Fantine (F) and Cosette’s father. His name was Felix Tholomyes and he was a Spanish law student studying in Paris. F and her future babydaddy hung around with three other couples. It is specified she was the quietest and most innocent of them. Felix and his friends, in one of the slackest moves in literature, take their ladies out for dinner. They say that they are going to give them a surprise and ask them to wait. However, an hour later the waiter appears and delivers a mass breakup letter to the ladies. Cold, especially for F who has a bun in the oven. Following three letters about the birth of the child, F has received no response and decides to return to her home town. While returning there, F offloads Cosette (C), real name Euphrasie, to an innkeeper woman with two similarly aged daughters (threeish). This is not shown or depicted in any way in the film

Alignment between the two media occurs again, years later, as F is working hard at a factory owned by JV to pay the innkeepers to look after C, while they continue to raise the price. JV is elected mayor, though during this time he is using an alias, M. le Maire. Please note, that the book does not reveal that M. le Maire is JV at this point, though it is clear in the visual interpretation. In the novel, he hears about the death of the bishop who was responsible for his redemption and goes into mourning. Later, in both, the same sequence plays out where a man is trapped under a cart and JV has a dilemma, as J is watching, where he can rescue the trapped man, but risks revealing through his strength, his identity as a former convict. The novel suggests that because of his work in the justice system, J was aware of JV’s famed strength, that of four men. JV demands purity in his workforce, and when, in the movie, a letter is discovered, or in the novel, a professional letter writer employed by the illiterate F gossips, regarding the existence of a daughter, she is given the sack. The latter elaborates on what a bad time F has during the period, describing an abusive relationship and escalating prices from the innkeepers who fake an illness for C to generate more revenue. As she is unemployed, both media force F to sell her hair, teeth, and enter the prostitution game to meet these demands. The only difference is that in the novel, F has a necklace with a lock of C’s hair to sell. After spitting in somebody’s face who put snow down her back, F is arrested and blames JV for her misfortune. He is present at this time through his charitable work. In the novel, JV uses a legal loophole, where he can free F. He then investigates her history. In both, he offers to pay her debts, nurse her back to health, and bring C to her.

The innkeepers are called the Thénardiers (Ts). The head of the family, Mr. Thénardier, is referred to as a ‘master of the house’ (MotH), but is very different thematically in each medium, discussed under the following heading. In the novel, when they realise that somebody with cash is now paying their overdue bills for looking after C, they try to exploit this as much as possible and inflate their prices, refusing to let C go to the dying F. F is dying because the snow on her bare shoulder blades aggravated some underlying condition.

At this time, in both media, J goes to JV and asks to be reprimanded for suspecting that the mayor was JV. J confesses that he was wrong and extensive details are provided in the novel for how another man suspected of being JV came to the attention of authorities. The outcome of the man mistaken for JV’s trial is certain, a large sentence. In both, this occurs at a bad time for JV who is busy nursing F, about whom he feels guilty. JV does some soul searching on his journey to the trial, receiving the song ‘Who am I?’ in the film, and when he arrives he reveals his identify is JV, that which he had kept secret for years. The novel dedicates a large amount of space to this internal conflict and overcoming various obstacles (roadworks, problems with the wheel of his cart, renovations to the courthouse etc.) to JV’s public admission at the trial, while wrestling with his conscience. While J is present at the trial when JV arrives in the film, so he ‘can see its true’, in the novel J is not, having departed once he gave his testimony. When JV ‘fesses up in the novel, his hair turns white. He leaves the court, saying that all parties know where to find him, and his doppelganger is released.

JV returns to the dying F. In the film, F sees an image of C and pretty much kicks the bucket immediately. In the novel, she thinks she hears C and JV says he will only let her see the child once she is well, despite the fact she is not there. J arrives to fulfil a warrant for JV’s arrest. JV asks for time to bring C to F and is refused. F dies. Here the novel and film diverge again, in the latter, JV escapes, with J in pursuit, while in the former, he attempts escape, but then allows himself to be arrested. During the time he was escaped, JV had time to withdraw his enormous savings from the bank and hide them in a forest. He is given the death penalty, but thanks to receiving clemency, it is revised to a life sentence. As a result, he is given a new prisoner number (9,430) and is set to work on the docks. However, he fakes his own death when rescuing a soldier, by falling into the water. Clearly, having two identification numbers as a prisoner is excessive for a musical adaptation, and hence the logic for the exclusion of the second imprisonment.

Both media align again. Elaborate details are provided of the T’s position relative to a source of water and why the overworked eight-year-old C does not like fetching water from the well (film) or spring (novel). The novel provides plenty of details about C’s work at the bar and of the T’s son, for whom they care very little. MotH is depicted by both as a scoundrel and a swindler. The film suggests that there is some tension between the T parents and Mrs. T undermines and disrespects MotH for laughs. In the novel, she is a large and imposing woman and is very submissive and loyal to her husband. The T’s believe in doing anything that they can to maximise profits. In both media, C is obsessing over a large doll, available at a travelling salesman’s’ stall in the novel, and in a shop window in the film.

C is in the woods, retrieving water, when JV arrives and offers his assistance in both media. In the novel, C tells him a sob story about how she has to work all the time and never gets nuttin’. Comedically, she uses an old sword as a dolly. Film JV immediately tells C that her mother is dead. In both, the inn itself is depicted as unsuitable for children and full of offensive and rowdy people. JV likes C and wants to help her. He buys her the doll she wants first and then puts money in her shoe when she is sleeping. After a night at the inn, MotH tries to fleece JV, realising that he is flush with cash, having retrieved some of his hidden money following his escape. In both, when he expresses his intent to buy C, the T’s try to milk as much cash out of him as possible, feigning affection for C. However, in the novel, after the deal to purchase C has been completed, MotH follows their party believing he could have increased the amount received. JV and C manage to get away to Paris without handing over any more cash. The novel, at this point, details the time the man and child spend together and illustrates the personal growth that JV undergoes. His dealings with the bishop, M. Myriel, are described as his ‘dawn of virtue’; those with C as, his ‘dawn of love’.

The novel and film diverge again. The novel provides plenty of detail about JV and C’s early time in Paris. JV is trying to lay low but can’t resist handing out alms to beggars (that siren’s call), arousing some curiosity about him in the neighbourhood. On one occasion, JV believes he sees J undercover as a beggar and thinks that he was listening at the door of their residence. As a result, he takes C and they leave their great residence to move elsewhere. However, J is in pursuit and there is a thrilling chase through the streets of Paris. Eventually, with J and reinforcements hot on their heels, JV and C manage to get into the garden of a convent, the Convent of the Perpetual Adoration (CotPA), with a high wall where they believe they will be safe. The gardener there is the man that was trapped under the cart that JV helped out earlier in the story, M. Fauchelevent. At this point in the novel, details are provided with regard to how J pieced together that JV was alive and located him in Paris. M. Fauchelevent and JV come up with an elaborate plan that allows the latter and C to leave the CotPA undetected. There is a tense sequence where they fake the removal of dead nun with JV in the coffin and C in a basket. This allows JV and C to legitimately re-enter the CotPA with the former becoming an assistant gardener to Fauchelevent, as his fake brother, and C being enrolled as a charity student with other young girls in the school section. JV is happy here and gets to spend time with C every day. In both novel and film, they are in the CotPA for about nine years, emerging in 1832.

The novel then begins to focus and provide a high level of detail about law student, Marius (M) Pontmercy. Extensive space is dedicated to a description of his grandfather and aunt with whom he lives, and eventually has a falling out with and leaves due to his adoption of his estranged father’s political views (Bonapartist). When his father dies, he provides him with no material items, but does bequeath him the disputed title of ‘Baron’ and asks him to be good to a man he believed saved his life, a certain Thénardier (that’s right, MotH!). However, readers learn that M’s father was mistaken that MotH saved him, as he was really just robbing from the deceased in the aftermath of the battle of Waterloo. In the film, M’s grandad appears delivering only a single line about their relationship. Novel M begins to associate with group of rebellious young people, called Friends of the ABC. They talk about politics and revolution. Lengthy descriptions are provided of several members and their backstory given. In the three years since his falling out with his grandad, M puts himself through law school and survived while being very broke. How this strengthened his character is examined. Eventually, M is happier doing less law work and spending more time in thought and being out walking. While walking he sees JV and C for the first time. He thinks that C is a sexy thang, but she is 15 so he turns himself in to Javert. Just kidding! He gets dressed up to go walking, makes eyes at C every day, and attempts to align his exercise with that of her and JV. C eventually begins to make eyes at M and he later follows her home. He asks questions about JV and C of the porter and hangs out underneath their windows. JV thinks that he is a police spy and packs up, leaving no forwarding address.

Six months elapse. Novel M gets suspicious that his neighbours, for whom he once paid their overdue rent, are running an elaborate scam where they write begging letters with different conceits e.g. sick children, hunger etc. He peeps through a hole in the wall in his dump of an apartment, referred to as a hovel, and sees his neighbour smoking a pipe and writing letters. He learns that a philanthropist is coming to visit them, and they make preparations to appear more destitute, including breaking a window and ripping their clothes. Something similar happens in the movie, but it is unclear that M lives in area. It turns out the philanthropist is JV, operating under the alias of M. Fauchelevent, and he has C with him. In the film, this is where M and C fall in love at first sight, though M is not looking through a peephole, but walking on the street. The neighbour in the novel lies to JV about how much rent he owes, and JV says that he will come back later with that amount. However, the letter-scammer neighbour is sure that he recognises M. Fauchelevent as JV and develops a scheme involving a gang of ruffians to extract a large amount of money from him. You guessed it, the neighbour is MotH. It is established that his daughter Eponine (E), in both novel and film have a major thang for M and she offers to get C’s address for him.

To foil this scheme, novel M goes to the police and deals with an inspector. Yep, you guessed it. It’s Javert. J provides M with two pistols and asks him to fire them when he wants the 5-0 to move in and stop the gang from hurting M. Fauchelevent/JV. In an uneasy sequence, the novel describes JV’s return and a gang of ruffians moving into the room, increasing the threat level. MotH reveals his identity to JV, but the latter does not recognise him. The film completely ignores this aspect of the novel and the dilemma that M faces. How can he help M. Thénardier, according to his father’s wishes, while simultaneously protecting the man he believes is his love interest, C’s, father? After a failed escape attempt by JV, MotH asks for 200,000 francs and reveals his plan to take C as hostage until he is paid, sending some of the gang members to a fake address provided by JV during an interrogation. By the time the ruffians realise that JV has given them a false address, he has opened most of the ropes with which he was bound, burns himself with a scalding hot chisel, used to threaten him during interrogation, and jumps out a window. M throws a note he received from E at an earlier time through the peephole in the wall and MotH thinks that it is a new warning that the police are coming, mistakenly believing it to have been thrown through the window. J arrives and arrests the T family and the ruffians who are all known to the police. M moves away from his hovel as he has bad memories of that place and doesn’t want to be forced to testify against MotH and the rest of the T family. While novel M attempts to fulfil his father’s dying wish that he assists MotH in any way that he can, for instance providing him with money while he is imprisoned, the film removes this layer of complexity entirely for a more coherent and simple plot.

Attention in both film and novel move the underlying anger of the people of France and Paris. While in the novel, they do not sing a ‘song of angry men’, they are described as being as “angry as a hive of bees” and that there is a “quivering with expectation and with the desire for a tumult”. Around this time in both media, the character of Gavroche (G) is introduced. In the novel, he is one of the T’s abandoned children, but his parents or history are not examined in the film. In the course of his day-to-day activities, novel G ends up caring for two of his brothers, unknown to him, who had been sold by his parents in the past. M’s friends prepare weapons and try to organise others for, what they believe will be, an imminent revolution. After being released from prison, E locates M and leads him to where C is residing. In the film, she leads him there without being subjected to any prison sentence. Film M, for the sake of speed, begins conversing with C immediately, while novel M initiates contact more slowly, first watching the house, then writing a very romantic, and long, love letter, and finally meeting her nightly in the garden, resulting in a smooch. Novel C is beginning to realise that she is a sexy thang and wants to be seen. There is some tension between her and JV who wants to lie low and remain outside of the public eye. Additionally, JV has spotted her making eyes at M in the past and he is wary and suspicious that this young man will take away the source of his happiness. Novel JV is unaware of C and M’s nightly meetings.

Novel MotH and his ruffian associates arrange a jail break. One of their associates enlists G’s assistance for an aspect of the escape which requires a small and nimble person. MotH does not even recognise his child during this sequence. After breaking out, the gang decide to follow through on robbing JV. E, who is stalking M and jealous of his blossoming romance with C, spots her father and his gang skulking around JV and C’s house with the intention of robbery. In the novel, E says she will scream if the gang advance further, in the film she actually does scream and causes JV to pack up and leave that residence. In the novel, E pulls an elaborate scam to warn JV and C to leave Paris by dropping a cryptic letter on JV’s lap that encourages him go. In both film and novel, JV decides that he and C will depart for England. In the novel, they move from their present address to another temporary one. C meets E and asks her to deliver a letter to M with her new temporary address. E does not do this.

In both media, it is time for rebellion and the Paris uprising of June 1832 occurs, a real historical event. This is initiated by violent incidents at the funeral of republican General Jean Lemarque. An attendee with a red flag appears in the novel and the crowd goes nuts. Indeed, in both film and novel, there is chaos and Lemarque’s hearse is stolen and numerous civilians and soldiers die. Across Paris, various barricades are constructed. M’s friends in the novel are responsible for one of these barricades, constructed on the Rue de la Chanvrerie, and they are joined by others, including young G, who has stolen a defective gun. The size of this barricade differs significantly between novel and film. In the film, it is represented as a tall and imposing structure. In the novel, it is said that “it did not exceed an average height of six or seven feet”, though it is added to over the course of the two-day uprising.

Meanwhile, the novel has an entire section, omitted from the film, in which M calls around to his estranged grandfather’s residence to ask for permission to marry C. It is the first time M has seen this man in 4 years and things get off to a rocky start as the grandfather is very proud. The latter thinks that M is throwing away his future on a nobody and refuses to approve of the union. As M is storming out, he tries to call him back, but M is out of earshot. M calls around to visit C the next night but finds that she is gone. Thinking that novel C has gone cold on him, novel M now has a death wish and, acting on the instructions of E, goes to join his rebellious friends at the barricade they have constructed outside the Café Musain (both media). E directs him here as she was thinking, ‘if I can’t have him, nobody can’. The pistols that M brings with him are those formerly given to him by J to alert the police to trouble between JV and MotH’s gang. Film M is there with his friends on the barricade from the start and needs no additional encouragement.

M and his friends on the barricade are really swimming against the tide. There are about fifty men on the novel’s barricade, an unspecified number on the films’. The novel describes the state’s armed forces as being 60,000 strong. A police spy is identified among the rebels in both, and, of course, it is Javert. He is taken captive and his weapon is given to G in the novel. G plays a prominent role motivating the rebels, however, though the words ‘vive la France!’ are said, it is not by G. The details of preparing the barricade for attack are more violent and less sympathetic in the novel. One of the rebels shoot a nearby homeowner and, Enjolras, one of M’s friends and the leader of the barricade, in turn, kills that rebel. Things get really violent as the soldiers attack in both novel and film. During the fighting in both media, E dressed as a man, lays dying after taking a bullet to protect M. As the soldiers advance again, novel M, takes a barrel of gunpowder and threatens to blow himself and everybody else up if they don’t retreat. The soldiers leave with a hostage and the barricade is freed temporarily. M discovers E and she confesses that she was supposed to give him a letter earlier but didn’t. In the novel, E asks for a kiss on her brow after she dies, which M provides.

The letter in question is from C. M writes a return letter, delivered by G before the surrounding area is locked down, that says, things can never be between them and that he will die in the barricade. In both media, JV intercepts the letter as C is in bed. Additionally, in the novel, JV is bumming around and reads the original letter written to M in the mirror, as it was composed on blotting paper. Novel JV is a member of the National Guard and puts on his uniform and goes to where the fighting is, expecting to see M. Film JV steals a soldier’s uniform from a corpse. In both, he joins M’s barricade.

The people are not rising up and an attack is imminent on the barricade. Realising that there is no need for people to die in vain during this failed uprising, in the novel, those with mothers, sisters, wives, and children, are encouraged to leave. JV donates his uniform so that all willing parties can do this safely. In both film and novel, J and JV become aware of each other’s presence at the barricade. The soldiers begin using cannons to fire at the barricade and, in the novel, JV does some brave things to reinforce the barricade that do not involve violence against people.

The rebels try to optimise their use of gunpowder and when they are running low, G attempts to retrieve ammunition from the slain in ‘no man’s land’. In both film and novel, G is shot and killed. The novel augments this character death with that of another prominent character, not highlighted in the film, whose bullet riddled coat is employed as a replacement for their damaged flag. M gets injured retrieving G’s corpse. As the rebel’s plan for what they believe will be the final assault, JV asks for the pleasure of killing J. In both novel and film, they go to a secluded alley where JV cuts J loose and gives him the address where he can be found and arrested later. The film states that JV does not expect a deal later for letting J ‘off the hook’. In the novel, he fires in the air and in the film, he fires at an area of the wall close to J. In both cases, JV returns to the group, lying that J is now dead.

The soldiers go all out in both media and begin a serious final assault on the barricade. In the novel, it is breached by a cannon and there are several rebel injuries. One of the most serious is M who is dragged away by JV. The remaining rebels make a last stand in the nearby Café Musain and go out in a blaze. There are no survivors. JV, carrying M, manages to locate an entrance to the sewer and escapes in this manner. M is still alive, and JV spends a long time looking for a safe sewer exit. In the novel, things are particularly tense as the sewers are being searched by soldiers, for defeated rebels. Novel JV is strong, but it is difficult for him to carry M while navigating narrow, flooded parts of the sewers, and getting around treacherous sinking mud. When bandaging M’s wounds, he finds a note that asks for his body to be returned to his grandfather. In both media, MotH, surprisingly, appears. In the novel, MotH is using the sewer as his base of criminal operations and, as he can’t make out JV’s features due to dirt and blood, believes that the stranger has killed and robbed a man. In the film, MotH offers to direct JV regarding how to get out of the sewers. In the novel, he offers to help JV get out, using a key to the sewer’s grating, in exchange for half of their total cash. In the novel, MotH takes a piece of M’s coat, while in the film he steals a ring from him. In the film, after the final assault on the barricade, J begins inspecting the bodies, notices that JV is not among them, and places one of his own medals on G’s corpse. The purpose of this difference between the media, is to make it as simple as possible to understand that J knows that JV is in the sewers and could perhaps anticipate where he might exit.

Immediately after leaving the sewer, in both media, J appears. In the novel, he was following MotH who disappeared into the sewers. Novel JV identifies himself and pleads with J to allow him to take M back to his grandfather’s house. Novel J agrees, and they get a hackney to the grandfather’s house. Novel JV then asks of J if he can return to the house where he and C are staying to say goodbye to her before he is taken into custody. JV goes into his house and expects to see J outside, but he has gone! In the film, after JV and M emerge from the sewers, J asks instructs JV to stop and not to bring M to where he can get medical assistance. When JV fails to heed his instruction, he throws his gun in the water and leaves. Film J sings a song about his inner conflict and takes his own life immediately. M is badly injured in the novel, but he is going to live. M’s grandfather is terribly upset and experiences a lot of hard emotions. In the film, M appears to be fine quite quickly and just has a sling on while he mourns those ‘empty chairs at empty tables’ in the immediate aftermath of the barricades’ destruction.

Javert is completely overwhelmed by the complexity and gravity of what he has just done, letting two fleeing rebels escape, one a convict on the run who was known to him. He re-evaluates JV and concludes that he is a good man and that he admires him. However, he knows that he violated the law himself by letting him go and is not worthy of the public’s trust. J concludes that the law, which he formerly saw as irreproachable, can be flawed as it relies on people. In the novel, he considers himself as being caught between two crimes, “the crime of allowing a man to escape and the crime of arresting him”. He goes to the nearest police station and composes a letter with suggestions for improving the criminal justice system. He returns to the river where, in both media, he throws himself into the water from a large height, mirroring his fall from grace.

It is over six months in the novel until M begins to recover, illustrating the differences in the severity of his injuries between the two media. He has no memory of how he got home or who brought him. During this time, JV goes to where his money is hidden and takes it all and the candlesticks given to him by the bishop, M. Myriel, at the beginning. Novel M raises the subject of marrying C to his grandad again who puts up no resistance and approves of them seeing each other immediately, resulting in plans for a wedding. As a wedding gift, JV is going to give them 584,000 francs. In the novel, JV pretends that he has an injured hand and cannot sign the documentation for the marriage, delegating that responsibility to M’s grandad. M begins to get some of his memories back. He wants to locate the man who rescued him and brought him through the sewer and to wants to fulfil has father’s wish by continuing to help MotH in any way he can. However, he learns the latter has been sentenced to death and is on the run.

The film and novel JV call around to M’s house (really his grandfather’s) before and after the wedding, respectively, to speak with him. JV confesses that he is an ex-convict and reveals his true identify and that he is no relation to C. At this point, film JV insists on leaving and disappears.

In the novel JV attends that wedding, but in the film, he is so upset at losing C, with her continuing her life without him, and the relentless mental turmoil from being a wanted criminal, he leaves. On the way to the wedding, novel JV is recognised by MotH and his one living daughter who are in disguise. MotH asks the girl to follow JV and C and find out where they live. In the film, the wedding is crashed by MotH and his wife, the latter of whom is dead already in the novel. In the film, MotH tells M about seeing JV in the sewers and produces M’s missing ring from that night. Film MotH, reveals that JV has gone to ‘the convent’. M realises that it was JV who saved his life on the night of the uprising and M and C go to visit him immediately.

With regard to novel JV, after his confession, M initially appeals to him to try and get a pardon for his crimes through his grandad’s connections, but JV says there is no need as he is believed to be dead. Upon reflection, M does a bit of a 180 and considers cutting him out of his and C’s lives completely. However, they come to a new arrangement where M refuses to associate with JV and he must meet C in a dusty cellar room instead of in the main part of the house. M tries to make it more unpleasant for JV to visit C and the fire is not lit in this garbage room and chairs are removed. Novel JV gets the idea and begins to stop coming. He lies and says that he is going on a journey, a message that is relayed to C’s servant when they are sent around to enquire. Poor JV is very weak and sickly at this time and frequently weeps while looking at the first outfit that he bought C and the bishop’s candlesticks.

The falling out between M and JV occurs only in the novel and during this time, M is considering returning the 584,000 francs given to him and C, believing them to be the proceeds of crime. Indeed, the main reasons for the falling out are that M thinks JV killed Javert and robbed the cash from a manufacturer years ago, not knowing that JV was that manufacturer. JV, unaware of this, writes a goodbye letter including an explanation of how the money is legit. One day, while at home, M receives a letter from MotH using an alias. He is waiting outside to meet him and wants to sell him a secret for 20,000 francs. Of course, when M invites him in, he recognises MotH and doesn’t want to haggle with him, throwing 500 francs in his face. MotH has newspaper clippings that dispute M’s assumptions about the robbing of the manufacturer and death of J. MotH tells a partly fictional version of the night he met JV in the sewers, claiming that he ripped a part of the coat belonging to the dead body he was carrying to aid with identification. M matches the torn strip of coat with his own from that day, revealing to T that he was the body. He says that he could send him to the galleys if he wished, but instead gives him 1,000 francs to go to America, where MotH becomes a slave trader.

In the novel’s final moments, M grabs C and they both go to see the fully exonerated, in M’s mind, JV. JV is dying and gives the candlesticks to C. He does a recap of happy memories that he has of them together and reveals C’s mother’s name and that she had a tough life. In line with his wishes, JV is buried using a headstone with no name. After struggling with identity his whole life, to my mind, that is a fitting conclusion.

In the film’s final moments, JV, joined by C and M, can see Fantine. JV gives C a letter about his life and how C taught him to love. After JV dies, he sees the bishop that saved his ass from a life of crime back in the day. All the dead return and sing their hearts out on a giant barricade.

At various points in the novel, there are extensive digressions on various topics, that do not advance the plot in any way, but offer some context or further detail into the genuine historical backdrop for this piece of fiction. Indeed, at various points, the author injects himself into the novel affirming the truth of events or the accuracy of locations at the time of the story. Some examples of the many digressions are: an overview of politics, fashion, and popular entertainment in 1817; the town of Hougomont is described and details of former historical battles there are summarised; the historical legacy of Napoleon is considered; the implications of the Battle of Waterloo for both France and Europe more generally are considered; an overview is provided of different types of ships; details are provided of the clothing, history, and day-to-day practices of the nuns in the CotPA where JV and C hide; a discussion of the role of convents and religious orders and their role in society; an examination of the similarities between convents and prisons; an explanation of street urchins and their lifestyle; descriptions of social and political conditions at various points; criticisms and arguments regarding royalism; an examination of the character building nature of poverty; an exploration of human progress and philosophy and how the two topics are related; how the poor view the rich, and the rich, the poor; an overview of revolutions and their consequences; a description and evaluation of former rulers of France; an exploration of conditions that lead to revolution; proposals for how idealistic conditions can be achieved in both societies and economies; an examination of slang in literature and the etymology of some phrases, with reasons why it should be studied and utilised by authors; an examination of the differences between revolts and riots; the entire history of the Café Musain, outside of which the story’s focal barricade was constructed; details are provided of a successful historical barricade from a later rebellion in 1848; musings on revolutions and how hard public opinion is on those that fail; and a history of sewers and the architecture and dimensions of those in Paris.

Ultimately, the objective of all decisions about what was included when adapting the book, were made to achieve the most straightforward narrative possible. There are characters who are important parts of the novel that are not even named in the film. One example is an older friend of M’s, Father Mabeuf, from whom many details are provided of his lifestyle and response to a life of poverty. Extensive details are provided too, of G’s younger brothers and their activities prior to, and after, their time being cared for by G.

Thematic

While the 2012 film is an exciting and entertaining story with interesting characters facing various personal dilemmas, addressed through music, the purpose of the novel is to use its characters and story as devices to explore social problems in a stimulating and comprehensible manner. As a result, different issues are given attention in each. The film tries to add as much variety as possible in the themes addressed due to its limited (158 mins) run time. The novel, thematically, tries to limit itself to fewer themes, but explores these in greater detail over its protracted duration (1,264 pages. Some of the thematic differences between characters and plot points are discussed below.

First, film JV minimises the import of his crime and infers that he has been ‘hard done by’. Novel JV, recognises that “he was not an innocent man unjustly punished”, but that the punishment was iniquitous. The novel dedicates greater time to his famous redemption arc, where over time, he becomes less selfish and continues to grow, helping others in new ways. JV starts the story as someone who takes or steals. Afterwards, he becomes someone who gives financially to those in need. Next, he grows still further and helps others by saving their lives or with their own personal growth, sometimes risking his own comfort or preferences to do so. For example, saving the life of M, a man who he knew would take away his darling Cosette, or how he approached his preference for remaining in the CotPA. In this instance, he didn’t think it would be fair to impose that decision on C without her having any experience of life and the world.

Another major theme addressed differently in each medium, is the development and evolution of the relationship between JV and C, as the latter acquires more information about the former’s history. Novel JV attempts to shield C, to the greatest extent possible, from the world of criminality as he notices her becoming distressed upon seeing prisoners being transported. JV tries to bolster their relationship by arranging for them to undertake charitable activities together and bond over helping others. In the film, there are some lyrics to songs that touch on how being with C has taught JV to love and brought real humanity to him.

Javert is represented in the novel as being quite dumb and not a very deep thinker. Though he is good at his job as a police officer, he is not very nuanced and tends to see things in black and white. In the film, he is honourable, but misguided, and is generally a more simplistic character. The purpose of depicting J in this manner is to have him appear on screen more frequently, demonstrating the persistent threat to JV’s freedom, while representing him as more relatable than the J of the novel who can seem a little unreasonable at times.

In the film, MotH is played for laughs. He is an ignorant, comedy character that will do anything for money. In the novel, he is more sinister and scary. He is very sharp and intelligent and is certainly not a clown. The text informs readers that he has stolen from bodies following the battle of Waterloo and he has been extremely ruthless throughout his life. While some of his actions and his greed are amusing in the novel, it does not stray too far into the realm of comedy that MotH becomes a character who does not pose a serious threat to others. The film on the other hand, treats MotH as if he is a big joke. Even when casting him, a comedian was selected. Ultimately, the logic for this choice was to add some humour to proceedings as the film has very few other instances that are light hearted.

Indeed, in the film, all the Ts are played for laughs, while the novel balances their ridiculousness with a sinister opportunism, the film goes in another direction and sets the T parents up against each other. While MotH is conducting business or behaving in ridiculous ways, his wife implies that she looks down on him or believes him to be foolish. This is not based on anything in the novel as Mrs. T is fiercely loyal and has a deep love for husband. She recognises his intelligence and is eager to acquiesce with any of his instructions, believing he knows best regarding the generation of income. Congruent with the choice to keep the Ts as comedy characters, the film overlooks some aspects of their poor parenting, such as their sale of two of their original five children to another woman so she can continue to receive child support from the father of two of hers who died. All decisions in the film are made to keep the Ts as comedic as possible, while staying away from any themes regarding their actions that are too dark and suppress their comedic utility. For instance, in the novel, G is one of the T’s five children and cares for two of his brothers, unbeknownst to him, who are homeless following the arrest of the woman whom they were sold to. Getting into complex familial dramas such as this could serve no purpose other than making the film too dark and reducing its entertainment value.

Additionally, for conciseness, the film omits some very exciting sections. While JV is being hosted by M. Myriel, the kind bishop, he agonises about whether to steal the silverware earning “double what he had earned in nineteen years”. When JV is hiding in the coffin, there is a thrilling sequence where everything does not go according to plan and there is a chance that he will be buried alive. In the sewers JV can see the lights of soldiers searching for escaped rebels. In JV and C’s early days in Paris, being pursued by Javert through the streets of Paris is absolutely thrilling. Even characters being faced with dilemmas in the novel is thrilling. One key example is when M. Fauchelevent is trapped under his cart towards the beginning and JV must decide quickly whether to save the man, but risk revealing his true identity. For the purposes of relaying a musical film that is more about emotion than adrenaline, these aspects are constrained. However, I would argue that JV asking himself ‘Who am I?’ and his internal debate is exhilarating.

In the more emotionally heavy film, M takes time following the destruction of his barricade to return to the scene and grieve. He takes time to mourn his friends and reflect on the society that they were trying to achieve and how they were going about it. In the novel, very little is said about M’s emotional response to almost all his friends dying. Instead, space is dedicated to a discussion of the impact failed revolutions on society rather the personal impact. I would contend that this is one of the films’ strengths compared to the novel.

Finally, one theme in the film that does not appear in the novel, is the conflict between taking part in the uprising versus developing a blossoming romance. In the song ‘ABC Café/Red and Black’ the criticality of working to change existing societal conditions is juxtaposed with the personal desirability of spending time with those one loves. It is an excellent exploration of the head against the heart in the context of an important moment in history.

While there are countless other thematic differences between both the media, those explored in this essay are the ones that I felt were most interesting and emphasised the differences in the films’ emotional focus compared to the novel’s societal critique through narrative.

It is my hope that you find this personal project informative interesting and it enhances your enjoyment of the show on Thursday.

Best Wishes

Tadhg