The modern world has become increasingly corrupted and dangerous due to many different reasons. Among them are issues such as the characteristics of different societies and environmental conditions. These contributions to society caused many people to feel that evil and corruption can never be driven away, and that those who are filled with these qualities could never be renewed into a better person, therefore, should be turned away. However, in Victor Hugo's novel, Les Miserables, Hugo contradicts this belief through the life of one man, Jean Valjean. Valjean demonstrated the belief of Hugo that an immoral and corrupt person can be changed into a life of fulfillment and righteousness through love and compassion and would then help others just as he was helped.
After Valjean has been released from prison, he was portrayed as a disregard for society. He had lived so far as a man who saw no hope and love from anyone and so, gave others the same feeling. Valjean did not even feel any remorse for stealing from the bishop who had fed and gave him lodgings. However, Valjean was stirred when the bishop pardoned him of his crime and prevented him from returning to prison. Through this action, Valjean turned to the repentance of all his past sins, where "what happened to him at the bishop's, his last action all this returned and appeared to him, clearly, but in a light that he had never seen before. He beheld his life and it seemed to him horrible however, a softened light [was] upon that life and upon that soul" (Hugo 38). Valjean had never believed that another person would ever show goodness upon him since he was tainted by his past. The bishop's forgiveness allowed Valjean to see the new life that he could hold on to. Furthermore, Cosette "was the second white vision he had seen. The bishop had caused the dawn of virtue on his horizon. Cosette evoked the dawn of love- (Hugo 123). The love he felt and received from Cosette helped him to show love and compassion for other people regardless of his past life.