The lifelong struggles of one man - Jean Valjean - and the people whose lives were affected by him. This complex story, with multiple ties in amongst itself, is Les Miserables.
Jean Valjean was sent to the Toulon prison in France for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's family. He attempted to escape from prison five times, which led to a 19-year sentence, and had finally been discharged. In prison, he became bitter at mankind and left it convinced that he was a condemned man.
Because of his convict status, he had a hard time trying to find food and shelter in the town of Digne, France. Finally, an old woman directed him to a house adjoining a church, where Monseigneur Bienvenu resided. Monseigneur Bienvenu was a bishop, and his kindness had earned him a reputation in the community. The only luxury items that he had in the house were some fine silver plates and candleholders, which he did not keep locked up. Valjean stole the candleholders in the middle of the night, and Monseigneur Bienvenu concluded that Valjean needed them more than he did.
When Valjean was caught in the morning and brought to Monseigneur Bienvenu, he explained that he had given Valjean the candleholders, but he had forgotten the plates. This selfless act started a transformation in Valjean, and turned him into an honest man. He moves to a town called "M-sur-m" and invents a popular glass trinket (called "jet work") that supplies jobs for the town. He, under the name of Madeleine does a lot for the town by the way of selfless deeds, and is eventually dubbed mayor. He even rescues a man who was pinned underneath his cart, and was adored by the town.
In 1817, a student named Fantine falls madly in love with a boy named Tholomyes. She was heartbroken when he left her because she was pregnant with his child. After 2 years of caring for her daughter Cosette, she succumbs to the fact that she cannot support the both of them, and returns to her hometown of M-sur-m.