1. Reaction Paper on Les Miserables
"The awakening of conscience is the greatness of soul.
Jean Valjean was born with poverty as his twin brother. He had lived with it, thus making him so attracted to its powerful magnet and pulling him towards starvation, which compels him to steal a loaf of bread. Only attempting to ease the hunger of his beloved, he fell into a deeper abyss of darkness - he was doomed to live the nineteen years in the galleys. The human that he is was converted to only a number, 24601, to be called out in the waking and sleeping hours of his life. In the galleys, he learned to struggle to live and to escape its protruding claws of gloom. Fortunately, in his release, he met Monsieur Myriel who helped him change the monster in him into an angel that can touch others" life.
This was the first transformation of Jean Valjean. It was not a mere transformation of something inside Jean but a great renovation of everything in him. It is not a single transformation but a start for a series of renovation of his disfigured soul. From a notorious criminal and a futile number, he became an honorable man; from an ordinary human to a no less than a saint. Although he had spent many of his dark hours in the galleys, he still learned, experienced and accepted forgiveness and, most of all, love. He experienced the greatest of all emotions that is love. However, the path he took to gain these powerful gifts of God did not become an easy way. He lost his grand position of a mayor to reveal his real self in saving Champmathieu, an innocent man whom they accuse as Jean Valjean. He lost his dear Cosette to make her happy with Marius. It just reveals to us that the track towards light is not a very easy one. To be able to cross it is to surpass challenges along the way. Jean Valjean did so and thus, he was rewarded of its glory.
On the other hand, Javert always come in the way when Jean Valjean is already all right in his quiet and peaceful life.