-Thoughts on Reading Les Miserables
In the dark cell, a ragged prisoner sat alone in pain and at a loss. At the age of 25, he was sentenced to 19 years of hard labor just because poverty and hunger broke a piece of glass and stole a piece of bread. In the dark and humid prison, only a ray of light shone on his desperate face through the cracks in the wall.
This unfortunate prisoner is Jean Valjean, the hero of the most famous work Les Miserables by Hugo, a great French realist writer. His misfortune made him hate the law, no longer trust anyone, take revenge on the society, and his character became grumpy and withdrawn. However, just as Jean Valjean gave up this society, the benevolent bishop Bienvenu, the messenger of Christ, awakened the furious Jean Valjean with his kindness and generosity. Instead of ignoring Jean Valjean's stealing of his silverware, he gave him the pair of silver candlesticks and said to him, "Promise me that I will use the money in a good way. Sell these silverware and use the money to make yourself better. " He repented thoroughly and changed his name to Madeleine, abandoning evil and starting a new life. ...
When he was mayor, he owned countless properties. He donated most of his money to charities and the poor, so when he went out, his pockets were always full of money. When he came back, they were all empty. Besides, he often gives bread to the hungry, clothes to the cold and visits the poor everywhere. To the poor, he is an umbrella and the embodiment of justice.
An old man was pinned under a car, and the weight of the whole car was on his chest. At this time, unless someone lifts the car from below, he can't be saved. Who has so much power? Everyone knows that only a wanted convict, Jean Valjean, has such great power. Jean Valjean, the then "mayor of Madeleine", was by his side, but if he went to save him, he would admit that he was Jean Valjean; But if we don't save him, or hesitate for a few minutes, the old man will die. At this critical moment, he saved the old man at the risk of being recognized.
Another old man was wrongly replaced by Jean Valjean because he looked like Jean Valjean, and was arrested. When Jean Valjean, the mayor of Madeleine, knew this, he hesitated again, because he knew that the real Jean Valjean was himself! But if he doesn't admit it, no one else will know. Besides, he is a big "mayor", and the old man is just a useless man over half a year old. But when the old man was declared guilty, he publicly admitted that he was Jean Valjean! To this end, he gave up all the status and glory he had gained, and saved this unrelated man at the expense of re-entering the prison where he stayed for 19 years!
In order to realize a poor prostitute Fantine's wish to see her own daughter before she died, he did not hesitate to escape from prison again (this time, it was the price of a lifelong convict for him). Although Fantine finally died without realizing her wish, he persistently fulfilled his promise to Fantine, an irrelevant dead man, and finally rescued Cosette and took care of her as his own daughter with all his life energy.
In order not to let some strangers get hurt, he took risks again and again, exposed the identity of the convict, and was targeted by Changsha Wei, the faithful guardian of the dark society at that time. For Cosette's happiness, he lived a miserable life in hiding, and finally Cosette got her own happiness, and he died peacefully. ...
After reading this book, I was moved and suddenly realized that there is still light and warmth in such a dark and cold world! What I can't forget in particular is that when the revolutionary insurgent Enjolras found Javert, a loyal lackey of the dark government, and asked Jean Valjean to kill him, Jean Valjean untied him and let him go. I admire this and I doubt it. Javert's pursuit made Jean Valjean hide in hiding and spend most of his life in fear. Why didn't he take this opportunity to get rid of this evil man? Until the end of reading: Javert realized his mistake, that the society in which black and white were reversed was not what he defended, and committed suicide by jumping into the river in despair under the impact of good and evil. I realized that he was calling back the deep conscience of people living in that tragic world through his love, tolerance and noble soul!
Maybe it is difficult for us to change others, but we can change ourselves, make our hearts bright, treat everyone around us with kindness and love, and give them more warmth with our hearts, and the world will be full of sunshine of love.