Saved by Love
Even though love can’t make a person succeed in life sometimes, Victor Hugo uses the theme of compassion to show that a person’s life can be changed in a positive way. To begin with, Marius saves his neighbor, the Jondrettes, from being homeless by paying the rent for them. After the old women tells Marius why the Jondrettes are getting kicked out, Marius sympathetically offers, “‘Here… There are twenty –five francs. Pay for these poor people give them twenty-five francs, and do not tell them it is from me”’ (Hugo 186). This explains that Marius is being compassionate to his neighbors by paying their rent of twenty francs without letting them know. When Marius pays the Jondrettes’ rent, he changes their lives back to normal from getting it worse. Another example is that Jean Valjean (JVJ) takes away Cosette from the cruel Thenardiers. As soon as JVJ gives fifteen hundred francs to Thenardiers and takes Cosette away from them, love and compassion occurs between them.
Cosette walked seriously along opening her large eyes, and looking at the sky… She felt somewhat as she were near a God… She did not complain but she was tired. He took her in his arms; Cosette, without letting go of Catharine laid her head on JVJ’s shoulder, and went to sleep. (Cosette Supplement 157).
This shows that Cosette is being taken away the from Thenardiers and brought into the good side of the life. It means Cosette sees hope within him. When Cosette felt as if she were near a God, it shows JVJ’s love and compassion bringing Cosette life into the positive side of the life. In conclusion, showing love and compassion JVJ and Marius creates positive change in other characters’ lives.