Les Miserables
Victor Hugo
Les Misérables reveals Victor Hugo's commentary on the social issues of his time. Jean Valjean begins as a hardened convict, but through his struggles to remain virtuous during his conflicts with Fantine, Cosette, Marius, Javert, and Thenardier, Hugo shows how even the lowliest among us — the homeless, the hungry, the destitute, in short, the misérables — have something important to contribute to society and are therefore worth saving.