Novel Card: Les Miserables
T-Title: Les Miserables
A-Author: Victor Hugo
G-Genre: novel; social commentary
1. Title of the Novel with an explanation of the significance
of the title.
a. Les Miserables: the miserable; novel is about the
social commentary of how society views the
miserable ones; the miserable ones: the poor,
depressed, alienated
2. Characters (at least the main ones who show up
repeatedly) with identifiers (major, minor) (stock, static,
dynamic) and major characteristics
a. Jean Valjean: major;
i. dynamic;
ii. stock: seeker of redemption;
iii. sacrificial; generous; kind; honest;
b. Javert: major
i. static=because he could not change his
values which is why he killed himself;
ii. stock: self-thought righteousness; law
iii. ignorant; blind obsession with the law;
c. Cosette: major
i. Static
ii. Stock: Maiden=love; purity; hope;
innocence
iii. Happy; beautiful; kind; loving;
d. Marius: major
i. Dynamic
ii. Stock: regret of the aristocracy; selfish
sacrifice
iii. Selfish; handsome; charming; intelligent;
naïve; idealist
3. Protagonist with a detailed character explanation
including any major characteristic developments, flaws,
and praiseworthy traits.
a. Jean Valjean
i. Bishop: provides him with a bed (gives him
compassion); gives him a second chance at
redemption when he lets him go with the
silver; rewards him with the candlesticks
and all he asks is that he becomes an honest
man
ii. Monsieur Madeleine:
1. Saves Fauchelevent
2. Gives the county prosperity
4. Antagonist with an explanation including conflict with
protagonist and major character traits.
5. Other important minor characters with an explanation
6. Plot Sequence
a. Exposition
b. Rising Action
c. Climax
d. Falling Action
e. Denouement/resolution
7. Main Conflict(s) with explanation including identifying
man vs man, man vs nature etc.
8. At least five major theme ideas
9. Any major symbols, ideologies, morals, and
events/allusions.
10.
Lease favorite thing and favorite thing about the
book with rationales.