Victor Hugo's Les Miserables
by: Penne Russell, St. Mary's Dominican High School, New Orleans, LA
Summary | Introduction | Objectives | Student Activities | Assessment | References | Conclusion
English II Honors (9th and 10th grade), 9 weeks project, Combination of Individual and Group Activity
The following project is designed for female students who are reading Victor Hugo's abridged version of Les Miserables, translated by Charles E. Wilbour. Although it primarily incorporates the use of technology, this project can be customized to be completed without technology. The students should be able to complete the project for the duration of a nine-week period. The ideal group of students consists of five groups of five students.
The Les Miserables project enables the students to incorporate both their composition and literature skills. The composition assignments are "reflections" which require students to go beyond the plot of the story and make inferences about the characters and their symbolic meanings. They must use what they know about the plot and the characters (and incorporate this information where necessary), but these assignments call on students to make judgments and voice their own feelings. The visual activities must combine the students' composition reflections with multimedia collaboration.
The Les Miserables multimedia project will enable students to individually read and interpret the novel, collectively explore many facades of technology, focus on important themes and ideas in the novel, and express them through writing and visual activities. Because the soundtrack of the musical Les Miserables is readily available to most teachers, students can also discover a music appreciation that directly relates to their reading.
Previous to the reading of the novel, each group of students will research various Internet sites regarding the following aspects of the time period: (1) Reign of Terror (2) Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's dictatorship (3) American Revolution of 1775-1783 (4) French Romantic Movement (5) Victor Hugo and his political views. First, they will use the attached Internet Site Evaluation Form to evaluate and cite three Internet sites. Using Power Point, they will present their findings to the class at the beginning of the quarter in order to serve as a historical reference throughout the interpretation of the novel.
Students will receive a bookmark with the due dates to complete each section of the novel, "Fantine," "Cosette," "Marius," "St. Denis," and "Jean Valjean." Each student will maintain a Reader-Response journal for each of the five sections. For the section's due date, the student must transfer her responses into the following written reflections in standard typed MLA format for heading, spacing, margins and any documentation.
Section One "Fantine" How did society turn its back on Jean Valjean? How did the Bishop of Digne help Jean Valjean?
Section Two "Cosette" Describe Fantine's efforts to make a life for herself and her child and how society and specific individuals contribute to her destruction.
Section Three "Marius" Explain the beliefs that were instilled into Marius Pontmercy as a young child and how these beliefs changed as he learned more about himself and his country. Finally, explain how his association with the Friends of the ABC caused Marius to question these new-found beliefs.
Section Four "St. Denis" Reflect on these words spoken by Enjolras: "This barricade is made neither of paving stones, nor of timbers, nor of iron; it is made of two mounds, a mound of ideas and a mound of sorrows." Choose two of the characters who exemplify this statement and explain why they became involved in the insurrection at the barricade.
Section Five "Jean Valjean" In a critical study of Les Miserables from 1974, John Porter Houston pointed out that Jean Valjean's "self-redemption is accomplished through saving others." Chose one episode of the novel and explain how Jean did save someone else from harm or evil and how this action brought him closer to God and a more moral existence.
Upon completion of the previous individual activity, the groups must communicate with each other on a weekly basis via email in order to collaborate on the following questions:
Group A: Discuss the theme "society's struggle toward a greater good."
Group B: Which character is most believable as a realistic person? Why? Which is the least? Why?
Group C: Does Victor Hugo believe that man is basically good or basically evil?
Group D: Explain how Javert's character is a symbol. What does Hugo try to say about society through Javert's actions and fate?
Group E: Discuss the theme of good versus evil.
Each group will complete a "team paper," answering the group's question. This section of the project may include references to any song from the musical, Les Miserables.
Each of aspect of the assignment should be evaluated based on the following criteria:
The PowerPoint presentation must include ten slides. The title slide must contain the students' names and group number. The second slide must include a "focus statement" that has guided the students throughout their research. Students must then incorporate their material with at least five pictures, five special effects and three sound bites. The last slide must list all sources consulted throughout the research.
The second part of the project solely depends on each student's reading of the novel. Each student must respond based on her own interpretation of the novel, but must also include specific support from the novel. Since opinions comprise most of the answers, the evaluation relies on the validity of the answers.
Throughout the reading of the novel, each student must email her group members everyother week--a "week" begins on Monday and ends on Sunday--for six weeks. This time span should allow each student to touch on each section of the novel. Consequently, all individual messages must be printed and given to the teacher on a Monday. Each message must contain (1) a specific question based upon the plot (2) specific information synthesized from any previous question (3) ongoing textual support of the group's project (4) reference to the historical background (5) reference to anything that the student enjoyed reading. Naturally, anything referred to in the novel must contain the page number. The only aspect of this section that can be similar to others' responses is #3. Each focus of the email message is worth five points, totaling a twenty-five point quiz grade.
The students must collectively combine their research into a "team" paper. Each essay must be three pages in length and supported by documented excerpts of the novel. At least five pictures from the musical or any film production must be scanned into the paper and printed with a color printer for clarity. Credit must be given to any source used. The following brief summations are solely my responses to the above questions and focus on how I teach the novel. Answers will change based upon the teaching style. Some details that can be included in the questions include
A.) Victor Hugo presents two methods of reforming human beings: through society and through God. Naturally, Hugo advocates reform through God. Because society harshly punished Valjean before the novel begins, Valjean must rehabilitate himself through France's standards. Hugo does advocate that man is perfectible. Yet, according to the law of the land, the process takes awhile. On the other hand, the bishop grants Valjean instant forgiveness. He allows Valjean to start again, as God instructs. Hugo also advocates the revolution that would assist the betterment of society. Many critics have pointed out that the character Marius parallels Hugo.
B.) How believable a character is directly relates to our society. Because our society understands selfishness, Thenardier is probably the most believable character. He works solely for his survival, only considering others when he profits from them. The little amount of altruism we experience in our society encompasses the unconditional love between a mother and her child. Therefore, Fantine is also a believable character because of the measures she goes through to sacrifice for her child. Valjean is the least believable character because of how selfless he appears to be. How could someone so evil become so pure? Javert is another less believable character due to his strictness of abiding the law. We have become so independent and have proclaimed freedom of speech that we find it difficult to understand how someone could be brainwashed into the unconditional devotion of the law--God's or man's.
C.) Victor Hugo presents man existing as basically good or basically evil; man cannot be both good and evil. Students may go in either direction as long as they support their claims. They may use Fantine and Javert as examples of man being evil. Although their earthly intentions are good (Fantine: supporting Cosette; Javert: upholding the law), their methodologies are extreme. Hugo questions his readers, "How extreme a measure must a person go through in order to be considered 'good'?" He supports his claim all the way through Fantine and Javert's death--both die a tormenting, physically or emotionally, death.
On the other hand, Jean Valjean is basically good. His intention that sent him to the Galleys before the novel begins was good. It was the rehabilitation process that sent Valjean into a negative state. Through constant struggle against the perils of society, he maintains his goodness. Hugo rewards his behavior through the support of God, especially during the last moments of Jean Valjean's life.
D.) Victor Hugo used his novel as a piece of propaganda. Hugo incorporates his political beliefs through his characters, especially Javert. Javert represents the law of France and his strict adherence to the rules parodies the commanding generals of Hugo's time. Javert's obsession to the law, the supreme law of land, eventually destroys him. His closed-minded beliefs does not allow him to listen to others' point of view, especially Jean Valjean's. It is when Javert inadvertently listens to Jean Valjean that he begins to realize how another supreme being, God, prevails. This revelation forces Javert to question his reason for living, thus driving him to kill himself. Javert's character speaks loudly to the readers and serves as a warning to France of what has happened to society.
E.) Victor Hugo touches on a number of dilemmas that Jean Valjean must face during the course of the novel. The theme of good verses evil can be based upon a moral sub-consciousness:
* the dilemma of bishop theft
* the dilemma of saving Champmathieu and Marius
* the dilemma of killing Javert
* the dilemma of forgiving Marius and telling Marius the truth about "Jean Valjean"
For the less advanced students:
Because I must teach less advanced students also, I have
customized the entire teaching of the novel, aside from the
historical background, for these students. They receive the same
bookmark for keeping them on task throughout the quarter, but
they must have more teacher-student interaction. Therefore, I
give the students questions that guide them throughout the entire
novel. These questions, along with vocabulary words, are due on
the section's due date. I also give the students reading quizzes.
We can then have classroom discussions in order for me to guide
them to a complete understanding of the novel. If any educator
would like a copy of these quizzes, or any objective tests that I
have, please email me.
The tools used to design this project were discovered through a number of collaborative meetings with English teachers at St. Mary's Dominican High School. With these efforts, I have designed an assignment that I feel is best suited for our female students.
I also have designed other projects that serve as extra credit opportunities for a nine-week period. Listed below are two of these projects:
* Complete a visual activity based upon the five sections of the novel. As students read, they should select two favorite, important quotations from the section and creatively print them on two separate unlined paper. On another sheet of paper, she should type the quotation at the top of the page and below it, explain the significance of the quotation in one brief paragraph. The answer must explain: To what does the quotation refer? How does it relate to a particular character, setting, and theme? What kind of language device is used, if applicable?
* Compose a written description of an assigned character (from each of the five sections) in one complete paragraph, properly introduced and concluded. Prepare a visual representation of the character and symbolic items/artifacts associated with him/her. This representation can be drawn or may be constructed using a collage of photographs. NOTE: For Section Four, "St. Denis," students should select one character that is involved with the revolution at the barricades.
* "Victor Hugo's stirring novel of redemption and revolution is brought to life by the artistry of director Bille August and his brilliant cast [including Liam Neeson, Goeffrey Rush, Uma Thurman, and Claire Danes]." Once you have completed the novel, evaluate the film to determine if it is an accurate depiction of Hugo's novel. Your essay should not retell the story through the pointing out of random similarities/differences. Instead, it must evaluate the film through the presentation of properly documented evidence from both sources.
Les Miserables, the
musical, Official Home Page
http://www.lesmis.com/
Adam's
Les Miserables Page
http://www.geocities.com/~adlesmis/
*background of module found
here!
By incorporating this project into a Louisiana high school classroom, educators can target all of the content standards:
Students read, comprehend, and respond to a range of materials, using a variety of strategies for different purposes.
Students write competently for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Students communicate using standard English grammar, usage, sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and handwriting.
Students demonstrate competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning and communicating.
Students locate, select, and synthesize information from a variety of texts, media, references, and technological sources to acquire and communicate knowledge.
Students read, analyze, and respond to literature as a record of life experiences.
Students apply reasoning and problem solving skills to reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and visually representing.
©
Penne Russell, penne312@yahoo.com
TECH 2000, December 11, 1999.