my padlet by Rilling, Adelyn

Jean Val Jean- Jason Mamoa

adelynrilling — 2025-06-04 15:55:42 UTC

There is a lot to unpack when it comes to Jean Val Jean. We see much social and emotional development from this character. He is first introduced as a family man. He then steals a loaf of bread and ends up in prison. While there, we see his harsh side come out. He earns the name “Jean the Jackscrew” and becomes as strong as 4men. He is very rude and reserved while there. During his time in prison, he is often seen in tense battles with his conscience. This is when we start to see his character really come out. Once he is out of jail, he has a really hard time fitting back in. He meets the bishops, his first “friend” but quickly reverts to his old habits and steals his prized silver spoons. Thankfully the bishop covers for him. The bishop then strikes Jean Val Jean a deal- spoons for soul- Jean is now faced with his first huge decision. He decides to sell his soul to the bishop. This is the main turning point in Jean's life. After this, Jean tries to change his story, he saves the children from a burning house. He enjoys the feeling of being needed and accepted in the aftermath of this event. He fully changes in this scene. Soon after, a lady approached him with a suggestion to become mayor. After careful consideration, Jean obliges and changes his name to Madeline to “leave the past in the past”. Jean is a great mayor and does many amazing things. One of his factories close and he meets a woman. Her name is Fantine. Fantine becomes his closest friend and his first relationship with no hierarchy. Unfortunately, she dies and this breaks him. He is convicted again to save a boy who is charged as his old self. This shows how honorable he is. He then escapes through the water and goes on a mission to save Fantine's child. He pays a great deal to save Cossette from the Thenardier’s. He risks everything for her and raises her as his own. But he can't escape from his past. Every day he is haunted by who he was and feels guilty. Cossette is exactly what he needed to fill the gap in his heart. He becomes whole while with her. Then, Cossette falls in love with Marius. Jean is against the relationship and moves Cossette again. He really needed the connection she gave him and is totally emotionally dependent on her even if she doesn't realize it. When she and Marius reconnect, this is a bullet in his heart. Even though his hatred for Marius is apparent, he still risks his life for the boy. We see Jean's social skills grow exponentially here. he realizes that even though e would love nothing more than for this boy to die, it would ruin his only love Cossette. When Cossette and Marius get married , he is devastated. He falls into shambles after this. His only joy is seeing her, and Marius tries to take this away after finding out about his past. Once Jean is completely shut out, he loses a reason to live. He is in a dark place and cannot function. Once the duo realizes their mistake, it's too late, Jean is in so much heartbreak that his body gives out and he passes from a literal broken heart. His external characteristics are much simpler. He is built like a beast, as previously mentioned, and has long brown hair.

Cossette- Mackenna Grace

adelynrilling — 2025-06-04 15:58:18 UTC

When we were first introduced to Cossette, we knew her as a small but steady girl. Inside, Cossette is very, very strong. At the young age of eight, she is already working Very hard daily and is given tasks that most eight-year-olds cannot handle. As we see Cossette grow up, we see her personality grow. She goes from being a quieter kid to being more outgoing, eventually meeting the love of her life, Marius. Being around Marius lights a spark in her. She does become a little less bossy during her time with Marius. He limits her time with her father, and she agrees without a fight. She ends up regretting this just a little too late.

Fantine - Mircea Monroe

adelynrilling — 2025-06-04 16:09:37 UTC

While we don't know much about Fantine's appearance other than that she was a prostitute, we do know quite a few things about her heart. Fantine would give anything for Cossette. She worked tiredly, doing anything to get some money to send to the Thenardiers. She sold her body for Cossette and loved her with her whole heart. She was strong willed, Caring, and honorable. She didn't deserve to go out the way she did and will forever be missed by Jean and Cossette.

Monsieur Thenardier- Sylvester Stallone

adelynrilling — 2025-06-05 16:50:27 UTC

I absolutely despise this character. He is greedy and sneaky and everything a villain is. He plays Jean Val Jean for money, making excuses after excuse. He is very cruel to young Cossette and treats her terribly. We don't know anything about his features, but you can assume that he would always have a sly grin on his face. The is an ungrateful and rude person who should have never been allowed to house Cossette.

Madame Thenardier- Annie Wersching

adelynrilling — 2025-06-05 16:51:34 UTC

We mainly know the external characteristics of Madame Thenardier. She has red hair and is very skinny. She is tall and has very, very big lips. She also dresses very pristinely at all times. As for her internal features, they are very similar to Monsieur Thenardier. She is very greedy and hateful and as well as Monsieur she is very, very rude to Cossette and treats her unfairly. She would often send her into the woods or put her in the dark in order to scare her. She treated Cossette like a slave. She used her illnesses as an excuse for Cossette’s hard labor but in reality, she was just a horrible person. She should have never been approved to house such a sweet young girl.

The Bishop- Christian Slater

adelynrilling — 2025-06-05 16:57:18 UTC

The Bishop is the first person to fully accept Jean for who he is. He isn't judgmental when they first meet and is even selfless enough to give up his bed for the stranger that turned out to be Jean Val Jean. This is also evident in him switching houses to better meet the needs of the hospital. From the second they met, he was always so kind and generous. He had faith that Jean could rewrite his story and he was right! I believe that the story of Jean Val Jean couldn't have operated without him. His heart is truly unmatched. After having spoons stolen from them, especially silver ones, most people would have immediately gone to the police, reporting the theft, but The Bishop took pity on Jean and lied. These spoons were very dear to his heart and he gave them up for Jean, in return for his soul. What a wonderful display of kindness.

Father Fauchelevent - Kurt Fuller

adelynrilling — 2025-06-06 16:01:16 UTC

While Father Fauchelevent isn't a very seen character in the book, I believe that his presence impacts the book a lot. Through him is one of the ways that we see Jean Val Jean really grow as a person. Even though Father Fauchelevent had some sort of resentment against Jean Val Jean, he did in fact save him from under that cart, and he expected no reward in return. Father Fauchelevent eventually returns this favor by letting him stay in the convent with him by pretending he is his brother. This allows for Cossette to get schooled by the nuns and for Jean Valjean to have a steady job and to be away from expect Inspector Javert. I believe that Father Fauchelevent never meant to hurt anyone with his criticisms and was just a normal guy trying to survive in a cruel world.

Inspector Javert - Giovanni Ribsi

adelynrilling — 2025-06-06 16:02:05 UTC

Victor Hugo describes Javert as a man with a bullet shaped head and grin like a wolf after it's prey. He is a very sneaky and mischievous character. He will go to great lengths to capture Jean, most notably when he dressed as a beggar to trick Jean. He starts the book as a heartless man, but by the end, his conscience starts to blossom and he realizes his past isn't all that it should be. After being mercied by Jean, Javert could have responded one of two ways, kill or excuse. He made up a third way. Surrender. I believe that his suicide was just. He would have had a hard life filled with guilt and doesn't seem like a man with a very strong emotional hold.

Marius- Harris Dickenson

adelynrilling — 2025-06-06 16:07:57 UTC

Marius is a villain in this story. The young laws student ruins Jean’s and Cossette’s relationship eventually leading to Jean’s death of heartbreak. While he and Cossette’s original love story is like one from a movie, it turns into one under his control. He has unnecessary control over her. Marius is very ungrateful to Jean. After hearing of his past, he immediately shuts him out, unbeknownst to the fact that Jean saved his life. Once he realizes, it's too late, the damage is done, he killed his lover’s father.