“The Bishop’s Candlesticks” from Les Miserables
Victor Hugo
Characters (The excerpt)
Jean Valjean
The Bishop
Additional Characters (Movie)
Inspector Javert
Fantine
Cosette
Marius
Literary Elements
Point of View
Setting
Theme
Motif
Symbol
Year Born______Place ______
Championed the causes of ______
and ______.
Believed that the modern writer had a mission to ______
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Les Miserable is a ______
that encourages______
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“The Bishop’s Candlesticks” output
Why do you think Jean keeps asking the bishop if he understands who he is and what he has done?
In what way have his earlier experience shaped his attitude toward his potential host?
Why are trust and respect “like a glass of water to one of the shipwrecked”?
Why does Valjean violate the bishop’s trust and respect?
Were you surprised by the bishop’s actions at the end? Why or why not?
What is the significance of the candlesticks? What do they symbolize to Jean Valjean?
Les Miserables movie Output Which characters are depicted in the following pictures? What concept about 17th Century France and modern society do they symbolize?
Point of View / Setting / Themes / MotifsLes Miserables movie Output
What do you think this story says about people rising from the bottom of society?
Why do you think the inspector was so obsessed with capturing Jean?
Why do you think the inspector chose to kill himself?
Who do you think is responsible for the problems of the poor and homeless? Themselves?The government?Society in general? Why?
Can you name outcasts of our society? How are these “Les Miserables” treated?
Journal and Writing Topics
Hugo attempted to convince his audience that the poor and the outcast are worth saving. In our society, is this belief commonly held? Why or why not?
Should all crimes be punished in the same way? Should the reason behind a crime have anything to do with the punishment?
Have you ever had anything stolen form you? How did it make you feel? Would it have mattered if someone had stolen from you to feed his/her family?
Have you ever been “pre-judged” because of the way you look, dress or think? Have you yourself ever felt prejudice toward an outcast? Why?
Look down and see the beggars at your feet
Look down and show some mercy if you can
Look down and see
The sweeping of the street
Look down, look down
Upon your fellow man!
“Now every door is closed to me
Another jail, another key, another chain
For when I come to any town
They check my papers
And they find the mark of Cain.”
“You are right, Sir, when you say that Les Miserables is written for a universal audience. I don’t know whether it will be ready by everyone, but it is meant for everyone.”
–Victor Hugo