Preface Post

Katie Hines

12/19/2012

Block 4

Preface Post (I turned my preface in to you on my test)

So long as there shall exist, by reason of law and custom, a social condemnation, which, in the face of civilization, artificially creates hells on earth, and complicates a destiny that is divine, with human fatality; so long as the three problems of the age—the degradation of man by poverty, the corruption of women by starvation, and the crippling of childhood by lack of light—are not solved; so long as asphyxia shall be possible; in other words, and from a yet more extended point of view, so long as ignorance and misery remain on earth, books like this cannot be useless.~Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables

In this preface, Victor Hugo is trying to convey the two main problems and themes in Les Miserables: ignorance and poverty. Jean Valjean is degraded and judged by the citizens of the town he is released in, for the people do not trust this convict and believe he is “less than”. Being misled into thinking her daughter is sick and needs money for medicine, Fantine must sell her hair, must sell her teeth, and finally, must sell her body. Little Cossette is neglected and segregated from the other children, being treated worse than a mutt. As long as there are corrupt, ignorant beings rotting up the earth, and problems of poverty and acts of cruelty, Les Miserables will always have much to teach us.