Les Miserables And Cosette

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”(Albert Schweitzer) In both of the novels Les Miserables and Jane Eyre, there were characters who sparked ideas and philosophies for the others in the story, as well as the sparking ideas for the reader. In Jane Eyre, one of the most influential characters in the whole stories was Helen Burns, and in Les Miserables an important central character is that of Cosette. These two supporting characters have a variety of similarities. Helen Burns and Cosette are similar in that they are a bright light to those around them, optimistic through whatever life throws their way,
Throughout the blatantly depressing story of Les Miserables, Cosette’s life has some of the few bright and blissful moments we see in the entire book. For example, when the protagonist, Jean Valjean rescues Cosette or when she and Marius become married, we are reminded that not everything that happened to the characters was miserable. Cosette was a light to Jean Valjean because she was the pride and joy of his life and the only thing he believed he did right was rescuing and parenting her. Her long golden hair, shines bright and reminds Jean Valjean, of Cosette’s mother Fantine and the hope he has of heaven. Cosette is also a sign of the hope for a better tomorrow. Whenever the reader sees her, they cannot help but hope she and Marius will live happy lives together in the future despite the bitter endings of the other characters. A similar character, whose bright golden hair symbolizes the hope of a better tomorrow, is the revolutionist leader Enjolras, who wants nothing more than for every man to be free of inequality and surrounded by citizens with pride in their countries
Cosette did not grow up with any accurate information regarding her mother. She was constantly mistreated by the Inn Keepers with them not treating her as an equal to their other children, making her do extra chores around the house, as well as not feeding her enough or providing her with the proper necessities of a growing girl. Once she was rescued by Jean Valjean and lived under his custody, although life was happier for Cosette, she still lived a life in hiding her entire childhood. Throughout Cosette’s childhood, she had no choice where she