Les Miserables

[elijahlee]

Just recently watched Les Miserables, and I really enjoyed it. I thought it was also a really big development in the film industry, because of the different style of the movie. I really enjoyed the musical, and it actually helped me learn about the history of the French Revolution.

Anyways, connecting it back to English class, are there any connections you can make with anything in class? Or maybe just connect it with any themes you find in your own personal lives...

For me, I found the interesting connection of Javert to the society portrayed in A Doll's House. As the head of police, Javert has hammered into him the idea that the law is supreme. When there comes a case that makes him doubt this and his firm belief that any lawbreaker is corrupt completely and cannot be saved, he commits suicide because once his life-long held beliefs are shattered, he cannot continue to live with himself. Like this, when Nora finds that everything she thought of Helmer was wrong, all she finds the option to do is do the most drastic action, by leaving everything: her kids, her husband, and her whole life.

[stormy44]

OMGOMGOMGOMG I love Les Miserables <3333 The musical is way better but I liked the movie too.
Marius is so cute. Well...I guess I can connect him to Hector... Marius was in love with Cosette but he chose to stay with his guys at the barricade. Hector also loved his wife and son but decided to fight for his country.

[sarahlee2]

Both Les Miserables and the Greeks have a common idea of democracy. The French citizens were fighting for their rights and a democratic government. On the other hand, the Greeks have that democratic government where the citizens get their say in how they are ruled.

[delmanykkfs]

I feel like i should watch this movie Elijah. I read an article about this movie and it says its about democracy. I know that democracy first happened in Greece and Les Miserable has connection. I want to see how movie explains French people's desire to gain democracy.

[seongrae]

I also liked this movie because it was very different from other movies with singing. I can connect to the story of A Doll¡¯s House. In the movie, it showed clearly that the entire husband had power over their wife, and there are different kinds of classes. In the A Doll¡¯s House, man had also power over their wives and there were different class of people, like Torvald and Krogstad. Also, Javert¡¯s realization can be connected to Nora¡¯s realization about their past life.

[minchoi0923]

I loved Les Miserables as well! I watched it twice and I cried so much while I was watching the movie.. I think I cried even more because I was able to find connections to my personal life. In the movie, there is this interesting character Javert. I know a lot of people think Javert is such an evil person who cares nothing but the justice but I felt empathy for him because he reminded me so much of my dad. Javert spent his whole life chasing after the criminals. He believes that his actions are right because that is what the law says. Even during the movie he says that "I (Javert) am right and Jean ValJean is wrong". He is also a passionate Christian and he wants to follow God's words. But when he learns that maybe the law, which he has been believing it to be the absolute truth, he gets confused and commits suicide.
That is just like my father who always wants to follow the rules and gets confused when people, Jean valjean, seem to be praised by more people when he was the one who was actually obeying the rules. I don't know how to explain this but anyways, Javert just reminded me of my dad and made me cry so much.

[jessicashim2013]

This movie taught me "forgiveness" and "mercy." As the priest forgives Jean Valjean for stealing, Jean Valjin also forgives Javert even though Javert was trying to kill him. I learned that its not always right to punish someone for their wrong doings. When I used to do community service in the chunggok community center, the kids I taught were so disrespectful that I always had to yell at them. This movie reminded me of those kids. I think I should have tried to understand them and forgive them because they were still young. I bet there was a better way to communicate with them.

[julielu]

It reminded me about "Hancock" when I saw the transition of Jean Valjean. Jean Valjean changed his cynical personality after the priest saved him from the stealing incident. I suddenly connected this to Hancock who also became friendly after he fortunately met an honored person.

[minjaeyang]

Les Miserables is a movie that deals with the pain of the poor during the French Industrial Revolution. I think the theme of the movie is still relevant today. The poor today still suffer from all the pain that the movie shows. Although there is less people that are as miserable as in the movie, I believe the movie still sends a significant message.

[sarahlee4]

I think I can sort of relate the main character (idk how to spell his name) with Gilgamesh. Throughout the movie, its as if hes going throug an epic. He grows as a person as he later realizes the true meaning of life just as Gilgamesh later knew the true meaning of immortality.

[cesar]

hmmm I liked Les Miserables but I don't think it was this huge advancement in the industry. Musicals have always been there, just that this one was really well done and had an all-star cast. But anywho... The character I could mainly connect with in the movie was the young guy ( dont know his name and if I did remember it i'd probably butcher it anyways so yeah...). The conflict he had to deal with si something that I really find my self thinking about and dealing with. He doesn't really know what to do, he wants to do something that's bigger then himself and anyone one else, but at the same time he just wants to live his life and be happy, without having to worry about the world and what other want/expect of him.