#1.7.4

1.7.4

It is interesting to me that just before the momentous decision, Valjean enters a dream like liminal space and since Hugo rarely puts in things in the book without any meaning or symbolism, this dream also seems heavily symbolic.

I do like the way that Hugo uses colours and light dark imagery throughout the book, so the use or lack of colours is noticeable, as @kingedmundsroyalmurder mentioned in the last chapter’s analysis.

On the face value it is the dream of an uneasy soul, so it is mixed full of stuff from things he is occupied with, on the other hand it is in typical Hugo fashion, full of symbolism. I was struck by everything turning/being brown as a metaphor for gardening linked to bishop Myriel.  Myriel’s gardening brings out the best in people, here everything is barren, there is no grass or greenery because Valjean has not yet made his decision and chose the path which would seem the right thing.

While the brother seems like it could be his actual brother, but it mostly seems to be a reference to Champmatheiu or to just a general person, who could be his brother.

The random connection to Romainville is brought up yet again, showing how stuff from his preoccupation is filtering through to his dream. The only thing I can find on Romainville is that the Albin from two chapters ago, might be a reference to Claude Geaux, and if so, it is a throwback to Hugo’s old story and also perhaps something that Valjean is stressing over, the idea of going to prison.

It is a metaphorical burial for Valjean and seeing the people with the earth coloured faces reminds him of that, of being buried, although it could also be a reminder of a sort of purgatory/punishment if he chooses to let Champmatheiu, his brother, suffer, which is probably why the people are not talking to him.

 1.7.5

His fevered dream is contrasted with his actions of hurrying as if someone’s life is dependent on it. He still hasn’t made a decision, because it is not quite an easy choice to return to prison, choosing to save the life of Champmatheiu does not come to him lightly/easily, however, his actions are still moving in that direction, even without having made up his mind, as if maybe he is on auto-pilot. He must go to Arras, just in case, he must make all the arrangements just in case, even if a part of him would rather not. I do like the way Hugo has depicted Valjean’s trauma throughout, after being released from prison and understandably he does not wish to return to it by going back to prison.

He’s still carrying that tempest in his skull with him on the road. Hugo’s use of colours is so sparse and purposeful, most of the time he is sticking to black and white imagery in these and previous chapters to make a very not so subtle point between the two decisions his soul must make. Even Providence seems to help him slightly in this, with the broken wheel, which cannot be fixed till the next day, and Valjean has his excuse, hasn’t he done everything he humanely could to get to Arras and save Champmatheiu, this is a sign from God, that he must stay behind, he has done enough. However, he still goes above and beyond, because this like Fantine’s situation is a matter of a personal guilt for him. He had been personally involved in the wrong committed to Fantine and here it is his name that Champmathieu will be buried under in prison and he must follow the bishop's example.

But Providence does intervene again and Valjean, being all too much human, fails to be generous to the boy who found him a substitute cart, when he had been so free with his money to Monsieur Scaufflaire and the wheel mender, revealing his anger/annoyance at the boy, which the boy did not deserve. Valjean does not seem to be making very wise choices in terms of money in these chapters, which is understandable as he is occupied by other issues.

Even his bread is bitter, a sign that he has not yet made the right choice, which he should have. And the changing twilight, ushers in the thoughts (all the light symbolism again), with light/darkness being contrasted with life and its passing culminating in a mixing of light and darkness in the form of an eclipse, after the radiance. The light and dark imagery keeps following Valjean, throughout his journey, ending in darkness closing around him.

1.7.6

You know, it’s really hard to remember that Fantine is a really young mother and is only 25, she’s been through so much and now is sinking under the weight of the illness, that it always seems to me that she must be so much older. Fantine looks forward to Madeleine’s visits and is disappointed when he does not visit her. 

It is interesting to see that Fantine gets better treatment from Hugo than Chantesfleury in NDdP, another mother, who was a prostitute, elevated by her motherhood and ended up a permanent invalid due to having her daughter taken from her.

Fantine misses Cosette greatly, singing the lullaby for her, a scene tainted with sadness. Knowing how much Fantine misses Cosette and how much a loss of hope would be to Fantine to be told that Cosette is not coming, Simplice makes a guess because being blunt with the truth would have killed Fantine, and tells her that Madeleine has gone to fetch Cosette. For all she knows he could have gone for Cosette, because this is what his plan was initially, and he has not confided his plan of going to Arras for the trial to anyone, in keeping with his secrecy. I love Simplice in this and later chapters.

Fantine’s babble is heartbreaking because she is ill and it might be prompted by deliriousness the way her thoughts are jumping from one subject to another in this chapter, though it also shows her concern for and how much she misses Cosette. 

It is interesting however, that Cosette too has very rarely been addressed by her given name in the book, and while it is a shortened form and a term of endearment to keep her close, names are still important and have meaning in this book.