#2.2.2

I have emerged from the dregs because today is the day that we are introduced to one of my favourite passing characters in this novel; Boulatruelle!

What is particularly striking to me about this chapter is the similarities that Boulatruelle shares with Valjean way back in 1.2.1. But, I shan't delve into that today— you can click the link above if you want to read my thoughts on that tangent. Instead, I want to explore the idea of Boulatruelle as an abhuman, Gothic figure, and in general discuss some of the Gothic influences and tropes at play here in this section.

P.S. I didn’t want to directly reblog it, but I made a long 'character breakdown' post about Boulatruelle, if you're interested. It includes details of all his appearances throughout the novel as well as a general character analysis. You can find the post via this link (please note that it obviously contains spoilers for the rest of the novel)

Illustration: Boulatruelle cherchant le trésor [source]

2.2.1

It’s sad, but not surprising that M-sur-M fell apart the moment Valjean left. And it underlines the fundamental tragedy of this kind of society (meaning the industrializing, city-based society that was really getting going when Hugo was writing and is in full grip today): you cannot base your safety net on the belief that people will be good to each other, because they won’t be. Myriel tried to be an example to his people, and they turned away the needy anyway. Madeleine tried to be an example for his, and they ate each other the moment he fell from grace. We need institutional change if we’re ever going to make progress.

And it’s no coincidence that this chapter is right after Waterloo. Hugo just spent 19 chapters explaining to us all the problems with relying on single people to look after everything. God doesn’t just hate Napoleon specifically, He hates the kind of politics Napoleon represents. And that includes the benevolent patronage that was Madeleine’s style of philanthropy.

(Either that, or Hugo was decrying neoliberal decentralization a century before anyone even invented the word. You decide.)

2.2.2

This chapter is a riot. Openly Sarcastic!Hugo is one of my favorite Hugos, and this chapter is nothing but that.

And it’s interesting to see Thenardier on his home turf, so to speak. Hugo always makes sure to describe him in the worst possible light, so it’s always wild to me to remember that, at this point in his life, he’s a respected member of his community. I’m sure the swindling and amorality aren’t secrets or anything, but he seems to be able to keep it to a minimum around his actual neighbors. Certainly he and the schoolmaster seem chummy enough with each other. It’s fascinating, and honestly does more to complicate the character of Thenardier than a hundred pages of Hugo waxing philosophical about bastard classes would.

We come to the plot and Valjean again. His whole capture is summed up in one short line and Hugo doesn’t dwell on it. The style of the chapter is interesting, not only because Hugo is quoting from several articles to sketch a picture of what happens. The way the newspaper clippings are used is interesting and impartial, as if Hugo is recording Valjean’s memoirs.

Interestingly though, the newspapers rely a lot on gossip and what is said about people, with a lot of misleading information about Valjean’s character. However, the fact that Valjean refused to send an appeal against the death penalty, seems an unwise decision since he had promised to rescue Fantine’s daughter, but I guess it is in keeping with his self-sabotage of his life and chances because he feels he does not deserve things.

We do find out about Petit Gervais and children like him were involved in the business of sweeping chimneys, which is kind of heartbreaking.

Hugo points out that Valjean was using the model of a benevolent entrepreneur of the factory where he looked out for other people, but without him, everything just devolved into fighting and every man for himself trying to make it work.

Without cooperation, giving to charity and employing the poor, the model breaks down and the prosperity of the town which was directly dependent on this ends. He was one person doing this, like the bishop who was giving charity, but it was not enough. I find it interesting that Hugo does not make Valjean give away all or most of the profits he has earned as well or start some other kind of a cooperative with several small businesses working to support each other, and that this is the economic model that Hugo supports. Although the model that he frowns upon is capitalist and greedy and only concerned with short term goals of making as much money as you can, and I like that he criticises that here.

2.2.2

This chapter has a very fairytale start, building up on superstitions of finding treasure in the forest to the possibility of actual treasure, I like the way Hugo writes about it. But then we get to the reason why we need to know this. Valjean may have hidden the money that he earned, somewhere in the forest, which was hinted by the previous chapter and Hugo informs us at the start of this chapter too about the connection. 

Boulatruelle is interesting in the sense that despite being an ex-convict like Valjean, he did not turn his life around and is stuck in his situation without a way to escape or better his life. He respects authority too much but in return is always suspected by them- he is too respectful, too humble to everyone else as an ex-convict, because he knows people don’t consider him as an equal human being, if Valjean’s treatment in the town of Digne is anything to go by - I don’t know why Hugo points him being humble and respectful, out specifically as faults, but I guess he doesn’t make much effort to change things in his life. It’s also probably a look at how Valjean’s life would have been if he had not started afresh with the bishop’s silver. It comes back to the fact of bishop and Valjean’s chance encounter working through the hand of Providence/God.

Boulatruelle works mending roads for a pittance, which is the only work he can get as an ex-convict. He also drinks heavily, and no one takes him seriously, that is except Thenardier who thinks he might be onto something.

Read on below to learn more about a new Pokémon Sleep update: Update Contents (version 2.2.2) Thank you for playing Pokémon Sleep! This update includes the following improvement.You will need to update to the latest version through your app store. Update Contents Other Bug Fixes Source: Official Pokémon Sleep news

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