Is Les Miserables appropriate for my family?
The Spiritual Journey of Les Miserables:
From The Christophers website (www.christophers.org):
Following a bishop’s life-changing act of mercy towards him, ex-convict Jean Valjean abandons the bitterness that consumed his heart and mind, takes advantage of his second chance, and discovers God, love and redemption in… the beloved stage musical, Les Miserables
…It’s the story-ending to which we all aspire.
Jean Valjean endured great hardship in his life and was on a dead-end road before a Christ-like bishop provided him with mercy and a second chance. He came to accept responsibility not just for his own life, but the lives of those he grew to love: primarily, his adoptive daughter, Cosette. Valjean was indirectly responsible for her mother, Fantine’s, death and took in her little girl as a penance of sorts. But that penance quickly became a type of love that Valjean had never experienced before. It was self-sacrificial and, in its own way, Christ-like.
When the [story] ends and Valjean dies, his passing isn’t sad and depressing; it’s celebratory and glorious! He is led into heaven by the bishop who showed him mercy – and by Fantine to whom he showed compassion. The lyrics sung during this scene state:
Take my hand. I’ll lead you to salvation Take my love, for love is everlasting And remember the truth that once was spoken: To love another person is to see the face of God.
I’ve never seen a better, more emotionally-satisfying depiction of heaven and the communion of saints…. And considering all the sniffles and snot-cries I heard in the theater, a lot of other people had that reaction too.
The reason is that Valjean’s ending is the ending we all want for ourselves, the ending that’s actually a new beginning in communion with all the people we’ve ever loved a lot or a little, the ending made possible by Jesus’ resurrection which we’ll soon be celebrating.
Les Miserables is the perfect image of that banquet that never ends, of the reunion that will happen if we lead our lives in the right way – loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Love, the [play] assures us, is eternal. Who could ask for a better ending?
The Language and Subject Matter of Les Miserables:
Les Miserables has mature themes and deals with the powerful subject matters of war, death and poverty. There are several scenes that deal with the darker side of the Paris streets including famine, prostitution, and violence toward women, child abuse, alcoholism and venereal disease. The language and action is at times vulgar and profane in order to reflect the world in which the characters live.
Please be advised that the PAC considers this play to be rated PG-13 but reserves you, as the parent, the right to determine if your child is mature enough to handle the content.
Is Les Miserables appropriate for my family?
Synopsis of Les Miserables
Act I In Bagne prison in Toulon, France, in 1815, the prisoners work at hard labor. After 19 years in prison (five for stealing bread for his starving sister's son and her family, and the rest for trying to escape), Jean Valjean, "prisoner 24601," is released on parole by the policeman Javert. By law, Valjean must display a yellow ticket-of-leave, which identifies him as an ex-convict. Valjean is shunned by society due to his being a convict. However, The Bishop of Digne offers him food and shelter. Overnight, Valjean steals silver from the bishop, and the police catch him. The Bishop says the silver was a gift to save Valjean and not only lets him keep the silver he stole, but also gives him two more valuable candlesticks. The Bishop tells Valjean that he must use the silver "to become an honest man" and that he has "bought (Valjean's) soul for God". Ashamed of what he did, yet humbled by the bishop's mercy and kindness, Valjean follows the Bishop's advice and tears up his yellow ticket, breaking his parole (“Prologue”). Eight years later, Valjean has assumed a new identity as Monsieur Madeleine, a wealthy factory owner and mayor of Montreuil-sur- Mer. One of his workers, Fantine, has a fight when another worker discovers she is sending money to her secret illegitimate daughter, Cosette, who lives with an innkeeper and his wife ("At the End of the Day"). Fantine and the worker fight, and the Mayor breaks up the conflict but asks his factory foreman to resolve it. The other women demand Fantine's dismissal, and because she had previously rejected his advances, the foreman throws Fantine out. Fantine reflects on her broken dreams and about her lover, who left her and her daughter (“I Dreamed a Dream”). Desperate for money, she sells her hair, and becomes a prostitute ("Lovely Ladies"). When she fights back against an abusive customer (Bamatabois), Javert, now a police inspector stationed in Montreuil-sur-Mer, arrests her. The Mayor arrives and, realizing his part in the ruination of Fantine, orders Javert to let her go and takes her to a hospital. Soon afterwards, the Mayor rescues Fauchelevent, who is pinned by a broken cart; this reminds Javert of the abnormally strong Jean Valjean, whom he has sought for years for breaking parole. However, Javert assures the Mayor that Valjean has been arrested recently. At first, Valjean thinks the man could be his chance to escape his past life, but unwilling to see an innocent man go to prison in his place, Valjean confesses his identity to the court ("Who Am I?"). At the hospital, a delirious Fantine thinks Cosette is in the room with her. Valjean arrives and promises to Fantine he will find and look after her daughter. Happy upon hearing this, Fantine dies. Suddenly, Javert confronts Valjean. Valjean asks Javert for three days to fetch Cosette, but Javert refuses to believe his honest intentions. They suddenly argue, and it is revealed that Javert "was born inside a jail." Valjean once again promises to Fantine he "will raise (Cosette) to the light." He then knocks Javert out and escapes. Meanwhile, in Montfermeil, the rascally innkeepers, the Thenardiers, have been working and abusing little Cosette, while indulging their own daughter, Eponine. Cosette dreams of a better life, and imagines "a room that's full of toys" full of "a hundred boys and girls" and "a lady all in white." Madame Thénardier arrives and angrily accuses Cosette of "slacking," and orders Cosette to retrieve water from the woods or she will "forget to be nice" ("Castle on a Cloud"). The Thénardiers cheat their customers in various ways together, despite Madame Thénardier showing contempt for her husband ("Master of the House"). Valjean finds Cosette in the woods and accompanies her back to the inn. He offers the Thénardiers payment to take her away, and informs them of Fantine's death ("The Bargain"). The Thénardiers pretend to have concern for Cosette so he pays them 1,500 francs to let him take her away. The Thénardiers accept and Valjean and Cosette leave for Paris. Nine years later, Paris is in upheaval because General Lamarque, the only man in the government who shows mercy to the poor, is ill and may soon die. The young street urchin Gavroche mingles with the prostitutes and beggars on the street, while students Marius Pontmercy and Enjolras discuss the general's imminent demise ("Look Down"). The Thénardiers have since lost their inn, and prepare to con some charitable visitors who are about to arrive, who are Valjean and Cosette. Thénardier orders Éponine to keep watch for the police. Éponine sees Marius, whom she secretly loves, and she grabs his book, telling him she could have become a student herself and not to judge her on her appearance. As the robbery begins to go down, Éponine warns Marius to stay away. Concerned over what may occur, Marius chases after Éponine when she runs off, but he bumps into Cosette and immediately falls in love with her at first sight. Thénardier suddenly recognizes the visitor as Valjean, and pounces upon him in the process revealing the brand on Valjean's chest. Suddenly, Éponine warns that Javert is coming. Javert thwarts the Thénardiers' attempt to rob Valjean and Cosette, not recognizing Valjean until after Valjean takes Cosette and escapes. Thénardier informs Javert of the brand he saw on Valjean and Javert vows to recapture him ("Stars"). Meanwhile, Éponine remembers Cosette from when they were children. Marius persuades Éponine to help him find Cosette. Despite her own feelings for him, she reluctantly agrees to help. At a small café, Enjolras prepares a group of idealistic students for a revolution ("Red and Black"). When Gavroche brings the news of General Lamarque's death, the students march into the streets ("Do You Hear the People Sing?"). At Valjean and Cosette's house, Cosette dreams about Marius. Éponine leads Marius to Cosette ("In My Life"). Marius and Cosette introduce themselves and declare their mutually strong feelings of romantic love for each other, while Éponine sadly watches them ("A Heart Full of Love"). She suddenly sees her father and his gang attempting to rob Valjean's house, and stops them by screaming. Valjean hears the scream, and Cosette tells him that she was the one who screamed. Valjean, fearing that Javert was the one outside his house, tells Cosette that they must flee the country. On the eve of the 1832 Paris Uprising, Valjean prepares to go into exile; Cosette and Marius sadly part in despair; Éponine mourns the loss of Marius; Enjolras encourages all of Paris to join the revolution as he and the other students prepare for the upcoming conflict; Marius considers whether to follow after Cosette or join the other students and swept up in the moment tells Enjolras he will fight with them, while Éponine secretly joins them as well disguised as a young boy; Javert meanwhile reveals his plans to spy on the students disused as a commoner; and the Thénardiers hide underground and look forward to robbing the corpses of those who will be killed during the battle. Everyone ponders what this "tomorrow" will bring ("One Day More").
Is Les Miserables appropriate for my family?
Synopsis of Les Miserables (continued)
Act II As the students begin a barricade, Javert, disguised as one of the rebels, volunteers to "spy" on the government troops. Marius discovers Éponine has disguised herself as a boy and that she too has joined the revolutionaries. She tells him that she knows she should not take part, but chooses to stay with him. Marius sends her to safety by having her deliver a farewell letter to Cosette. Valjean intercepts the letter, promising Éponine he will tell Cosette about it. In the letter, he learns about Marius and Cosette's romantic relationship ("Building the Barricade"). Éponine walks the streets of Paris alone, imagining that Marius is there with her, but laments that her love for Marius will never be reciprocated as he only has eyes for Cosette; nevertheless, she decides to rejoin him at the barricade ("On My Own"). After the students defy an army warning that they surrender or die; the disguised Javert tells the students that the government will attack. Gavroche exposes him as a spy, and the students detain him ("Little People"). Éponine, mortally wounded, returns to the barricades and collapses into Marius' arms. As Marius holds her, she assures him that she feels no pain and that he will keep her "safe" and "close" and she dies in his arms ("A Little Fall of Rain"). Marius mourns her death, while Enjolras and the other students are left devastated at this first loss of life at the barricades. The students resolve to fight in her name, and they carry her body away. Valjean arrives at the barricades in search of Marius, disguised as a soldier as means to get there safely. As the first battle erupts, Valjean saves Enjolras by shooting a sniper. He asks Enjolras to be the one to kill the imprisoned Javert, and Enjolras grants his request. As soon as Valjean and Javert are alone, Valjean orders Javert to leave the barricades. Javert warns Valjean that if he releases him, he will still arrest him. Valjean says there are no "conditions" to letting him go, and holds no blame toward him and Javert leaves. Valjean shoots his weapon in the air to make the students think he had executed Javert ("The First Attack"). The students settle down for the night and reminisce. Marius mourns over Cosette, and Valjean overhears him as a the student, Grantiare, drinks a toast to his comrades ("Drink with Me"). As Marius sleeps, Valjean prays to God to save the boy from the onslaught that is to come ("Bring Him Home"). As dawn approaches, Enjolras realizes that the people of Paris have abandoned the rebels but resolves to fight on (“The Second Attack”). Gavroche climbs to the other side of the barricades to gather ammunition for the students, but is shot dead by the soldiers. Enjolras and the students realize that they will probably die as well. The army gives a final warning to surrender, but the students refuse, and all are killed except Valjean and Marius ("The Final Battle"). Carrying a wounded Marius away, Valjean escapes into the sewers, closely pursued by Javert. Thénardier, also in the sewers, has been looting bodies ("The Sewers”). He takes a ring off Marius' "corpse" and discovers Valjean passed out nearby. He prepares to kill Valjean when he is startled by the approach of Javert and escapes with his loot instead. Valjean awakes, helps Maris to his feet and nearly escapes himself when he is caught by Javert. Valjean begs Javert to give him one hour to take Marius to a doctor, and Javert surprisingly agrees. Because Valjean saved his life, Javert cannot bring himself to arrest Valjean. Unable to fit Valjean's behavior into his own strict code of right and wrong and good and evil, Javert commits suicide by throwing himself into the Seine ("Stars Reprise”). Back on the streets, families mourn the deaths of the young students ("Turning") as Marius still nursing his wounds from the battle, mourns for his friends ("Empty Chairs at Empty Tables"). As he wonders who saved him from the barricades, Cosette comforts him, and they reaffirm their strong, blossoming romance. Valjean realizes that Cosette "was never (his) to keep" and gives them his blessing ("Every Day"). Valjean confesses to Marius that he is an escaped convict and must go away because his presence endangers Cosette. Valjean makes Marius promise never to tell Cosette, and Marius makes only a half-hearted attempt to hold him back. Marius and Cosette marry. The Thénardiers crash the reception in disguise and Thénardier tells Marius that his new father-in-law, Valjean, is a murderer, saying that he saw him carrying a corpse in the sewers after the barricades fell. When Thénardier as proof of his story, shows him the ring that he took from the corpse, Marius recognizes it as his own and realizes that Valjean saved his life that night. Marius strikes Thénardier, the newlyweds leave, and the Thénardiers enjoy the party and celebrate their survival ("Beggars at the Feast"). Meanwhile, Valjean prepares for his death in a convent, having nothing left to live for. The spirit of Fantine appears to him, thanking him for raising her only daughter, and tells him she's taking him to Heaven. Cosette and Marius rush in to bid farewell. Valjean thanks God for letting him live long enough to see Cosette again. Marius thanks him for saving his life. Valjean gives Cosette his confession so that she may finally know of his troubled past and her mother Fantine. All the spirits of those who have gone before come to guide Valjean to Heaven, where those who gave their lives for the poverty stricken of France ask once more: "Do You Hear the People Sing?"