# Book VII: Slang explained — Les Misérables

> Chapter companion for Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.

## What happens

This chapter explores the origins, nature, and social significance of slang, particularly the argot of the Parisian underworld. It examines how slang functions as a secret language of the oppressed and criminal classes, reflecting their suffering, rebellion, and exclusion from mainstream society. The chapter delves into the historical development of slang, its linguistic characteristics, and its role as a marker of social injustice and survival.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Injustice and Poverty

The chapter portrays slang as the language of the wretched and oppressed, born from poverty and social exclusion, and used by those at the bottom of society to communicate and survive.

### Revolution and Social Upheaval

Slang is presented as a rebellious and subversive force, a secret code that challenges authority and reflects the potential for social upheaval among the disenfranchised.

## Key lines

> Slang is the language of the wretched; it is the tongue of those who suffer and those who revolt.

Slang is the speech of the miserable, used by those who endure hardship and those who rebel against their condition.

_This encapsulates the chapter's central thesis that slang is both a product of suffering and a tool of resistance._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se/chapters/book-vii-slang
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se/chapters