Les Misérables · Chapter
Change of Gate explained
Cosette, now a young girl, lives with Jean Valjean in a secluded garden house in the Rue Plumet.
What happens
Cosette, now a young girl, lives with Jean Valjean in a secluded garden house in the Rue Plumet. She explores the wild garden and adores Jean Valjean, who reads and converses with her. Cosette has only a confused memory of her childhood with the Thénardiers and knows nothing of her mother Fantine, as Jean Valjean cannot bring himself to speak of her. The garden, once a place of gallantry, has become a chaste retreat. Cosette, educated in a convent, is innocent and ignorant, and the solitude of the house presents both sweetness and danger for her developing heart.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Compassion
Cosette's deep filial love for Jean Valjean and his tender, self-sacrificing care for her are central to the chapter.
Suffering and Sacrifice
Jean Valjean's silent suffering over Fantine's memory and his humble lifestyle reflect his sacrificial nature.
The Human Condition and Fate
The chapter explores Cosette's transition from childhood innocence to the brink of womanhood, and the mysterious forces shaping her destiny.
Characters to notice
- Jean Valjean
Lives with Cosette in the Rue Plumet, reads and converses with her, and cannot bring himself to speak of Fantine.
- Cosette
Now a young girl just past fourteen, explores the garden, adores Jean Valjean, and has only vague memories of her childhood and mother.
- Fantine
Cosette's mother, whose name Jean Valjean cannot utter; her memory is a sacred shadow in their lives.
- Thénardier
Remains in Cosette's memory as a hideous figure from her childhood.
- Madame Thénardier
Also remembered by Cosette as a hideous figure from her past.
Key passages
“Cosette adored the goodman. She was always at his heels. Where Jean Valjean was, there happiness was.”
Cosette loved Jean Valjean completely and followed him everywhere; his presence meant happiness for her.
Illustrates the deep bond between Cosette and Jean Valjean.
“Nothing prepares a young girl for passions like the convent. The convent turns the thoughts in the direction of the unknown.”
The convent is the worst preparation for a girl's future passions, as it directs her thoughts toward mystery and fantasy.
Hugo critiques convent education for fostering dangerous ignorance and romantic idealism.