Les Misérables · Chapter
Hindrances explained
Jean Valjean, traveling urgently towards Arras to prevent an innocent man from being mistaken for him, faces a series of obstacles that delay his journey.
What happens
Jean Valjean, traveling urgently towards Arras to prevent an innocent man from being mistaken for him, faces a series of obstacles that delay his journey. His hired tilbury suffers a broken wheel, forcing him to find alternative transport. Despite his haste, he encounters further delays, including a poor road and a heavy cart, while grappling with his inner turmoil and the moral weight of his mission.
Themes in this chapter
The Human Condition and Fate
Valjean's journey is marked by a series of seemingly random obstacles, reflecting the struggle between human will and the forces of fate.
Characters to notice
- Jean Valjean
Travels urgently towards Arras, facing physical and psychological hindrances; reflects on fate and his own choices.
Key passages
“In proportion as the cabriolet advanced, he felt something within him draw back.”
As the carriage moved forward, he felt an inner resistance pulling him backward.
Valjean's internal conflict about his mission to Arras.
“These things are charming when one is joyous, and lugubrious when one is sad.”
The same sounds are delightful in happiness and mournful in sorrow.
Reflects Valjean's somber mood affecting his perception.
“To travel is to be born and to die at every instant.”
Each moment of travel is like experiencing birth and death simultaneously.
Philosophical reflection on the transient nature of life.