# VIII: Two Do Not Make a Pair explained — Les Misérables

> Chapter companion for Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.

## What happens

This chapter describes M. Gillenormand's two daughters: the younger, who was idealistic and died after marrying her dream man, and the elder, Mademoiselle Gillenormand, who remained unmarried, prudish, bigoted, and lived with her father. It also introduces a little boy, the grandson, whom M. Gillenormand harshly scolds but secretly idolizes.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Human Condition and Fate

The contrasting fates of the two sisters—one dying after marrying her ideal, the other living a life of unfulfilled dreams and prudishness—illustrate the theme of unfulfilled ambitions and the quiet tragedy of passive lives.

## Character check-ins

### M. Gillenormand

The elderly father of the two daughters, who lives with his elder daughter and his grandson, whom he treats harshly but idolizes.

### Mademoiselle Gillenormand

The elder daughter, a prudish and bigoted spinster who keeps house for her father and is described as having a twilight soul.

### Théodule

An officer of the Lancers, grand-nephew of Mademoiselle Gillenormand, whom she allows to embrace her.

### Mademoiselle Vaubois

A chapel friend of Mademoiselle Gillenormand, described as a blockhead with no knowledge beyond preserves.

## Key lines

> Thus the two sisters strayed, each in her own dream, at the epoch when they were young girls. Both had wings, the one like an angel, the other like a goose.

As young girls, each sister pursued her own fantasy: the younger dreamed of an ideal hero, the older of a wealthy, prestigious husband. One was angelic, the other foolish.

_Highlights the contrast between the sisters' aspirations and their ultimate fates._

> Mademoiselle Gillenormand was a sort of twilight soul. Prudery is a demi-virtue and a demi-vice.

Mademoiselle Gillenormand's character existed in a moral twilight; her prudishness was neither fully virtuous nor fully wicked.

_Describes the ambiguous nature of the elder sister's personality._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se/chapters/viii-two-do-not-make-a-pair
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se/chapters