# Jondrette Makes His Purchases explained — Les Misérables

> Chapter companion for Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.

## What happens

Marius, while being observed by Courfeyrac and Bossuet, follows Jondrette through the streets of Paris. Jondrette purchases a cold chisel from an ironmonger's shop and then disappears over a wall into a waste land. Marius returns home just before Ma'am Bougon locks the house for the night, noticing four men in an empty attic along the way.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Injustice and Poverty

Jondrette's ragged trousers and the squalid hovels he visits highlight the extreme poverty and social decay in the Parisian slums.

### Suffering and Sacrifice

Marius's secretive and risky surveillance of Jondrette suggests his willingness to endure hardship and danger in pursuit of justice or protection for others.

## Character check-ins

### Marius Pontmercy

Marius follows Jondrette through the streets, spying on his purchases and movements, and returns home cautiously.

### Courfeyrac

Courfeyrac spots Marius and comments on his behavior, deducing he is following a man.

### Bossuet

Bossuet walks with Courfeyrac and observes Marius's peculiar air, joking about the man he is following.

### Thénardier

Jondrette (Thénardier) is the man Marius follows; he purchases a cold chisel and disappears over a wall.

### Ma'am Bougon

Ma'am Bougon locks the house door at dusk, forcing Marius to hurry back.

## Key lines

> One would say, to see all these snowflakes fall, that there was a plague of white butterflies in heaven.

The heavy snowfall looks like a swarm of white butterflies falling from the sky.

_Bossuet's poetic observation about the snowstorm._

> He has the air of a man who is following someone.

He looks like he is tailing someone.

_Courfeyrac's remark to Bossuet about Marius's behavior._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se/chapters/xv-jondrette-makes-his-purchases
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se/chapters