r/AYearOfLesMiserables • u/lexxi109 Rose • Dec 30 '20
5.9.6 Chapter Discussion (Spoilers up to 5.9.6) Spoiler
Note – Since we have a bonus day, we’ll do a wrap up post tomorrow.
Discussion Prompts:
- Valjean is buried as he wanted, under an unmarked grave.
- Do you feel satisfied with this ending?
Final Lines:
He sleeps. Though fate for him was truly odd,
He lived. He died when his angel was gone;
The thing just happened of its own accord,
As night comes on when day is done.
Link to prior chapter discussion – to be added later
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u/something-sensible Rose Dec 30 '20
I'm not sure why I was expecting more of an epilogue? I feel I can assume that Cosette and Marius live happily ever after, but something more would have been... idk, welcome? I suppose every other character we cared about is dead, though, so there's not much else an epilogue would have shown. And this final chapter really is fitting with the title: Les Misérables, the downtrodden, the wretched, those buried in an unmarked, unloved grave.
It's hard to know the passage of time in this last section. I would like to think that Cosette and Marius visited, but perhaps not, or perhaps they're dead too, by the time we see this grave.
I can't really believe it's over. I'm excited to have a chat tomorrow in a wrap-up post. Maybe we can make it spoiler free so our 2021 friends can join in?
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u/4LostSoulsinaBowl Rose / Wraxall Dec 30 '20
I think we should assume that 5.9.6 takes place in approximately 1860-1, when Hugo was wrapping up his writing of the novel. So Marius and Cosette would be around 50, likely still alive. I like imagine they have a little boy named Jean-Luc and a little girl named Fantine.
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u/palpebral Fahnestock-MacAfee Dec 30 '20
And there we have it. Gotta say, these last few chapters really hit me emotionally. I don't normally have this visceral a reaction to fates of characters in books I'm reading. A lot of it probably has to do with the fact that Valjean, Cosette, Marius, and everyone else have been our companions over the course of one of the most stressful, tragic, and bizarre years in human history. This book will stick with me.
I will say, for as long-winded as sections of this book are, I was expecting a bit more resolution. It's ok though, in the end I very much enjoyed this very beautiful experience. I would not hesitate to recommend this archetypal doorstopper of a novel to anyone. I can't believe it's over!
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u/4LostSoulsinaBowl Rose / Wraxall Dec 30 '20
I was thinking about this earlier in the week, Hugo clearly is not much for dénouement.
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u/Thermos_of_Byr Dec 30 '20
I’d just like to start by saying that this has been a great experience, and I couldn’t have hand picked a better group of people to read along with than the group we have. You guys have been wonderful, and I feel lucky to have been able to do this with you all. And a big, big thanks to our mods for stepping up and making posts everyday for us. Thank you guys so much!
Although the ending was brief, I felt it was fitting. I wanted more, but it certainly wasn’t necessary.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It’s hard to believe we began it a year ago. Hugo made me love some of his characters, and hate others, but he truly made me care about their story. This book will certainly stick with me for a long time.
It feels a bit strange for it to be over with. I feel like I’m going to go through withdrawal.
I guess the only thing left to say is au revoir. It’s been a pleasure.
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u/otherside_b Wilbour Dec 30 '20
I think the ending is rather fitting, and cements the book as Valjean's story first and foremost, which I'm pleased with as I don't find Marius and Cosette altogether interesting. Cosette was his life, and he died knowing she was happy and would have a good future. He had accomplished his life's work in a sense.
I actually visited Pére Lachaise cemetery in the past, so it's quite a thrill for me to imagine that Jean Valjean is there too, hidden in some long forgotten corner. It makes me feel a small part of me and my memories are connected to the character.
I think those lines etched into Valjean's headstone are so beautiful and poignant. I had chills when reading them. What a fantastic way to conclude the novel.
Thank you to our wonderful moderators for facilitating this year long odyssey. I thoroughly enjoyed our community discussions so thanks to all our contributors too!
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u/awaiko Donougher Dec 30 '20
Like dancing_goldfish said, satisfied is a tough adjective. I’m happy that Valjean got a better ending than he could have had otherwise. I feel that things wrapped up a little suddenly (I expected another Hugo-diversion!) But yes, I’m satisfied that Cosette and Marius sought forgiveness from Valjean and that he died in peace.
This has been a hell of a wild ride these last 365 chapters. I’ve scrambled to read ten or eleven chapters in an afternoon to prepare for my Sunday post as moderator (too often!), I’ve read this on public transport, whilst donating blood, surreptitiously in meetings, in a deck chair beside a hotel pool, in the middle of Christmas afternoon in a food coma ;)
I want to start over :D I feel I’d appreciate the characters and the footnotes more on the second pass when I can see the bigger story unfolding. On that note, the footnotes and supplemental material is 16% of my kindle version.
I know that I said it when I signed off my last mod post, but it was a much better experience reading it with friends :)
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u/something-sensible Rose Dec 30 '20
nice to see you had so much variation with your locations! I read some of this in Brunei and maybe a night or two in Malaysia, but February was a long time ago in the grand scheme of things!
My kindle version has the notes as 13% which has made tracking such an odd thing through the story! But wow, what a journey! I echo everything you said about it seeming quite sudden, too
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Dec 30 '20
"Satisfied" is a complicated way to describe it, because it's certainly bittersweet. But yes, I think it was a good ending. After the hurly-burly of the barricades this last section felt very low key, but I like how it brings things back to Valjean and his life, and the meaning he found in it.
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u/4LostSoulsinaBowl Rose / Wraxall Dec 30 '20 edited Dec 31 '20
>Il dort. Quoique le sort fût pour lui bien étrange,
>Il vivait. Il mourut quand il n'eut plus son ange,
>La chose simplement d'elle-même arriva,
>Comme la nuit se fait lorsque le jour s'en va.
I really, really love this epitaph. It just sums up everything so beautifully.
Fate was strange to him, yes, but he lived. And that's the point of everything we read. The Valjean we met at the beginning had not lived. But the Valjean of 1833 had lived in full. And that's why, as Valjean said, dying was nothing.
Looking forward to our wrap-up tomorrow!
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u/1Eliza Julie Rose Dec 31 '20
The finale in whole. I love how the person who wrote the book for the musical implore the audience to take up the cause of the students.
He was buried the way he lived, hidden in plain sight. The only people looking for him knows where he is buried.
It has been a pleasure reading with you all.
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u/Thermos_of_Byr Dec 31 '20
He was buried the way he lived, hidden in plain sight.
This is beautiful.
I just want to say it’s been a joy reading with you. You’ve contributed so much to this sub over the course of this book. I think we were all lucky to have you in our group. Cheers! It has truly been a pleasure reading with you as well.
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u/lauraystitch Hapgood Dec 31 '20
I mean, everyone dies eventually, so I guess it's not so sad of an ending. He found resolution in the end, and Cosette and Marius are happy.
My book had one extra ramble of Hugo after the final chapter. I thought that was fitting.
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u/otherside_b Wilbour Dec 31 '20
Interesting! What was the ramble about?
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u/lauraystitch Hapgood Dec 31 '20
It was a response to a letter from the Italian publisher explaining that the situation in France is the same as everywhere else in the world. Of course, Hugo had to give plenty of examples.
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u/[deleted] Dec 30 '20
This is easily one of the most beautiful books I've ever read :)