Fantine and Valjean | Poem

 

Jodey answers:

At 09:04 PM 8/9/1999 EDT, you wrote:
How and why does Valjean identify with Fantine?

Fantine once worked in Jean Valjean's factory. He fired her at his foreman's urging - not realizing that the reason his foreman gave was false. So Fantine becomes a prostitute to support her child.

When Fantine dies Jean Valjean feels he owes her a moral debt to support her daughter Cosette. He rescues Cosette from the innkeeper Thenardier who has enslaved her as a servant in his inn and treats her brutally.

Jean Valjean (who has escaped from prison himself) pays Thenardier and takes Cosette to Paris and raises her there.

to Jodey      to Moongate

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