Les Mis question

[TheGirlUpstairs]

Posted: 7/2/12 at 7:38pm

I just saw Les Mis for the second time, and it reminded me of a question that I've had since I first started listening to the cast recording.

Why is it such a big deal when the Thenardier tells Marius that Valjean was the one who rescued him from the barricade? They act like it's this big secret, big enough that it might ruin his wedding day. So why didn't Valjean tell him, and why were the Thenardiers so keen to let him know? The only thing I can think of is that Valjean didn't tell him so that Marius wouldn't feel beholden to him and therefore like he was obligated to marry Cosette. But that seems kind of flimsy.

Thanks in advance for an help.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 7/2/12 at 7:46pm

You overlooked the KEY thing: It was VALJEAN who rescued him... His beloved's father... They knew from the ring and of course Mr. T SAW Valjean. It is a good thing. They were hoping that by telling him this news, proving it to him, that Marius would reward them monetarily.

[PapaGe]

Posted: 7/2/12 at 7:51pm

Valjean knows that if he tells Marius what happened that night Marius will feel that he owes Valjean a tremendous debt and won't allow him to simply disappear (which Valjean is now convinced is necessary for Cosette's happiness).

It's been a while since I've read the book, but as I recall this plot point was much more strongly felt there. In the book, Marius learns the truth of Valjean's background and rejects him completely, which eventually leads to Valjean's death by starvation. It is only after Marius learns that Valjean saved his life that he changes his mind and rushes to his aid, but by then it's too late and Valjean is on his death bed.

[dr_jekyll]

Posted: 7/2/12 at 8:01pm

As far as Thernardier knows (or thinks), Valjean was in the sewers that night doing the same thing that Thernardier was doing: stealing from dead bodies. This kind of information, if made known in Marius' social circles, would destroy his reputation since he's marrying Valjean's daughter. So the Thernardiers do think it is a big deal that could ruin Marius' wedding day, and their plan is to make him pay for the information, and probably then to blackmail him in order to keep it quiet.

And as far as Valjean goes, I think he didn't tell Marius that he saved him just because Valjean is a humble guy. He doesn't want to be praised, he just wants things to go well for the people he cares about.