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Metaphors
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:
The mood of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables is adventurous and thought-provoking, as the reader follows a cast of characters through their journeys of hardship, strife, and hope. The story takes readers from character to character on their quests of redemption, as they seek understanding from God and happiness in life.
The plot mainly follows Jean Valjean through the French countryside and Paris as he strives to become a better man and give Cosette a privileged life. Each period of Jean Valjean's life takes the reader on another fast-paced adventure in his effort to escape the many incoming threats: revolutionaries, the Thenardiers, or Javert.
The story is also thought-provoking in how the narrator frequently dives into philosophical debates and moral investigations of different characters. Each character has their own adversity and set of limitations, which allows for nuanced interactions between them. Very few characters in Hugo's cast are fully good or fully evil. Every person has their own belief in what is right or deserved.
Jean Valjean is perhaps the most convoluted character of them all. He is a convict who becomes a giving man and a father. Like a mother, Jean Valjean does everything he can to give Cosette a better life. It is heartwarming to see a girl like Cosette, from dire circumstances, learn that life is beautiful and find love.
Such character arcs also create a redemptive mood, wherein most characters attempt to do the right thing and atone for their wrongs. For example, Javert’s suicide is his final plea for redemption. His moral compass and ethical belief system is so thoroughly riddled that he can't let himself live. The line between right and wrong is now blurred, and Javert cannot find his place in such ambiguity. He is a straitlaced inspector who lives in black and white—for Javert, living in the gray is an impossibility.
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