Hugo's Les Misérables and The Seven Laws of Money

It is interesting to see how this book backs up law number five of Michael Phillips book The Seven Laws of Money. Here Hugo shows that although the Bishop gave Jean Valjean the silver candlesticks along with the stolen silver it came with his soul. By turning Jean Valjean’s act of thievery into  an act of compassion for Jean Valjean that gave him his soul back to use as he pleased. However, according to the Bishop the silver never belonged to him, but rather the poor, and since Jean Valjean is poor it is rightfully his. Thus Hugo does not agree with the fifth law fully, since technically Jean Valjean only took what was rightfully his. 

Hugo seems to agree move with the sixth law of money which is you can never receive money as a gift. All money is either borrowed, lent, or invested, and according to the Bishop’s view he was borrowing what was rightly Jean Valjean’s, or rather the property of the impoverish. Either way this transaction of silver was really a contract, by keeping the silver for so long the Bishop relayed Jean Valjean with not only the candlesticks, but his soul as well, to do as he pleases with it. 


However, since Jean Valjean never actually sells the candlesticks, but keeps them and eventually gives the candlesticks to his daughter Cosette. Although it is a gift, the sentimental value behind the gift comes with the expectation that Cosette will cherish the candlesticks and be reminded of her father’s transition into becoming a just man once again. Thus this is another example of law six, which shows that although they are now Cosette it came with an expectation from the giver.

Comments

  1. jdoutFebruary 25, 2018 at 9:53 PM

    Yes, excellent analysis of the circulation of the gift--the silver candlesticks--as they move around the various characters at different moments of the plot. The Church-->Bishop Bienvenu of Digne-->Jean Valjean>--"M. Madeleine" [JV's alias in Montreuil-sur-mer, when he becomes an upright citizen, factory owner and successful civic leader]-->Cosette's quiet, anonymous adoptive father-->Jean Valjean again [when he is finally uncovered by Javert]-->Cosette at the end.
    As the bishop explains in an unconventional interpretation of Catholic scripture, they actually belong to the poor, as do all the riches the Church can give to the poor. That radical vow of poverty and charity--like the first Christians-- may be one of the reasons this book was disliked by the Catholic Church and banned from 1862 until the 1950s.
    Good job; but who are you?! Please sign your work.

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