The Sewer
The Sewer Scene
Blog Post 5
Topic E
May 15, 2015
by Ben Burkhalter
The setting of the sewer after the barricade fight has a great deal of symbolism within it. First off, the sewers are dark and mysterious, much like the pasts of some of the characters. When he first enters the sewers, he finds himself with a wall to his back in front of him “there was another wall, a wall of night” (318). This wall of darkness is a symbol for the future and as Jean Valjean plunges himself forward into it, he begins a journey without any destination in mind. As he progresses further into the sewers, Jean notices that a group of guards is also in the sewers too. As they near his position, he is forced to hide in the shadows and narrowly avoid capture. This close call represents how Jean has lived most of his life, constantly running from the law. Further on, he finds himself sinking into the soft ground of the poorly made sewers. The water is soon near the top of his head, and just as he is about to go under, he finds his footing and is able to struggle to safety. This struggle strongly symbolizes Jean’s life in the novel. He worked hard all of his life, but no matter how hard he tried, things didn’t seem to be getting better for him. He was still constantly on the run from Javert and he also felt that he was losing Cosette after she married Marius. When his health took a turn for the worse, it seemed as if all his efforts would have been for nothing. But just at the perfect moment, he is saved by something totally out of his control. This blind luck, as symbolized by the pavement in the sewer which he found, is in the end what saves him from a painful death.
I like all the symbolism you brought up here, Ben, and how deep in thought you went into this scene. The representation of the sewers as a metaphor for Jean Valjean's life is something I never thought about while reading it. I do want to bring up a few more parts of his life that the sewer demonstrates in this setting though. First off, Jean Valjean is carrying Marius on his back throughout the sewers and is determined to save his life, a demonstration of the burden Jean has carried throughout his life and his determination to carry that burden no matter what. The other part of the sewers I thought was important was at the end of the sewers at the locked gate. When he first reached it, it was locked and there was no way to get out, but Thernardier came along and had to open it for him. This shows how, although Jean Valjean is usually a lone wolf, he needs other people in his life to keep him going and support his goals in life.
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