Jean Valjean
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Jean Valjean is a fictional character and the protagnost of Victor Hugo's classic novel Les Misèrables.
[edit] Backstory
Valjean was a tree pruner in France who, when his parents died, looked after his sister and her numerous children. When resources became scarce, Valjean had no choice but to steal a loaf of bread from a locale baker. He was captured and imprisoned for 19 years before being released back into the world. When released, he is turned down by every inn, but is taken in by bishop Myriel, a kind hearted old man. Knowing nothing else, that night he steals the bishop's silverware and silver candles, running off into the night. He is arrested, and brought back to the bishop. However, the Bishop tells the officers that the silver was a gift and sends them on their way, giving Valjean even more silver. The Bishop reminds Valjean of a promise he made, to become a new man, and so Valjean tears up his parole ticket and vows to start a new life. Over the course of the story he goes through numerous identities, he becomes a mayor of a small town as Monsieur Madelaine. He later, after exposing his true identity to prevent an innocent man accused of being Valjean from being sent to prison, is a gardener whilst raising young Cosette, a position he holds until his death at the end of the story. All the while, in the story's most famous element, he is dogged by Javert, an obsessive police inspector who hunts him for twenty years, simply for breaking parole.
[edit] Famous traits
The character's prison number, 24601 and his 20 year long struggle with the relentless police man Javert have both become famous archetypes in literary culture.
