Les Misérables: Critique of a Servant-Leader
Les Misérables: Critique of a Servant-Leader Stacey L. Jones Gonzaga University – ORGL530, Section B1 – Servant Leadership [Spring 2013]
April 20, 2013
Introduction
The story of Les Misérables has been told many times and in many ways, including a novel by Victor Hugo, the Broadway production, and on the big screen in 2012. The story centers around Jean Valjean, a man who spent nineteen years in prison for stealing bread for his sister and her family who were starving; Fantine, an unwed working-class mother who has traveled to Paris after leaving her daughter in the care of unscrupulous innkeepers, so that Fantine can earn enough money to provide for her daughter; Cosette, Fantine’s daughter, who goes to live with Valjean after her mother dies; and Javert, a police inspector who believes in the letter of the law and will stop at nothing to enforce the laws of France.
The film is set during the French Revolution. The concept of the film is to show that the “miserables,” the people who have been driven to lives of thievery and ill-repute, aren’t inherently bad; but instead, the world they live in has forced them to do bad things in order to survive.
The film opens with Valjean being released from prison, as mentioned before, after spending nineteen years performing hard labor. Because of France’s harsh laws, Valjean is required, for the rest of his life, to provide papers showing he is an ex-convict. This marks Valjean and causes most people he comes into contact with not to trust him. Rejected by innkeepers who do not want to take in a convict, Valjean sleeps wherever he can. Eventually a Catholic Bishop takes him in and gives him shelter. In the middle of the night, Valjean steals the Bishop’s solid silverware. As Valjean is about to take the Bishop’s candlesticks as well, the Bishop discovers him. Valjean hits the Bishop in the head, fleeing as he leaves behind the candlesticks. Valjean is caught quickly, but the bishop tells the police that the
April 20, 2013
Introduction
The story of Les Misérables has been told many times and in many ways, including a novel by Victor Hugo, the Broadway production, and on the big screen in 2012. The story centers around Jean Valjean, a man who spent nineteen years in prison for stealing bread for his sister and her family who were starving; Fantine, an unwed working-class mother who has traveled to Paris after leaving her daughter in the care of unscrupulous innkeepers, so that Fantine can earn enough money to provide for her daughter; Cosette, Fantine’s daughter, who goes to live with Valjean after her mother dies; and Javert, a police inspector who believes in the letter of the law and will stop at nothing to enforce the laws of France.
The film is set during the French Revolution. The concept of the film is to show that the “miserables,” the people who have been driven to lives of thievery and ill-repute, aren’t inherently bad; but instead, the world they live in has forced them to do bad things in order to survive.
The film opens with Valjean being released from prison, as mentioned before, after spending nineteen years performing hard labor. Because of France’s harsh laws, Valjean is required, for the rest of his life, to provide papers showing he is an ex-convict. This marks Valjean and causes most people he comes into contact with not to trust him. Rejected by innkeepers who do not want to take in a convict, Valjean sleeps wherever he can. Eventually a Catholic Bishop takes him in and gives him shelter. In the middle of the night, Valjean steals the Bishop’s solid silverware. As Valjean is about to take the Bishop’s candlesticks as well, the Bishop discovers him. Valjean hits the Bishop in the head, fleeing as he leaves behind the candlesticks. Valjean is caught quickly, but the bishop tells the police that the
References: Bevan, T., Fellner, E., Hayward, D., Mackintosh, C. (Producers), and Hooper, T. (Director). (2012). Les Misérables [Motion picture]. USA: Universal. Greenleaf, R. K. (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. New York: Paulist Press. Horsman, J. (2013). Foundations of servant-leadership: Human development theory and leadership. ORGL 530 Course Notes. Retrieved from https://learn.gonzaga.edu. Spears, L. C. & Lawrence, M. (2002). Focus on leadership: Servant-leadership for the twenty-first century. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Thompson, M. C. (2000). The congruent life. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass. Wilber, K. (2006). Integral spirituality: A startling new role for religion in the modern world. Boston, MA: Integral Books.