Carlos Mejia
March 24, 2004  B	
	Jean Valjean is one of the most important characters in Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and is one of the main focuses becoming an important figure to Hugo theories about power redemption and love. There are several key occurrences that greatly impacted the life of Jean Valjean and follow hin throughout the novel. Three of those occurrences are when he was sent to the galleys at Toulon, the second one is when he meets father Myriel and the third is the knowledge and compassion he learns for taking care of Fantine's daughter Cossette. 
	The first key importance event to affect Jean Valjeans life is the time after he was sent to the galleys at Toulon. In the Galleys he was "dressed in a red blouse, all his past was effaced, even his name. He was no longer Jean Valjean; he was number 24,601." (page.19 p.4) forced to work like a slave as a punishment and was also forced to learn how to defend himself. " There he was faced with multiple and strenuous situations, physical and mental that added to his inner fire against society. Valjean went into prison a simple and decent man, but his time in jail has a seemingly irreversible effect on him, and he emerges from the chain gang a hardened criminal who hates society for what it has done to him and the nineteen years of his lost life. "He entered the galleys sobbing and shuddering: he went out hardened,; he entered in despair; he went out sullen." (page 20 p.1)
	The second important event that changes Jean Valjean's life is meeting father M. Myriel in Digne. Valjean is so used to treat people with hatred he even treats the kind Myriel with disrespect. Myrial brings Jean Valjean into his home after everyone in town rejects him. Jean Valjean is so amazed and confused because this is the first time anyone has done something nice for him in 19 years. This of course troubles him for the rest of the night and his compulsive thief reflexes take over. He steals the silver from the priest and runs away . He is later caught and to his surprise Myriel says to the huys that caught him that he had given him the silver and lets him go. he says " Jean Valjean, my brother, you belong no longer to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I am buying you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition., and I give it to God!" (page 30 p.9)
	The third event that changes Jean Valjeans life is that of Fantine and Cossette. After Fantine's death Jean Valjean makes her a promise that he will take care of Cossette. He opens his heart  and becomes living proof of the redemptive power of love and compassion. He feels reborn and with a new vision in mind. There he learns how to love another person and how to pass that love onto others. He becomes a symbol of hope in the book with his exceptional ability to change under the hardest circumstances through his physical strength and willingness to do good and help others. He sends a message across that if Jean Valjean could find compassion and love that nothing is impossible and anyone can .