“The Invention of Hugo Cabret” is a young adult mystery novel, told in both words and pictures. The novel revolves around 12-year-old orphan, Hugo Cabret, who lives in an old apartment above a train station in Paris, where he tends to 27 clocks in the building each day. It is explained that Hugo’s father perished in a fire before the novel begins, and it is Hugo’s uncle who brought him to work as an apprentice timekeeper in the train station, though his uncle also subsequently died before the novel begins. Hugo, for fear of being thrown out, carries on work as if his uncle is still there. Hugo, like his father and uncle, is very gifted with mechanical skill. Hugo has been stealing toys from the old man who runs the toy booth at the station, hoping to find the parts he needs to fix an automaton that Hugo’s father discovered in an old museum. …show more content…
The automaton that Hugo’s father discovered is designed to write a note of some sort. Both father and son are very interested in repairing and seeing what the machine may write, but Hugo’s father died before his work could be completed. However, Hugo keeps a notebook from his father with written observations and detailed drawings about the automaton, hoping to complete his father’s work, and imagining his father may have changed it so the automaton will spell out an entirely new message for Hugo from his father. One day, the old man catches Hugo stealing from him and orders him to empty out his pockets. The old man is especially interested his Hugo’s notebook. The old man’s goddaughter, 12- year old Isabelle, seeks to befriend Hugo, and vows to get the notebook back. The old man, Papa Georges, explains to Hugo that he may earn the notebook back if he works off the cost of all the items he has stolen. Hugo reluctantly
Giving is an activity that people do every day. Receiving something in return tends to be the motivation for people to be generous. Very few people in this world will actually donate their time, effort, or money without acquiring a service or gift in return. The author of Les Misérables, Victor Hugo, knew of one of these magnanimous and charitable people. Inspired by all the altruistic deeds he has seen and heard about, Hugo created the Bishop of Dignes. The Bishop of Dignes time and time again demonstrates what it means to be a selfless Christian through his actions.
Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Damn is an animated film based upon Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name. The main characters Quasimodo, the hunchback who lives in the bell tower of Notre Damn, Esmeralda, the gypsie girl, Claude Frollo, the cruel Archdeacon of Notre Damn, and Captain Phoebus, the antagonist who defies Frollos’ orders, are all representative of the social classes and turmoil that occurred throughout the early 19th century in France. The original novel was written during the July 1830 Revolution, with strong influences from Hugo’s personal beliefs in social and political equality for all people as well as his opposition to the monarchy that begun after Napoleon Bonaparte’s defeat at Waterloo. This film is accurate in the sense that it shows the class struggle of the time in a way that both honors the novel and its historical context but is also appropriate for its younger
As the era of literature slowly declines, the expert critiques and praise for literature are lost. Previously, novels were bursting at the seams with metaphors, symbolism, and themes. In current times, “novels” are simply short stories that have been elaborated on with basic plot elements that attempt to make the story more interesting. Instead of having expert critical analysis written about them, they will, most likely, never see that, as recent novels have nothing to analyze. Even books are beginning to collect dust, hidden away and forgotten, attributing to the rise of companies such as Spark Notes. An author deserves to have his work praised, no matter how meager and the masses should have the right to embrace it or to reject it. As much of this has already been considered, concerning Les Misérables, the purpose of this paper is to compare, contrast, and evaluate Victor Hugo’s use of themes and characterization in his novel, Les Misérables.
After he uncovers Teddy’s paper world, the uncle reacts in a manner of ignorance and derision, mocking him for his decision to occupy himself with paper dolls. The uncle dubs Teddy as a “great big lummox … playing with paper dolls”, insulting Teddy for his hobbies with a tone of amusement and hysteria. In spite of Teddy’s agitation, the uncle prefers to make a mockery out of Teddy rather than accepting his unique hobbies, suggesting the uncle’s belief that Teddy’s activities are unfitting of someone of his age. In addition, Teddy’s uncle further aggravates Teddy by continuously ridiculing him, leading him to eventually destroy his treasured paper world. Despite Teddy’s attempts at validating the reality of his paper dolls, the uncle “burst into laughter, his cheeks the colour of a tomato.” Teddy’s uncle persistence in mocking Teddy implies his disapproval of Teddy’s world, believing that his world is ludicrous and absurd for someone of his age to be occupied with. The sustained laughter of Teddy’s uncle is explicit and deliberate, intended to warn Teddy against his immature hobby, an evident symbol of society’s expectation of
During the 1800s, the aristocracy of England and France lived in luxury and possessed an enormous amount of power in the society while peasants live in poverty. Dickens links the two countries with the theme of how history repeats itself. Dickens compares the social rankings, rulers, and events of the two countries and warns how if the English aristocracy did not change their ways, what happens in France would happen to them. In the novel, Dickens portrays the character, Monseigneur as an individual character as well as a social class of France. Monseigneur is a character who Dickens portrays as the entire class of the French aristocracy in the way of which he abuses his power. Dickens describes how the Monseigneur was having chocolate prepared for him by four men who are wearing gold watches as peasants were starving and dying. Dickens uses the actions of the Monseigneur to represent the entire population of the aristocrats in the city of St. Antoine. Another way in which Dickens shows how the Monseigneur was corrupt was how he appointed people to be officials not by their skill but by the way they would appraise him or by their status. Dickens foreshadows how France would become corrupt over time from the action...
Wealth and power, two of the most influential means to govern over those who have none. In the novel, A Tale of Two Cities, A man that goes by the honorary title, Monseigneur, is depicted in such a manner that it would be a great shame to his family to employ less than three servants to prepare his morning hot chocolate. That is one of many examples of how the wealthy live while thousands of mothers and children are dying from starvation on the streets, and men serve severe prison sentences because they commit a petty crimes such as stealing a loaf of bread to feed their starving family while a wealthy man finds it necessary to employ four men to make hot chocolate. The difference in life between those who had money and those who didn’t were drastically different; the rich thought everything in life was paid for, and this is what leads to the revolution. Go backwards in time to a moment that caused a depression in the history of France that future societies will look back on as to not allow fathom and poverty of this caliber to strike again.
Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” Approaching Literature: Reading + Writing + Thinking, Third Edition. Ed. Schakel, Peter J, and Jack Ridl. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. 233-234. Print.
...t Max gave to Liesel as a gift. This book represents the power of words, and how words can make a difference in a person’s life.The readers are engaged because it is interesting know the back stories behind these books when we read about them in the novel. Finally, Hans’ accordion symbolises comfort in The Book Thief. When Hans leaves to go fight in the war, he leaves his accordion at home with Rosa and Liesel. This is the moment that Liesel know that Rosa truly does love Hans, although she might not show it. “Liesel watched. She knew that for the next few days, Mama would be walking around with the imprint of an accordion on her body” (429). Rosa, Liesel’s “Mama”, keeps the accordion close to her heart because it reminds her of her husband, Hans, whom she misses so much. In The Book Thief, symbolism attracts attention to certain thematic ideas and the novel itself.
Victor Hugo, a French novelist, philosopher, poet and politician was the literal counterpart of Napoleon Bonaparte. Pre – eminent scholars like Leo Tolstoy hailed, the French general as the personification of the verve and spirit of France. He was the embodiment of the throbbing omniscient “life force” that had unseated the “old order” in post – revolution era. Studying Hugo in isolation would be a great injustice to a prolific artist. Boisterous and pompous, Hugo asserted that his works constituted a whole. He employed different vehicles to disseminate his brilliant ideas. At times discursive, at times rambling, and at times tangential but always with flashes of pristine sublimity. A discerning genius who let himself sink into the profundity of the words he conjured. A radical rebel with poignant analysis he was epitome of the unrelenting profuse manifestation of virtuosity.
A Doctor Alexandre Manette was captured for 18 years in France and was being freed at the beginning of the book. While imprisoned he became a shoemaker and became quite good at it. His daughter Lucie, along with Jarvis Lorry, a banker and friend to Lucie, rescued him. They went back to live in England and Lucie would come to marry Charles Darnay, also known as Charles Evrémonde, and they would have a daughter. Darnay was brought up with money in France and an old servant sent him a letter asking for his help; because he was stuck in jail and sentenced to death. Darnay ended up going to France to help him, but was put jail himself for entering France without papers. Lucie and her family met with Mr. Lorry, who was already in France on business,
Hugo uses Jean Valjean's imprisonment and immediate release to criticize France's inadequate justice system. To describe Valjean's punishment, Hugo writes, “In October, 1815, he was set at large; he had entered in 1796 for having broken a pane of glass, and taken a loaf of bread” (22). Valjean receives, in total, nineteen long years for the initial crime of stealing a loaf of bread. The legal system severely punishes Valjean for an act that stemmed, not from malicious intentions, but from the desire to feed his family. Valjean resorts to thievery only when he family is on the verge of starving. However, the law chooses to punish, instead of help, an innocent civilian who’s in desperate need of assistance. Through this incident, Hugo showcases the French government's inability to deliver true, righteous justice. Hugo criticizes not only the government's inability to properly restrain dangerous criminals, but also criticizes its mistreatment of prisoners. Valjean was treated cruelly in prison and when he is finally released from prison, “The beginn...
Firstly; lighting, camera angles and dialogue are used to portray Uncle Claude as an unsympathetic character. The low key lighting creates a dark and foreboding figure. Uncle Claude tactlessly tells Hugo his father has died and rushes him to pack his bag. This shows Uncle Claude has no sympathy for Hugo. He then shouts in a commanding tone “Quick” at Hugo, showing no patience for him to process and digest the devastating news. The director uses imperative dialogue to create authority over Hugo. “Hugo,
Victor Hugo’s Les Misèrables is a classic novel that demonstrates how a child is unable to mature in darkness. In the book, Fantine, gets pregnant and is left alone with her child, Cosette. Fantine searches for a place where Cosette can stay while she goes out to work. When she finds the right house she leaves her child, little did Fantine know that Cosette was going to be mistreated and miserable. On Fantine’s death bed, she begs Jean Valjean to find and take care of her child. In Victor Hugo’s novel, Les Misèrables, Cosette is a symbol of the child atrophy by darkness through her time spent with the Thènardiers, her transformation with Jean Valjean, and her flourishing into a young woman. Victor Hugo uses Cosette to represent the children of the time period and how they cannot grow without love and light.
In addition, Valjean is able to learn about the importance of love, honesty, and family with...
Victor Marie Hugo was a French poet, author, and playwright,and he was part of the Romantic movement. He is one of the greatest and best known French writers. Within France, his fame first came from his poetry but later his novels and his plays also brought him fame. Among his many volumes of poetry, Les Contemplations and La Légende des siècles are some of his most famous. Outside of France, he is best known for the novels Les Misérables and Notre-Dame de Paris. Though he was a committed royalist when he was young, Hugo's views changed as he got older and he became a supporter of republicanism. A lot of his works mention the political and social circumstances of his time. He was buried in the Panthéon on June 1st, 1885.