My name is Jean Valjean and I want to tell you the story of my life with the aim you could review your considerations about yours and change the priorities till it is not late. Living in wartime, when people were starving, the only aim of my life was to live. What a dare announcement! Just wanting to feed my sisterâs children, I stole the bread and appeared in jail. I was convicted for four years, but the inability to live in those conditions, I tried to escape. For the numerous attempts, I was convicted for 15 years more and saw freedom in 19 years. Life had changed for me. Being in the jail I could understand that there is no law, which protects people, that there are no such notions as God and mercy. The main disappointment for me was peopleâs attitude, as going with the yellow passport, the document of convicted, I had nothing to do, but to sleep in the streets as all innkeepers refused me. Moreover, having been in jail for 19 years, my understanding of life had changed. I became an animal, who just ate and slept. Looking at that time from the current perspective I understand that I was just disappointed by peopleâs attitude to me and dissatisfied with life, which did not have any aim.
Being at the edge of my life, thinking about suicide, the only thing, which I regret is that I did not meet Bishop Myriel, the Bishop of Digne earlier, as the lesson, which he introduced to me, was notable. First, when I was sheltered by him I could not understand the whole value of that meeting and I stole the bishop’s silverware. Being captured by the police I was taken to the bishopâs house and be sure in the further life in the jail I was astonished by Bishop Myrielâs words, who said, that he presented me with those silverware and also gave silver candlesticks in addition. The only which he demanded from me was the promise that the silver would go for good and would make me an honest man. Life had changed for me at that moment. I suppose that it was my great achievement as I began to believe in people again. Having changed my name for Monsieur Madeleine, I went to Montreuil-sur-Mer, where I saved children from the fire and people forgot to ask me for my passport. From this time I became a respected citizen without any mention about my convicted past.
Having started a new life, I was still confused about my inner world and could not answer lots of questions even for myself. Living in a new town under the other name I still had to be careful as police inspector Javert was still looking for him. The main achievement which was accomplished for me was the day when Javert had to be killed on the barricades. I saved Javert and two natures were fighting in me â whether to release him or to take revenge. I released him and understood that there is no neither law nor mercy in the world, as my feelings for him were not connected with mercy. I do not have any aim in my life and do not want to live. Saying goodbye for all, I want to wish you to have such people as Bishop Myriel near you, who can direct your lives for mercy and make you believe that law exists, but I could not believe in it and I do not want to live.