My Excuse to Talk About Les Mis

Hey guys. As you can tell by the title of this blog post, it’s about Les Miserables. Bad news though…I didn’t take a picture of the painting I related to the show. I know, I know. That was my one job. I just spent twenty plus minutes combing through a seven hour YouTube tour of the entire V & A searching for it. Mark my words, I will find this photo and insert it into the blog. Till then, my description will just have to suffice.

I believe it was a Biblical scene of slaves working. Whatever was happening, I pointed it out to Sophie and started singing “look down, look down, don’t look him in the eye”. The labor and suffering being portrayed in the painting clearly reminded me of Jean Valjean’s origins as a galley slave. As I looked at the painting through a Les Mis perspective, I really started to think about the concept of suffering and suffering for nineteen years as Valjean did. I had only turned twenty exactly a week before visiting the museum, so nineteen years as a slave is basically my whole life…and yet we see all the life Valjean lives after he breaks his parole. He spends some time struggling because he cannot get a job due to his past as a criminal, till he is presented with a second chance by a bishop who allows him to steal precious silver, as long as he uses the money from the silver to create a life for himself and become a better man. And, this is exactly what Valjean does.

You know, the more I think about my favorite shows I’ve seen so far on this trip have really made me think about the concept of time, and how we always have more of it. Isn’t that such a beautiful concept? The idea that there’s always just a little more time for us to spend? One day more, some may say…

And I can’t talk about Les Mis without bringing up the revolution of it all. If you know me at all, you knew the barricade boys were going to be my favorite. That battle scene is just gut-wrenching to watch. The reveal of Enjolras’s body on the cart? No one talk to me 💔

That’s the end of my nonsensical yap about Les Mis. I promise I’ll find that painting at some point…this I swear by the stars (ask me about Russell Crowe Javert impression!)