Flaws of the Law

Victor Hugo characterizes Javert in a very unique way. He starts off describing him as a mean prison guard, who lives to enforce justice, and hates any type of delinquent. Throughout the book one can see that all he does is be a law enforcer. When he finds the Thernadier’s breaking the law, he throws them into prison. “The Thernadiess, completely crushed, looked at her manacled hands and those of her husband” (Hugo 233) Years after Valjean had “died” Javert continued doing his job in the same manner. He found a wrongdoer, put him into jail and continued on with the same system. Everything proceeded as planned until he finds himself in a confusing situation. Valjean, at a barricade lets Javert go free instead of using that opportunity as vengeance and killing him. Javert finds himself trapped, he knows that as an officer he should take Valjean prisoner, but his conscience tells him to do otherwise. “To owe his life to a malefactor… to betray society in order to be true to his own conscience…One things had astonished him, that Jean Valjean had spared him, and one thing had petrified him, that he, Javert had spared Jean Valjean” (Hugo 336) Javert is caught between his thoughts, not knowing what to do.