Law

Law as truthful and correct as it appears will never be flawless. Its flaws are the ones that create societies major problems. As seen in Les Miserables, Javert is a mean and very “just” person. He enforces law as it is, and has no other purpose in life. Javert makes jean Valjean’s life, hell on earth. Systems of justice today, and in those times don’t give second chances. If seen from Valjean’s point of view, his first crime was done, because he had no other choice. “There was a very severe winter; Jean had no work, the family had no bread; literally, no bread, and seven children” (Hugo23) What could he do? He tried earning some money, the honest way to be able to maintain his family, but it didn’t work. He had no other choice, and was convicted to jail for stealing a loaf of bread, one single loaf. A crime has to be punished, but; Should the crime doer be punished for life, or should he be given a second chance? When Valjean is out of prison, trying to start a new life, he can’t do so. His yellow passport, which is a way of knowing if a person is an ex-convict, doesn’t allow Valjean to have a new beginning. “When he had, not without difficulty, got over the fence, he again found himself alone in the street without lodging, roof or shelter, driven even from the straw bed of the wretched dog kennel” (Hugo 11) No Inn will take him, or even let him buy some food. Valjean had no way of surviving anymore, if it wasn’t done through crimes. This same situation is seen day to day around the globe. This leads to the creation of more criminals in the world.