24601 is Not My Name

If our family ever had a favorite Broadway musical, it would have to be Les Miserables, hands down. Our children could sing the songs, word for word, before they could read or write. What a wonderful story about the strength and beauty of the human spirit, and of the interconnectedness we have with our God.

The musical is based on the book by Victor Hugo, who wrote: "So long as there shall exist, by virtue of law and custom, decrees of damnation pronounced by society, artificially creating hells amid the civilization of earth, and adding the element of human fate to divine destiny; so long as the three great problems of the century—the degradation of man through pauperism, the corruption of woman through hunger, the crippling of children through lack of light—are unsolved; so long as social asphyxia is possible in any part of the world;—in other words, and with a still wider significance, so long as ignorance and poverty exist on earth, books of the nature of Les Misérables cannot fail to be of use."

Now, I have never read the book, but ever since I heard the music I have been a follower. I love the movie in which Anthony Perkins stars as Javert, and I have seen the live musical version twice over the years when Les Mis travelled to my area. The most recent time being last weekend when our whole family drove to the fabulous Fox Theater in Atlanta.

I have to admit that I have wondered about allowing my young children to be exposed to these "artificial hells amid the civilizations of the earth." We are very careful about what movies we allow in the house. We have a no "R" rated movie policy that we have only a few exceptions to. Prostitution, exploitation, mercilessness and debauchery are situations that Les Miserables brings into question, and there is no sugar coating its ugliness.

(At this point I must say that I do not care for the movie version which stars Liam Neeson. In my opinion it focuses too much on the darkness and not enough on the redemptive value).

However, when I look at the story as a whole, there is no doubt that the moral of the story is all about love and mercy.

**Warning....contains spoilers **

The story takes place in 1815 France, where the main character, Jean Valjean, an ex-con, spent 19 years on the chain gang, after stealing some bread to keep his sister's child from starving to death. His heart has hardened and he is consigned to a life of depravity. This changes one night after Valjean steals from the kind Bishop of Digne who takes him in, and then lies to the police to save Valjean from going back to prison.

"...And remember this my brother, see in this a higher plan, you must use this precious silver, to become an honest man. By the witness of the martyrs, by the passion and the blood, God has raised you out of darkness; I have bought your soul for God." (sung by the Bishop of Digne to Valjean).

From that night on, Valjean is a changed man. His heart becomes soft and pliable in God's hands. He becomes involved in others' lives, and extends mercy to those in need. He goes above and beyond what any good person might do, even if it places his own interests at risk.


Valjean's missions of mercy take him into a house of ill-repute where he befriends a woman who has resorted to prostitution out of desperation for her daughter, into a beggar's inn where he rescues the daughter, a court house where he proves a man's innocence by condemning himself, and a front-line barricade during a student uprising against the dictatorial French government.

All this while being hunted down by Inspector Javert from Tuolon Prison, where Valjean broke parole. Javert is merciless in his pursuit, and believes that it is his duty to rid the streets of thugs such as Valjean, whom he refers to by his prison number 24601, and never by his name.

"...if I speak, I am condemned, If I stay silent I am damned...

Who am I? Can I condemn this man to slavery, pretend I do not see his agony, this innocent who bears my face who goes to judgement in my place. Who am I? Can I conceal myself forever more, pretend I'm not the man I was before? And must my name until I die, be no more than an alibi, must I lie?
How can I ever face my fellow men, how can I ever face myself again? My soul belongs to God I know, I made that bargain long ago, He gave me hope when hope was gone, He gave me strength to journey on...

Who am I? Who am I? I'm Jean Valjean!

And so Javert you see it's true, That man bears no more guilt than you! Who am I....24601!"(sung by Jean Valjean at the court house).


Valjean's mercy does not stop there. He truly lives out the "love your enemies" command when he spares Javert his life, and lets him go free, a favor that Javert pledges not to return should he ever find Valjean again.

"..Who is this man, what sort of devil is he, to have me caught in a trap and choose to let me go free? ...all it would take is a flick of his knife, vengeance was his and he gave me back my life....I'll spit his pity right back in his face....there is nothing on earth that we share, it is either Valjean or Javert!" (sung by Javert who is trying to get his mind around the concept of mercy).


The whole story revolves around the daughter, and the lives of the people who loved her, and those who used her. There is romance, a love triangle, freedom fighters, valor and chivalry. My favorite character is Eponine, the girl who is caught in the love triangle, who ultimately sacrifices her life for the other two. The story is beautiful by itself, but the music just pushes it over the top!

There are some points that the story doesn't resolve that I have used as discussion starters with my children:

1. When I am hungry it is a personal problem, but when my neighbor is hungry it is a moral problem. Jean Valjean never should have had to steal bread to keep his neighbor alive.

2. Sin is never a good solution to a moral problem. It is wrong to resort to prostitution to provide money for your child. The story never addresses this, and turns the one who does resort to this into a hero.

3. Suicide.

But with that said, I want to end by quoting the last few lines of the musical, when Jean Valjean is at the end of his days, and he is being led  home to heaven by the characters who have died before him.

"...Take my hand, and lead me to salvation, take my love, for love is everlasting, and remember the truth that once was spoken, to love another person is to see the face of God."

May you always "see the face of God" in those around you!