"Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo.

Essay by speedegrilHigh School, 10th gradeB+, September 2003

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Throughout peoples lives they will be influenced due to other people and events. In the book Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Jean is influenced by three different people. The first influence on Jean was by the bishop. Another influence on Jean was Cosette. A third influence on Jean was Javert. These influences can all be related to influences in my life.

The bishop's influence on Jean relates to my life and the way my grandfather has influenced me. The bishop was one of Jeans first and most important influences involving kindness and forgiveness. The first way that the bishop shows kindness to Jean is by inviting him into his home for dinner and a place to sleep, even though he is an ex-convict and no one else would help him. The next and most powerful act of kindness and forgiveness that the bishop shows to Jean is, when he tells the police that the silver which Jean had actually stole was a gift, and that he had forgotten to take his gift of candlesticks.

When the bishop says, "Ah there you are! I am glad to see you, but I gave you the candlesticks too, which are also silver and will bring you two hundred francs"(1/24). When the bishop say's this, Jean is filled with surprise and disbelief, and did not know what to do. From that day on Jean would remember the bishop and his kindness towards him, and use this memory to help others who where poor.

A person in my life who has influenced me in a way that relates to the way that the bishop influenced Jean is my grandfather. One way that my grandfather has influenced me is by buying me a car on my sixteenth birthday even though I hadn't asked him for...