Discussion post: 1.4.3

[genarti]

Today's chapter is "Utilité de gros caractères," translated variously as "Usefulness of Big Letters" and "The Advantage of Large Letters." Discuss away!

Comments

1.4.3

[(Anonymous)]

The narrator calls the faux-peasant a man of steel. I note this because, in Les Mis (at least as far as I’ve re-read), nobody gets compared to steel. Marble, granite, wood, yes—but not steel. I don’t know if/what this signifies.

And of course the faux-peasant is the Marquis de Lantenac, the lord Halmalo mentioned earlier and to whom he considers himself loyal. Because why would Hugo pass up a perfectly good opportunity for an unlikely coincidence? Gélambre, the double agent from the earlier chapter, has sent word of Lantenac’s coming and there’s a price on his head. Prieur de la Marne gets another name-check. I wonder if we will actually meet him and this will become 18th century RPF?

He meets his double, a man his size and dressed like him, but a beggar where he is a lord. The faux-peasant’s cover is blown. Dare I hope he’ll get what’s coming to him?

(Note: I've read ahead since writing this. Ahahahhahahaha.)

Re: 1.4.3

[bobbiewickham]

...and that was me.

Re: 1.4.3

[bobcatmoran]

I don’t know if/what this signifies.

Clearly it signifies that he is Superman. :)

(Kidding, of course. He's more like Lex Luthor. Or Brainiac. Or…um…shoot, I don't know my Superman villains very well. How about whatsisname, General Zod(?), from the most recent movie? Actually, that's not that terrible a comparison, come to think of it.)

[primeideal]

I do love Victor Hugo’s chapter titles.

"He watched them and counted them mechanically," Odd choice of words for a man watching some inert, silent bells. Someone already commented on him being compared to steel—he’s sort of just a mechanical object at this point?

"This sum will not be paid in assignats, but in gold." Even the revolutionary government recognizes the shortcomings of assignats—Lantenac is a big enough deal that they’re willing to spend actual money on finding him.

"He started to go, as he had planned, towards the farm, probably having good reasons for thinking he would be safe in this direction." What might those reasons be? Not necessarily a reliable narrator at this point, of course.

"He stopped behind a thicket, took off his cloak, turned the hairy side of his vest out, fastened his ragged cloak around his neck again by the cord, and started on his way." There’s that stealthy disguise from 1.2.1. It’s translated as a "costume" there. Not sure whether it’s supposed to be an effective disguise or what.