Reminder:
Alphabetical names per pair.
3-4 paragraphs, 3-4 sentences each. Clear and direct sentences.
Only one idea that you will dicuss. Proofs (quotes from songs) may span several songs.
Proofs must mention the singer and song title: e.g. As sung by Cossette in A Heart Full of Love).
Rubrics:
Sample Essay:
Castillo, Ronald
Political and social concept of the human condition of love as sacrifice.
Political and social concept of the human condition of the need to belong.
Every character in the novel/musicale are examples of being ‘Les Miserables’, the miserable or as mentioned in Do You Hear the People Sing – wretched. As we watched the concert, I remember the words in philosophy: ‘the human condition’, and one particular condition that caught my attention was that of Eponine. She loved and was loved in return only at the very last moment of life.
It was Aristotle who claimed human are political animals. And this is so because people are social, and they need to properly interact with other people to survive. In this respect, I also claim that every human being has the need to belong. What perpetuates the ‘wretchedness’ of the community is that most people are too busy, care only for themselves, some do not really care while some are blind to the plight of others.
This human condition is symbolized by Eponine as she walked the streets of Paris singing On My Own. The beginning of the song succinctly describes: “And now I’m all alone again… without a home, without a friend, without a face to say hello to.” The song continues to narrate her unrequited love for Marius, but it also shows how a person can be all alone in a well-populated city. And every individual faces personal problems that other people actually help alleviate if only they knew.
The same song also mentions the duality of hope (“and all though, I know that he is blind, still I say there’s a way for us”) and hopelessness (“without me, his world will go on turning”). People live in the polis – a community – and yet people are not communitarian. Eponine’s personal situation is a fiction of the novel, but the essence of the need to belong is a real condition of humanity. The feeling of not belonging brings about dejection which can further weaken society.
Querubin, Giorjann Matthew
ReplyDeleteSaplad, Chrizelle Jude
The Sociopolitical Sense of Revolution as an Aftereffect of Injustice
One political idea being deliberately portrayed in the musical “Les Miserables” is revolutionary conflict as an incidental result for injustice. The underlying sociopolitical, interdisciplinary subject on the idea of revolution is focused on areas where an unjust class-based structure was evident which directed to the characters going against the highest in the society. With the aid of injustice, as was shown through the treatment of the authority between the conflicting social classes in the story, revolution came in to action.
The idea of revolution was shown through the riot fronted by the people in the musical. To further explain, the story illustrates the hypocrisy of the unjust class-based French society that fails to serve justice especially to the impoverished men. In the society present in the story, the justice system barely punishes the criminals who committed the worst crimes and tore apart the lives of those who commit petty crimes such as stealing a loaf of bread to feed a starving family and that justice seemed to be a privilege only for the rich who are given much concern and security by the law, whereas the poor receive nothing, if not very minimal, and are most prone to repression by the elites. Through this, those who are greatly affected by social discrimination would resort to revolution as a response to the imbalanced conduct of the system.
As proof to this, we chose Gavroche’s part on the song Little People to show the threat brought to the authorities who underestimate the lowly men: “And little people know when little people fight, we may look easy pickings but we’ve got some bite. So never kick a dog because he’s just a pup, we’ll fight like twenty armies and we won’t give up. So you’d better run for cover when the pup grows up!” In here, it shows that people may be considered tiny in terms of their individual extent but when brought up together, they can take advantage of their immense size and use it as a power to go against anything undesirable to them. They were in a society where they were not given a chance to know what justice feels like, and in return, they felt the need to revolt instead of understanding their precarious way can be changed for the better and that they can rise from their wretched fortune as the "little people."
SANTOS, Jasmine & TABUNDA, Hannah
ReplyDeleteTopic: Economic deprivation leads to criminal action
Les Miserables portrayed the socio-economic-political idea that the characters’ economic deprivation calls for their need to resolve to criminal action which calls for ineluctable state action. It focuses on the story of the characters struggling to free themselves from certain forms of mistreatment and oppression. This mistreatment and oppression then lead the characters to be forced into terrible positions mainly rooted from poverty. Poverty degrades the poor leading to treachery, theft, prostitution and other crimes that subject the characters to a retaliatory prison system.
As discussed above, the topic present in Les Miserables was shown by Victor Hugo through several of his characters’ storylines including Jean Valjean’s, Fantine’s and the Thenardiers’. Their depressive situations and reactions continuously drive the plot of the musical. Each of the performers distinctively reveal this message not only through the songs, but also to their attitudes during each of their performance.
For example, in the song “Look Down”, Jean Valjean was, as indicated in the lyrics (I stole a loaf of bread… My sister’s child was close to death and we were starving), put into prison for five years because of him being pushed by his family’s economic condition to do such a crime. Another situation that depicts poverty induced crime (Dear Fantine you send us more money… Your child needs a doctor) was during the song “At the End of the Day” in which Fantine got dismissed from her job at the factory when she needs the money at most to pay for the medicine and upkeep of her daughter thus leading her to the situation in the song “Lovely Ladies” wherein she became a prostitute. “The Attack on the Rue Plumet” also presented Monsieur Thenardier and his troupe attempting to rob off Jean Valjean’s house which rooted from after him losing their inn due to bankruptcy and his treachery against him involving the issue with Cosette’s adoption (It's time we settled the debt… This'll cost him dear).
The Thenardiers were also used as an instrument to blatantly express this social idea. Monsieur Thenardier, in particular, was often displayed singing about his family’s poor situation as the cause of his illegal activities. “Master of the House” describe the offensive actions and sang with a festive mood, and its reprise “Beggars at the Feast” contains the lines “Everywhere you go, Law abiding folk, Doing what is decent but they’re mostly broke”, which can be interpreted as Monsieur Thenardier’s understanding of consequent events if he would not hustle. Finally, in the song “Dog eats Dog”, he justified his illegal activities as part of this world and not taking advantage of it would be unwise through the lines: “Here’s a tasty ring, Pretty little thing, wouldn’t want to waste it, that would be a crime. It’s a world where the dogs eat the dogs, where they kill for the bones in the streets”.
Felix, Dave Darren
ReplyDeleteRagos, Daniel
Greed as the destroyer of society.
Fantine’s life in the novel was a miserable one like hell as she described it. She was poor and circumstances caused her to do everything she can to earn money for her daughter. Fantine was poor she never had the chance to improve her life even until her death. This type of life is still happening today and we believe that poverty is caused by greed.
Richard Taflinger, a professor in Aberystwyth University stated in his article entitled, “ Taking Advantage: The Sociological Basis of Greed,” that greed will destroy a society and we all know that too much of everything is bad. Our government today is filled with people who are selfish individuals. Corruption is rampant in the system and as it was said in the Fantine’s song, “ I Dreamed a Dream,” justice was non-existent (there was no ransom to be paid).
Today, everything must be bought with money and money must be earned through labor or service as it was portrayed in the song, “At the End of the Day” (at the end of the day you get nothing for nothing). But we see those politicians sitting on their office and getting lots of money while the poor work hard under the sun and get few money. Here we see the imbalance in the society. It is also obvious why the poor stay poor and the rich get richer.
Poverty is a pest since ancient times and nothing has ever changed since then due to greed of those who have money. At the song, “Look Down,” (when it’s going to end?) the poor no longer hopes and has no knowledge of when their suffering will end. Honestly, I also do not know the solution to poverty. But one thing is for sure, love can erase greed from a man’s heart.
Estapia, Clint Lou Matthew and Rubio, Marlon Cyrus
ReplyDeleteSocial Revolution as an answer to the hunger for freedom.
The interdisciplinary topic that we have observed in the song “Do you hear the people sing?” is both social and political. A social revolution is the best type of word to describe the events in the play ‘Les Miserables’ because it happened during the birth of the French Nationalism. Most of the events were portrayed firmly to express the sufferings of the people and how desperate their lives were.
The song has the most powerful impact in the play because the song express the deep repression the people felt during those times. It shows the strong hunger of the people for freedom and the urge for change. Social revolution according to Skocpol social revolutions are rapid and basic class and state transformation accompanied by a revolution particularly from the lower classes. (Skocpol, 1981)
The message embedded in the song contain calls for a change through revolution. Its message is felt by the audience because of the song’s strong approach and how its lyrics invites others to join their advocacies. The line "there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes" clearly expresses that a new beginning, a fresh start for the people is about to happen after the revolution.
Martinez, Juan Teodoro A.
ReplyDeleteTenorio, Arthur Franz B.
Social discrimination as oppressor of hope and developmental change
One of the social issues that are noticeable in Les Miserables is the presence of discrimination to convicted criminals that have served their sentence or has received their parole. Jean Valjean has been mistreated by inn keepers, employers, the guards, and of course Inspector Javert. The problem of discrimination, with regard to the lives of ex-convicts, also and still exists in the many societies today. Albeit the social difficulties, discrimination is also rampant in the wide range of politics in every society.
Jean Valjean was given parole after 19 years (5 years from stealing a loaf of bread, and another 14 years for attempting to escape the galleys) but is still suffering the consequences of stealing bread for the benefit of his starving sister. Aside from Javert’s continuous search for “prisoner 24601”, discrimination can seen when Jean Valjean was rejected by inns for he was carrying a yellow passport signifying that he was a former convict. And again, he was mistreated by employers in which Valjean sang, “You've given me half, what the other men get! This handful of tin, wouldn't buy my sweat!”, while one of the labourer responded, “You broke the law. It's there for people to see. Why should you get the same as honest men like me?”
Another example of the use of derogatory and discriminative lines in the play is when Javert (on the song of look down, sung by prisoners of the galley) summoned “Prisoner 24601” and said these lines “This badge of shame you'll show until you die; it warns you're a dangerous man”. And the during the song confrontation, again, Javert said referring to Jean Valjean who hid his identity as M’sier le Mayor, these words “A man like you can never change”, utterly stating that convicts never get to change even with the smallest offense of taking a loaf of bread. Also during the suicide of Javert he sang these exact lines: “Damned if I'll live in the debt of a thief! Damned if I'll yield at the end of the chase. I am the Law and the Law is not mocked I'll spit his pity right back in his face.” He was obviously not giving in to gratitude and would rather let his ignorance to situations such as these get in the way.
According to Brunning (1999), people learn from the behavioural and environmental stimuli that one receives. Jean Valjean has been discriminated and has been treated like dust or a pest in the roads. But because Bishop Myriel, giving him another chance, a chance to change, a chance to improve, singing these words “But remember this, my brother; see in this some higher plan. You must use this precious silver to become an honest man.” These words, together with all the maltreatment he has experienced, sparked an intense level of altruism and hope in Valjean’s heart which made him change for the better, to make his life set towards the goal of being a good and honest man.
Delos Ama, Trisha Clarine
ReplyDeleteSigua, Xanthy Mae
Power & Decision
The song 'Little People' specially struck a chord with us because of it's apparent symbolism of the youth. The youth is a very important part of the society. It can be therefore said that to undermine this undeniably huge part of any corner of this world, is a mistake.
The line "so never kick a dog, because he's just a pup", pictured the discrimination that exists in their society. The subject of the song is the abusive ruling of powerful people over the powerless ones and Gavroche was a representation of the latter. Upon the second verse of the song though, he proved that the so-called "powerless", isn't so powerless after all.
Moreover, the lines of the characters in the song are very political that they strongly express how they view the kind of power and governance that seem to constraint their lives. They knew that regardless of their status they still have the power to decide and revolt against a certain administration. In reality, this can be applied to the position of the youth. Individually, it may seem as though the "powerful"'s towering height can't be defeated, but together, the "powerless" is really indestructible. Which only goes to show that the common notion may be wrong after all, that this common notion, that the youth is "powerless", is actually just discrimination in disguise.
In support, "The people will decide your fate inspector Javert" a line sang by Enjolras, speaks of the kind of liberty that lies on the masses in deciding for their rights, how they view the society and most importantly, how the society sees them. The youth can definitely prove that they aren't as "powerless" as people may see. They are the future of the world, after all.
Fernandez, Francis Mark
ReplyDeletePasion, Janille Kaila
Class Struggle and The Wake of Revolution
“Look down, you will always be a slave…” The musicale commenced with this song about the status of the French people under an unjust regime. Fundamentally, it discusses a kind of society in which there was a class conflict that has evidently outlined numerous of struggles. The incessant yearnings and burdens of some of the characters in the story clearly established a conflict between the lower class and higher class, in which the people on the lower class, having been forced to work as slaves; obtain or acquire a gigantic anxiety with social and economic injustices and a definite contrast or disparity of the phenomenon in the higher class.
The dramatis personae manifest different kinds of social problems, focusing on that of class struggle. The social strata of France, which was deemed problematic and gruesome has taken so many innocent lives, and wasted the potential of so many young men and women. From Fantine’s generation (“It's a struggle, it's a war, and there's nothing that anyone's giving; one more day standing about what is it for?”) to her daughter, Cosette’s (“The blood of the martyrs will water the meadows of France.”); though it was a long plight, the victims of injustice finally found the will to fight.
In the song At The End of The Day, which was sung by Fantine, Jean Valjean, the Foreman, and the factory workers; the hopelessness of the lower class (“At the end of the day you're another day older, and that's all you can say for the life of the poor.”); and unfair treatment given to someone who belongs to that stratum (“You must send this slut away or we're all gonna end in the gutter, it's us who have to pay at the end of the day.”) was highly evident. The people have already reached a point wherein they just accepted their life as it is and started reviling their fellowmen; that is until the younger generation, through the song Do You Hear The People Sing? (“It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!”) roamed the streets of Paris as an affirmation that the revolution against the oppressive government has finally begun.
Ang, Almer Angelo S.
ReplyDeleteThe effects of being proletariat and elite.
In the novel Les Miserables it showed the differences of poor and elite. In the song “At the End of the Day” Fantine’s life is very miserable. She is poor and her life status did not change until she past away.
The song can be related to Karl Marx class conflict and class struggle. Class conflict may occur when there is an inequality of power between the poor and the elite. The conflict between the two creates class struggle.
The elite shows more power to the proletariat and it creates a conflict between the two classes. In the song “At the End of the Day” the lyrics “At the end of the day you get nothing for nothing. Sitting flat on your bum doesn’t buy any bread”. The lyrics simply mean that the proletariat will remain proletariat and elite will remain elite.
DUNGAO, Carlos Daniel
ReplyDeleteQUIMSON, Wilde Ehrolle John
The film/concert's variety of social and political depiction has given plenty concepts to ponder upon and perhaps one very obvious concept shown was how devalued and oppressed the working class were in a socio-political way during the time set in the film/concert. As was said in the song At The End of The Day, it was said that, "at the end of the day, you're another day older and that's all you can say for the life of the poor." Various characters have been evidence to this devaluation and throughout the concert, lines of the characters have proven this to be such.
The working class, as depicted by Fantine, struggles to be free from such oppression from the oppressors. The social and economic injustice between the working class and the higher class, which includes the abusive governmental figures, shows the hardship of the working class as they are often pushed to work in debt, neglected of their freedom. The political issue shown as well was how the social classes predicted the outcome of your judgement. Fantine was oppressed beyond the point of fairness just because she was a prostitute and this was the same story for the other characters in their songs.
As evident in Look Down, with the same oppressiveness Fantine had, Valjean sang about how he stole bread, and served five years for it (eventually nineteen), to feed his loved one. He was forced to commit a crime in order to survive because of the social injustice and political imbalance present during his time. The well-known saying people presently hear around (The rich get richer and the poor get poorer) shows how the working class' struggles are as intense as the higher class' power gets to.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGañola, Loverly Anne V.
ReplyDeleteSantos, Katrina Angeline DR.
The Holder of Power in the society
Beautifully wrapped in compelling, heart-breaking and hope-giving songs is the tragedy in the musical, Les Miserables. People can no longer take any more suffering that they finally decided to claim the power and use it. This belief that they have the power is what made the revolutionary characters of the play to make a move against the government.
The government, which governs the people and the land and reinforces order, always seem to be the one bearing the highest power. It may seem this but then again, events in history has proven otherwise. George R R. Martin said that power dwells where people believe it resides. Thus, it is when people starts believing that they have the power they start to claim it and use it for their will that the power is with them.
In the play, this idea was shown through the song “Upon These Stones” that was sang by the students or the revolutionaries for it represents the beginning of the actual revolution. The song, with its urging message and tone, tells the people to believe that freedom can be attained if they are united. The lines, “Have faith in yourselves, and don’t be afraid...There are ways that a people can fight, We shall overcome their power”, give courage to the people in fight for their freedom.
In this song, the lines, “And if I should die in the fight to be free, Where the fighting is hardest, There Will I be”, also means that the people are ready to lay their lives in order to attain freedom. It shows to what degree a man believes how powerful he can be. This song also portrays, not only that the people believe they have the power but that at that moment in the barricades, where they have the chance of winning, they hold the power to freedom as depicted by the line of the same song, “Damn their warnings, damn their lies! They will see the people rise!”
Pinlac, Christine Mae F. and Ubay, Ma. Chelca O.
ReplyDeleteLower and Middle Classes as Revolutionary Agents
Political revolutions are always starting from the lower class. This is due to the fact that social and economic injustices are most experienced by the people who are below in the elite ruling class. Proletariat also known as working class is the most vulnerable to oppression, marginalization and exploitation in the society. So, these people are the ones to primarily engage in political and social rallies to address their trepidation and apprehension to the government. Therefore, political revolutions are major turning points which led by the common men in a country's history.
Karl Marx says that throughout history, social classes have fought against each other as “oppressor and oppressed, stood in constant opposition to one another, carried on an uninterrupted, now hidden, now open fight”. There were issues of prostitution, poverty and discrimination among the proletariat as portrayed by the characters in the novel like Fantine, Jean Valjean, Cosette and etc. Experiences and situations of inequality were the catalysts of the poor to start revolution against the government that was ruled by the elite. The poor were enraged by their economic, social, and political deprivations that caused sufferings and dehumanization in their everyday lives.
Empowering the oppressed can be glanced in the song lyrics of “Little People” that Gavroche sang “So never kick a dog because it's just a pup…You'd better run for cover when the pup grows up! And we'll fight like twenty armies and we won't give up”. The song represents that we should not mistreat other people and make ourselves superior than them just based on their social class and status. ‘Little people’ must not be underestimated and abused because when they realize it is the time for change they will promote progressive ideologies to revolt against their oppressor and to abolish the social order that exists .
And also as another proof, in the song “Do you hear the People Sing?” the people chanted the chorus lyrics “It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!” These lyrics clearly shows that revolution was started by the ‘slaves’ whom were the middle and lower classes. These common people despite having no power and resources were the instrument, catalyst and leaders of reform to achieve social and political transformation in the society. In conclusion, middle and lower classes are the sole reformers and the central point of political and social revolution.
(Posted on behalf of Natividad and Taguinod as they do not have immediate access to the internet.)
ReplyDeleteNatividad, Genesis
Taguinod, Carla
Through the Law, Vengeance is Served
A classic adaptation of reality into art, Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, gave life to a man enslaved by law. In both political and psychological inclinations, Inspector Javert and his dedication to the words of the law promotes the conflict between the idea of good and right. For Javert, men will forever bear their crimes against the absolute law.
Jeremy Bentham once voiced out: "The law creates rights by committing crimes". The laws of the state is centered towards the achievement of the common good. Ironically, those who are entrusted by its enforcement are ignorant of the law's common idea. These blurry definition of the law creates both the hero of the masses and the terrible leviathan waiting to judge the unlawful.
Javert, in his words and deeds, proclaimed man is labeled by his own deeds and the law. In the song "Look Down", as Javert calls Jean Valjean as "24601" he sang the line "this badge of shame you'll show until you die, it warns you're a dangerous man". As the story progresses, Javert never ceased to look for Valjean to do his sworn duty to the law and this is evident in the intense rhythm of "The Confrontation" (my duty's to the law - you have no rights). This in a way unveils Javert's hatred of freedom for those he think should live in misery. This notion of Javert toward the law and the people that commit against can be perceived as he contemplates and sings 'Stars'. The song ended with "That I may see him, safe behind bars. I will never rest till then." However, his dedication in enforcing the law tinges his morality and greediness of forgiveness. His line over his confontation with Jean Valjean, "I've hunted you across the years. A man like you can never change." proves his thinking over prisoner's inabality to change and have freedom.
As the story progresses, Javert never ceased in his dedication to put back Valjean behind the cold bars. In "The Confrontation", he also proclaimed the possible fuel of his hatred to Valjean ( I was born in a jail...I am from the gutter too). In both the songs "Stars" (that those who falter and those who fall must pay the price) and "Javert's Suicide (Damned if I'll live in debt of a thief...I am the Law and the Law is not mocked...I'll spit his pity right back in his face) Javert somehow unveils the root of his dedication to the law. As strange as it may seem, but the man who has sworn obedience to the law was the same man who suffered from its injustice and turned into a monster masked as the law to seek vengeance to others who fail to oblige.
Andaya, Christian Jake SJ.
ReplyDeletePlurad, Krizea Nae A.
Equality Deprivation: Cry of the Dejected
There are numerous of problems being portrayed in the musical when it talks about politics and in the society. One of these is the social inequity among the poor, which is the issue or gap between the higher and the lower class. The fact that the wealthy ones possess a huge capacity and privilege in the society and sometimes they are favored not just by means of justice but in all aspects of inequity in the society. They tend to maneuver those who are inferior to them because of their money that made them powerful; hence the entities in the lower class were lucidly deprived not just of the rights in the society but of the privilege to improve their social status or the quality of their daily-living.
Social Inequity is clearly displayed and interpreted in the musical. It is particularly referring to the lower class, wherein in the musical, the poor people gathered outside the factory talking about their hardships and their struggle to work for a living. Moreover the musical shows in the same scene that poor people already accepted what is destined to them: that is to stay poor and to die poor for they are not yearning nor rooting for any improvements in their lives, hence it is where the social inequity took place in the musical.
As what is stated above that social inequality is being portrayed in the musical. Time has already passed but the poor people are still poor. This statement however can be proven by the queue on the song: At the End of the Day which was sung by the workers, which states: “At the end of the day you’re another day older, and that’s all you can say for the life of the poor, it’s a struggle it’s a war” by this, it can be affirmed that poor would stay as it were, because of the isolation of the power, which the unequal distribution of resources follows.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePacle, Paula Marie G.
ReplyDeleteUy, Mariel Encar H.
Topic: “Little people” know their capacity once they rise with solidarity.
Les Miserables is a story conflicted in a social-political-economic situation. The characters of the story are divided to their social classes. Men in the lower class are treated as slaves but the wealthy and powerful are looked up to as lords and supreme beings. Also in the musical, injustice is evident especially in the people who belonged to the lower class.
Les Miserables shows the diversity of the social classes in the society and the role of each class socially, economically and politically speaking. It also shows the belief of people that social revolution is the answer for the inequality that exists in society. Likewise in the belief of some Filipinos who encourage youth to join New People’s Army and to begin social revolution for a change. Angry men revenge and start a new world for the oppressed and destroy the hierarchal categories in every society.
The songs which prove the situation of the characters are “Little People”, “Red and Black” and “Do you Hear the People Sing?”. “So never kick a dog because he’s just a pup, You better run for cover when the pup grows up!” (Little People - sung by Gavroche at his post in the barricade), the oppression of the poor may lead to revolution for they know their power against the higher class. “Have you asked of yourselves what’s the price you might pay?” (Red and Black – sung by Marius and his men), it shows that they are ready to risk their lives just to fight for injustice. But the song that really summarizes the whole musical was “Do you hear the people sing?” which is sung by all characters who were oppressed by the higher class which has very strong and significant lyrics “will you give all you can give so that our banner may advance? Some will fall and some will live, will you stand up and take your chance? The blood of the martyrs will water the meadows of France.”
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGarcia, Homyr Jr. L.
ReplyDeleteRendon, Anne Margaret A.
The Voice of an Honest Man as an Instrument for Political and Social Change
The political science students still remember the speech of Elle Woods from the movie Legally Blond which says that “One honest voice can be louder than a crowd.” For something to happen, you need to get involved and not just stand there and watch the injustice that is happening in the society. Moreover, as the most important element of the society, it is really important to have the people’s participation when it comes to making changes in the society or in the government. This assumption is contradicting to what happened in the concert since their government overpowers the people in a lot of ways and the law which is supposed to embody the ideals of the people became abusive and a clear manifestation of it is when Javert said that Jean Valjean is not completely free and it is because of the law that will haunt him and will prevent him from having a new life and equal rights just like those of honest man.
The voice of the people started to be heard when they sang the song “Do You Hear the People Sing?” and it happened because they already opened their eyes to what is really happening to their society and there is a need for a political and social change. In addition, the song shows the revolutionists in the barricades who are singing their hearts out in a tune which is considered as promoting the birth of a new system in their government which specifically gives equality among all men and disregards the social status that they have. Also, the political science students tried to relate this so called people’s participation and voicing out what they think is right in the song “Look Down.” They believed that the punishment given to those people who committed a crime is unreasonable since even after you are given the so called parole, you are still considered as slave and there a lot of disadvantages just like when Jean Valjean tried to work and his salary is not the same with a person who is not a criminal. Moreover, since their government really overpowers the people, the only way to make the said change is by voicing out their thoughts. If you want to make a change, you have to act and be the change itself so no matter what the results will be, you wouldn’t have any regrets.
Do You Hear the People Sing, as sung by Eljolras or the revolutionists present their hope for continuous abolition of slavery and inequality which is shown in lyrics which says that “Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!” Also, they have their genuine faith that there will be a new world for the oppressed as there will be a new life for them, “There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!” On the other hand, the song Look Down which is sung by the beggars asks for help from the people that are somehow more gifted than them “See our children fed, Help us in our shame, Something for a crust of bed.”
Overall, the political science students believed that by showing participating and voicing out what you think is right, there is a big chance that you will be heard and the change that you want to happen may be turned into reality. You just have to believe in yourself and don’t ignore what is really happening to the society.
VILLA, Marko Antonio DR.
ReplyDeleteMan’s insatiable treachery and corruption concealed in plain sight
Portrayed in the musicale was Monsieur Thénardier. A lowly innkeeper of Montfermeil that thinks highly moral of himself yet admittedly acknowledges that he is a crook. He would do absolutely anything if it meant that he was to earn money. That being said, the same exact thing can be used to speak about people in society today.
In Master of the House, Thénardier makes a business of being a cheap and deceitful innkeeper. He was, as mentioned in his song, “watering the wine, making up the weight, pickin’ up their knick-knacks when they can’t see straight... [Serving up the] kidney of a horse, liver of a cat, filling up the sausages with this and that... [Charging] for the mice, two per cent for looking in the mirror twice.” In plain sight he was able to steal, like when the water company charges people too high and gets away with it; or when those stores that sell people overpriced products, not following the SRP (suggested retail price); or how those companies get away with underpaying their hardworking employees.
As if reiterating the last of the Five Good Emperors, Marcus Aurelius, Hobbes stated the nature of mankind as he saw it, which to him was the “war of every man against every man.” He observed that people constantly sought to destroy one another. While Aurelius mentions that each man needs to prepare for each of his waking day to meet “inquisitive, ungrateful, violent, treacherous, envious, uncharitable men.” Thénardier embodied exactly what Aurelius and Hobbes warned other men of.
“Here’s a hint of gold stuck into a tooth, pardon me, M’sieur, you won’t be needing this no more... Here’s a tasty ring, pretty little thing, wouldn’t want to waste it that would be a crime... Here’s another toy, take it off the boy... Well someone’s got to clean them up, my friend,” Dog Eats Dog, likely to be the darkest song in Les Misérables, it speaks even more of Thénardier’s treacherous ways. The common man is not the only thing in society to embody the personification that is Thénardier, the great and powerful even more. Picking at the bones of the dead like vultures, people of great power ranging from politicians to managers incessantly take away from the people under them and somehow find a way to tell everyone that they do what they do for a good cause.
Posted on behalf of Armithan Suguittan and Kaye Esmao. They don't have an internet connection so they ask me to post theie essay. Thank you very much Sir!
ReplyDeleteEsmao, Francheska
Suguittan, Armithan
Poverty in the Society leads to Desperation
Poverty during the revolution in the late nineteenth century was closely exhibited in the musical. Right from the beginning of it, during the first song, the idea of poverty was introduced. Though, an important issue that was born from poverty is the desperation of the characters to survive, in their own ways. The desperation in one form or the other.
There were several instances where, the desperation of the characters to survive because of the poverty was shown. One would be during the start of the musical, where Jean Valjean says that he stole a loaf of bread for his sister’s starving child. A huge chunk of the extra characters were also dressed up in raunchy clothing, most of which could be safely assumed to have been struggling to survive. Even the Thernadiers could be labeled the same; people who would desperately cling to any chance of getting money would have probably been struck by the wave of poverty.
The desperation showed in a variety of ways, each unique to a character; from Valjean stealing a loaf of bread, the blind follower of the law that is Javert, pursuing an outlaw who deserved much less than what he treats with him, to Fantine slowly calling out to Cosette in her final moments. Looking closely, their desperate states were slowly brought about by the fatality of poverty in their eras. While singing ‘Come to Me’, Fantine was shown to have become delirious in her hospital bed during that sequence. She had loved her daughter so much that, even in the last second of her life, she had wanted to see Cosette. Singing, (‘Cosette, it's turned so cold, Cosette, it's past your bed time! You’ve played the day away and soon it will be night.’) Her desperate situation had been brought upon her through having to become a single mother to Cosette.
Several lines from the musical’s songs attribute to the desperation of the characters. Fantine singing (‘Give that letter to me, It is none of your business... With a husband at home, and a bit on the side. Is there anyone here, who can swear before god, she has nothing to fear? She has nothing to hide?’) during the song, At the End of the Day, The desperation she shows here is of her trying to work while keeping Cosette a secret, letting herself be torn from being away from her daughter just to make sure she can live a comfortable life. There are several other examples of this throughout the musical, all concluding that the stress that the characters had received were from their position in poverty
Matsuyama, Futoshi Ivan T.
ReplyDeleteFrench Revolution Realism
The internationally acclaimed musical inspired film entitled ‘Les Miserables’ directed by Tom Hooper was taken from a classical book authored by Victor Hugo. The film I must say was a masterful interpretation of Victor Hugo’s literary classic. The film explicitly examined the nature of politics and law, and expounded upon the history of France i.e. the French Revolution, architecture, moral philosophy, religion, justice, to name a few.
In lieu of the ideas portrayed in the song entitled “Do you hear the people sing” and “look down”, also with respect to the scenes provided in the movie was the discrepancy of social class in terms of economic dependency. The apparent incapability of the lower class and middle class to thwart the unjust treatment provided by the royalists in France was clearly portrayed in the song. The treatment of oppression was apparent when Javert was looking down towards his men upon pulling the ship.
The film portrayed the brute reality of the nature of politics and the nature of man. This may we associate with the political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes in his The Leviathan. Hobbes assessment provides that man and politics by nature are harsh and violent. As a realist thinker Hobbes’s fundamental ontology focused on the nature of man as a political animal hungry for power. With respect to the movie, it was evident that there is a clear absence of balance of power.
The roots which caused the French revolution are parallel to the idea of liberal institutionalism. In essence, liberal institutionalism provides that there is always an anarchic structure in politics. Throughout the movie, viewers would see that there is a fine line with regards to class. But in Javert’s suicide we would see that with the principles provided in liberal institutionalism regardless of class, change is always of inevitable.