The Bishop of Digne
by Victor Hugo
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Quick answers
1. Complete this chart to bring out the character of the bishop. For each trait listed on the left, look for an example from the story that shows that trait. Note it down on the right.
Charitable : The Bishop of Digne had given everything to people except for a set of silverware and a pair of silver candlesticks that had been given to him by his mother.
Kind : He gave shelter to the ex-convict Valjean. He also provided him food and shelter. He had never lived in the church palace, but had given it to the townspeople for a hospital. He lived simply and his door was always open to the many poor, sick and needy
Forgiving : He pretended to give the ex-convict the silver cutlery and candlesticks before the local police to prove Valjean innocent.
Reference to context
2. "Slowly, Valjean's hard, gloomy expression softened to one of delight."
a. Where was Valjean?
= Valjean was at the house of the Bishop of Dinge.
b. Why had his expressions been hard and gloomy?
= His expressions had been hard and gloomy because he was tired and hungry. He thought that there was least chance to get shelter and food in the town.
c. What softened Valjean's expression to one of delight?
= Jean Valjean was an ex-convict. He was jailed for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his hungry family. He came to the town of Digne where no one would give him food or shelter. He was amazed after knocking at the door of the Bishop and getting a warm welcome. That softened Valjean's expression to one of delight.
3. "A few moments later, everyone in the little house was asleep."
a. Name the people in the little house.
= The people in the little house are - The Bishop of Digne, his sister, Mademoiselle Baptistine, and their old servant, Madame Magloire. According to the graphics, we can see that there were few pet cats who were also asleep.
b. Who awoke when the clock struck two?
= As the cathedral clock struck two, Valjean awoke.
c. What did the person who was awake think of?
= He lay thinking of his years as a prisoner, of his poverty and his lost youth. He thought of many things, including the Bishop's silver.
4. "Unfortunately for Valjean, he was spotted by the local police and arrested."
a. Why did the police arrest Valjean?
= The police arrested Valjean for he was fleeing after stealing the silver cutlery of the Bishop's house.
b. Where did the police take Valjean?
= The police took Valjean to the Bishop's house to return the cutlery to him.
c. What response do you think the police were expecting next? Why were they surprised?
= The police might expecting that the Bishop would become angry on the convict for his ungratefulness. He might scold him and asked the police to take him to the prison.
The police were surprised to learn that the Bishop gave the silvers all to the convict. He also adding the silver candlesticks for the convict to take away.
Read, reflect and write
5. Describe the life that the Bishop and his sister lived.
= The Bishop of Digne lived a life full of divinity and kindness. He dwelt in a modest house along with his sister, Mademoiselle Baptistine, and their old servant, Madame Magloire. The Bishop had never lived in the church palace, but had given it to the townspeople for a hospital.
He lived simply and his door was always open to the many poor, sick and needy. Even that night, when rumours of a dangerous stranger circulated around the town, the Bishop did not lock his front door. They were always ready to host and serve whoever knocks at their gate irrespective of gentleman or a convict.
6. We are told that Jean Valjean was overcome with emotion while looking at the Bishop sleeping. What emotion did he feel? Why do you think the emotion passed?
= He felt the emotion of goodness and kindness that lit up the whole face of the Bishop.
I think the emotion passed due to the overpower of the past experiences of the convict. Jean Valjean was an ex-convict. He was jailed for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his hungry family. He had passed a long hard time as prisoner. He lost his youth in those 19 years. The pain of poverty stopped him to get into the emotion of the Bishop's face.
7. Which two words describe how Jean Valjean felt when the Bishop protected him? Give reasons for each of the emotions he felt.
= When the Bishop protected him, Jean Valjean felt both 'bewilderment' and 'gratitude'.
Jean Valjean was an ex-convict. He was jailed for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his hungry family. He came to the town of Digne where no one would give him food or shelter. He was amazed after knocking at the door of the Bishop and getting a warm welcome.
The Bishop provided food and shelter. He could not supress his evil intention and flee from there after stealing the silver cutlery of the Bishop. Eventually the local police arrested him and took him to the Bishop.
Everyone was expecting Bishop to be angry and rude on the convict. He protected the convict saying that he himself gave those things to him. This made the convict bewilder. The Bishop could have sent him to court and he could have punished with long imprisonment like before. But the Bishop forgave him. This perception made the convict fill with gratitude.
8. Do you think that the Bishop was right to protect Jean Valjean? Support your answer with reasons.
= In every religion, there is the teachings of kindness, peace, love and forgiveness. The Bishop was the preacher of Christianity. He teaches everyone to love, to be kind and to forgive. He has the duty to stop the spreading of cruelty and hatred.
I think he was very right to protect Jean Valjean. If he would have been cruel to the convict, the convict had been punished and sent to jail. But the evil spirit in the convict did not die. He would have been trying to get opportunity to take revenge on the Bishop. This way, the circle of cruelty and hatred would not stop.
9. At the end of the story, what did the Bishop hope Jean Valjean would do? Do you think Jean Valjean fulfilled this hope? Give a reason for your answer.
= At the end of the story, the Bishop hoped that Jean Valjean would become an honest man.
The Bishop fetched the candlesticks and handed them to Valjean along with the cutlery. Then, before sending him on his way, he reminded Valjean that he had promised to use this wealth to become an honest man. Though the convict did not make such promise before, he would not deny the Bishop. I think Jean Valjean fulfilled this hope. Mercy and forgiveness is a superpower. This changes man. The kindness, forgiveness and the wealth of the Bishop will surely change the convict to an honest man.
10. Extended Writing : Rewrite the story in first person, from Jean Valjean's point of view. You may begin: Everyone in the town of Digne turned me away. Exhausted, I knocked on the door of the Bishop's house. To my surprise.......
= Everyone in the town of Digne turned me away. Exhausted, I knocked on the door of the Bishop's house. To my surprise the Bishop and his sister opened the gate and welcomed me into their house. I was already tired and hungry. That made me hard and gloomy. The warm hosting of the Bishop had given me feelings of comfort. I was surprised that they did not driven me out of their house.
Then the servant, Madame Magloire served food on the table. Though the food was as simple as a wagoner's, I was grateful to have them. Madame Magloire had placed two silver candlesticks along with some silver cutlery. These were the only valuable things I had seen in that house. I had my dinner done and the Bishop handed me a candlestick and guided me to an alcove room next to his own. I did not know when I fell asleep as I was too tired.
I woke up at the sound of the cathedral clock at two o'clock in the night. Thousands of thoughts were coming to my mind. I was becoming restless thinking of my past - of my years as a prisoner, of my poverty and my lost youth. But I could not stop thinking of those silvers of the Bishop. Those things could help me to get rid of poverty. I got up and went into the Bishop's room. He was asleep. I saw that the Bishop's goodness lit up his whole face. That mesmerised me. I was in a state of enchantment.
Soon I got over the moment and took the silver cutlery from the cupboard in the Bishop's room. I crept from the room, thrust the cutlery into my bag and jumped from the window. I ran across the garden and disappeared into the night.
I was doing hurry, may be that was my only fault. The local police suspected me and the arrested me. I could not answer their quarries properly and they searched my bag and got the cutlery. They took be back to the Bishop's house. I was shivering in panic. How would the Bishop react. I was so mean and ungrateful to steal things from the man who gave me food and shelter.
The police called the Bishop and told the whole story. The Bishop saying me that he forgot to take the candlesticks. He added that he had given me all those things and I forgot the candlesticks. I was awestruck. Why he was being so kind to me. The police became astonished too. He further told me that he had bought my soul and given it to god. He fetched the candlesticks and handed them to me along with the cutlery. Then before sending me on my way, he reminded me that I had promised to use that wealth to become an honest man. I could not remember any of such promise. Now I can understand he had indeed bought my soul by his kindness and mercy.
About the Author :
Victor Hugo (1802 -1885) was a French poet, novelist and dramatist. He began to write verse early in life and earned a royal pension from Loius XVIII for his collection of poems called Odes Et Poesies Diverses. Some of his popular works include The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables. This extract from Les Miserables has been illustrated by Marica Williams.