Cossette, according to Hugo, has endured great hardship in her life but has managed to survive.-which takes both strength and courage. Hugo depicts the true strength of this little girl when he states, "any other child would have long since been in tears." (409). Hugo doesn't show Cossette's bravery as a girl but rather as a person, she is not defined by her gender but rather her actions. Even though her character can be seen as anti-feminist, Hugo simply uses Cosette to depict another type of women in society. Hugo represents difference and although one of his characters is extremely passive in her ways, he still manages to bring out positive qualities such as strength and endurance. .
One Feminist ideal that becomes popular after the publication of Les Misresbales is the slogan "the personal is political". This means that there is a direct link between personal experience and larger social and political structures. Hugo's characters face a time period long before second wave feminism but still show the social and political actions and structures that lead them into plait. Rather than ignore the female character, Hugo draws attention to the under represented women of Paris and ultimately the world. Fantine, in particular, represents a group of women who are largely under represented in society: women forced into sex work. Hugo goes into great detail about how "slavery still exists, but now applies only to women's and its name is prostitution" (180). Fantine is not a victim of her own actions but instead one of society. Hugo does not demoralize the women for what she has gone through but rather praises her for her ability to fight through. The political, the "poverty, hunger, cold, loneliness, defenselessness, and destitution" caused by society and politics lead to Fantines downfall. (180). The recognition of Fantine plait comes when she begins to fall into prostitution.
Guest appearances by bands from NSync to Sonic Youth share screen time with literary and historical references such as Sideshow Bob, jailed for trying to kill Bart, wore the same prisoner number as Jean Val jean in Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables". ...