In Hugo's novel Les Miserables, Hugo shows us the underlying theme through many different symbols and quotations. For instance, when Jean Valjean stays the night with the bishop Monseigneur Myriel, Valjean steals the bishop's silver. The police catch him and bring him back to the bishop. The bishop hands him two candlesticks, the last of his possessions, and sais, "Don't forget that you promised me to use this silver to become an honest man." This quotation sets the stage for the entire novel. The quote is the bishop's way of saying ‘You need to change.' Before Valjean changes, though, he must see the evil in himself. The overall meaning is that a man must see that he is doing