Les Misérables · Chapter
The Use Made of Marius’ Five-Franc Piece explained
Marius observes the Jondrette apartment through a hole in the partition, witnessing preparations for a sinister ambush.
What happens
Marius observes the Jondrette apartment through a hole in the partition, witnessing preparations for a sinister ambush. Jondrette sends his wife to light the way for their expected victim, using the five francs Marius gave him earlier. Marius, armed with a pistol, watches as Jondrette readies tools and a rope ladder, realizing the danger.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Marius’s psychological peak occurs as he is overwhelmed by a “whirlwind” of confusion, realizing that his pers…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Justice vs. Law
Marius grapples with the moral dilemma of intervening in a crime versus allowing the law to take its course.
- Suffering and Sacrifice
The Jondrettes' poverty drives them to criminal acts, highlighting the suffering that leads to moral compromise.
Characters to notice
- Marius Pontmercy
Observes the Jondrette apartment from his hiding spot, prepares to intervene with a pistol.
- Thénardier
Plans an ambush, uses the five francs from Marius to pay for a fiacre, and readies tools and a rope ladder.
- Madame Thénardier
Dresses up to inspire confidence, follows Jondrette's orders to light the way and pay the coachman.
Key passages
“That is the monarch which our neighbor gave us this morning.”
Jondrette refers to the five-franc coin Marius gave him as 'the monarch.'
Shows Jondrette's cynical use of Marius's charity to fund his criminal plot.
“The hovel was completely illuminated, as it were, by the reflection from a rather large sheet-iron brazier standing in the fireplace, and filled with burning charcoal.”
The room was lit by a brazier of glowing charcoal in the fireplace.
Describes the ominous lighting of the Jondrette apartment, setting the scene for the ambush.
