chicken wing
Toward the end of the story it says that Jean sat down to dinner and ate a chicken wing with a good appetite. My question is does a chicken wing make a dent in a good appetite? Do you suppose that there was a time before big gulp and super size me that a chicken wing was considered a reasonable portion? I think that if I were to sit down to a chicken with a good appetite I would go for the thigh!
Last edited by motherhubbard; 05-16-2008 at 10:01 PM.
Perhaps it had just been an exceptionally large chicken...
"I’ve tasted all the sweetest creams
and danced with daisies in dazed delight;
sunny skies pervade my dreams
and light the dark of earthly scenes..."
Think back to the begining when Jean stole bread for the children, his nieces and nephews I think. I'm sure that he would eat something else with it, but it could have represented a substantial meal.
"I am glad to learn my friend that you had not yet submitted yourself to any of the mouldy laws of Literature."
-John Muir
"My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends - It gives a lovely light"
-Edna St. Vincent Millay
Ah, that's true, B. Especially considering his years in prison. Because he had become used to scant portions, a chicken wing could have been enough for him.
"I’ve tasted all the sweetest creams
and danced with daisies in dazed delight;
sunny skies pervade my dreams
and light the dark of earthly scenes..."
I didn't pick up on this topic before... But it's very interesting!
Firstly there is indeed the fact that he had enough with a little food because of his time in prison.
Secondly there was the fact that Jean Valjean didn't think himself worth of good food. Although he seems to enjoy this... I wonder whether he actually wasn't kind of happy that he would have Marius out of the way by going to England with Cosette... So probably the little piece of chicken Jean eats there he really relishes bcause he isn't allowed any more...
Maybe the chicken wing stands for the fact that he really wanted to fly away but was kept over there because of the bishop Myriel and could only eat one chicken wing in stead of two...
One has to laugh before being happy, because otherwise one risks to die before having laughed.
"Je crains [...] que l'âme ne se vide à ces passe-temps vains, et que le fin du fin ne soit la fin des fins." (Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac, Acte III, Scène VII)
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