Les Misérables, Book 3: In 1817, Chapter 5 summary
Book 3: In 1817, Chapter 5 of 365 · 4 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 5, eight companions dine at Bombarda’s while the surrounding crowds enjoy a sunny Sunday marked by royalist songs and symbols. The narrator interrupts their outing to challenge Anglès’s dismissive report about ordinary Parisians, arguing that apparent laziness can conceal a powerful capacity for revolt.
What happens
- After their ride, the eight companions settle into a crowded public house and eat together.
- Their dinner approaches its end as crowds, carriages, and mounted guards fill the sunny streets outside.
- Girls sing a Bourbon song, while Sunday visitors play games, drink, and display royalist emblems.
- The narrator quotes Anglès’s report, which dismisses the people of Paris as harmless and physically weak.
- The narrator counters that Parisians can become fierce defenders of their country and liberty, then returns to the diners.
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What to notice
The animal contrast challenges Anglès’s confidence. It introduces the narrator’s argument that an apparently idle population can become a powerful political force.
Quick check
How does Anglès describe the people of Paris in his report?
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