Les Misérables, Book 2: The Great Bourgeois, Chapter 8 summary
Book 2: The Great Bourgeois, Chapter 8 of 365 · 4 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 8, the narrator contrasts M. Gillenormand’s daughters and describes the elder sister’s unmarried life, severe modesty, religious devotion, and growing gentleness. The household portrait then introduces his grandson, a frightened, silent boy whom M. Gillenormand addresses harshly despite loving him deeply.
What happens
- The younger daughter dreams of a heroic husband, while the elder imagines marriage bringing wealth and official status.
- The younger marries her ideal man but dies; the elder remains unmarried.
- Mademoiselle Gillenormand the Elder practices extreme modesty, yet accepts kisses from her grandnephew Théodule.
- Her religious practices and friendship with Mademoiselle Vaubois accompany a life marked by sadness and increasing gentleness.
- She manages her father’s household, where his beloved grandson trembles under his stern words and raised cane.
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What to notice
The sentence moves beyond ridicule of her habits to reveal sadness she cannot explain. It gives emotional weight to her unmarried, uneventful life.
Quick check
How does the little boy behave in M. Gillenormand’s presence?
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