Les Misérables, Book 1: The War Between Four Walls, Chapter 13 summary
Book 1: The War Between Four Walls, Chapter 13 of 365 · 3 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 13, renewed fighting across Paris makes Enjolras hope that the city is joining the uprising, while military commanders delay their attacks to suppress scattered resistance. The movement quickly collapses, leaving the remaining barricades exposed, and Enjolras silently confirms that the hungry defenders face death without food.
What happens
- Enjolras hears fighting beyond the barricade and thinks Paris is rising.
- Scattered attacks involve a lone rifleman, a woman firing from a window, and people throwing household objects onto soldiers.
- Military commanders postpone attacks on the main barricades while troops suppress unrest elsewhere.
- The renewed resistance fades, and the defenders again feel abandoned by the people.
- At sunrise, a hungry insurgent asks whether they must die without eating, and Enjolras nods.
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In this chapter
What to notice
The sentence marks the collapse of confidence in a broader uprising. The defenders remain isolated despite the fighting they hear elsewhere.
Quick check
Why do the commanders delay attacking the main barricades?
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