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Incarceration and Redemption Les Miserables Pgs 1-39

Les Miserables begins with Jean Valjean gaining his “freedom.” However, he quickly learns that society does not view his freedom the way that he does. Review pages 25-26, NEW GRIEFS and consider this statement: “Liberation is not deliverance.” Discuss what you think this means. Have one group member write down some ideas from your discussion in the space below:

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Now, read the excerpt from the 1994 film, The Shawshank Redemption. The Shawshank Redemption tells the story of the inmates in the notoriously harsh Shawshank prison. The excerpt you will read deals with the emotional trauma experienced by prisoners sent back into the real world. Brooks had been in Shawshank prison for 37 years before being released from prison, Red, almost 20 years.

Please read the excerpt quietly to yourself and then discuss the following: What are the effects of institutionalization? How are convicts discriminated against after being released? Would this be considered a Man vs. Self conflict or a Man vs. Society conflict? What does this reveal about the realities of prison systems? How can society today combat these problems? Have one group member write down some ideas from your discussion on the back of this page.

Discussion notes from The Shawshank Redemption excerpt.

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• Finally, relate these ideas back to Les Miserables. Discuss how this relates to Jean Valjean. Discuss how this relates to the Bishop. How does this deepen your understanding of the character Jean Valjean? How does this deepen your understanding of what the Bishop did for Jean Valjean? Have one group member write down some ideas from your discussion in the space below:

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