Conscience Quote by Cristiane Serruya
““One can say that Javert is our conscience. The ever lurking presence of the law and our own condemnation. The tension between who we were and who we are and who we can be. Javert represents that inescapable, shameful past that forever haunts and persues one's conscience. Javert is the man of the law, and... There are no surprises with the law. The principle of retribution is simple and monotonous, like Euclidean logic. It's closed to all alternatives and shut up against divine or human intervention... Indeed, Javert represents the merciless application of the law, the blind Justice that in the end is befuddled by hope and the possibility of redemption without punishment.””
About This Quote
Source Literature: Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, 1862
Javert embodies relentless law, a rigid conscience haunted by past and unforgiving, yet challenged by hope and redemption.
In simple terms: Javert is strict law, haunted by past, challenged by hope.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the limits of rigid justice.
Themes
law
conscience
redemption
hope
justice
Mood
somber
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- courtroom
- personal guilt
- social reform
Key Concepts
moral absolutism
inner conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- Can justice be both firm and merciful?
- What happens when conscience meets hope?
A Different Perspective
Law can be inflexible and ignore compassion.
![“[D]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without a conscience a man may never be said to grow old. This is an age of very old young men.” quote by Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/076/hesketh-pearson-35291_age_d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-w_14010.jpg)