what’s interesting about the song Bring Him Home from Les Mis (which I was listening to for the 509348th time don’t judge me) is that essentially…. it’s all about Cosette?
which is weird to think about?? but this is Jean Valjean PRAYING, with every fiber of his being, for Marius to be safe and survive the war. It’s such an intense emotional song but it’s for… this boy he doesn’t really know?
all he knows about Marius is that Cosette loves him, more than anything in this world. The only reason Jean Valjean even goes to the barricades in the first place is to find this boy and bring him home to Cosette because Cosette means more to him than the entire world
he wants God to protect Marius, even at the cost of his own life, so that Cosette will be happy
so like when I say that Cosette is the heart of Les Mis I’m being so literal you guys. she IS the show. there’s a reason she’s on the poster. Fantine gives up her whole life, quite literally, for her daughter. Fantine’s sacrifice affects Valjean so much that he HAS to find this little girl, and oh boy, little Cosette completely changes Valjean’s life. From the moment he takes her away from the Thenardiers she becomes his joy.
The bishop gave Valjean his soul back, and Cosette gave him back his heart.
And that is why Bring Him Home holds so much emotional weight. Valjean knows he’s growing old. He knows he may not survive this. But Cosette is his heart, his everything, and he needs Marius to survive for her. Even though it’s never spoken in the song, that’s what it means to him.
¯_( ಠ_ಠ)_/¯ 