#people really act like Les mis is a tale of two cities

[secretmellowblog]

I love how Les Mis (the original novel) is so fundamentally hopeful about the power of rebellion and activism. So many adaptations/retellings of Les Mis imply its message is kinda shallow and defeatist— something about how rebellion never changes anything/always puts you back right where you began, so it’s wiser to never stand against the government. But that’s not the novel at all.

The original novel, which Hugo wrote as a barely-veiled call to action against the government of Napoleon III, is so convinced of the value of resistance against tyranny. The message is not that resistance is doomed to fail— it is that resistance to an unjust government is imperative, and it will be a moral victory even if the resistance is crushed.

The June rebellion in Les mis May have been repressed, and it may have failed in its goal of overthrowing the monarchy— but later rebellions did eventually succeed. France doesn’t have a monarchy anymore. A democracy is now in place, the way the rebels of 1832 would’ve wanted. There’s an undercurrent of hope throughout Les Mis— it’s not a story about how rebellion/resistance is futile, it’s a story about how it’s necessary, and about how positive social change is not only possible but also inevitable.

[juminly]

Love Written in The Stars

Summary: When Leonardo only thought that he would look after you as a guardian, as a friend. He never expected to fall so deeply in love with you. Matchup story written for @meverilan​. 

Note from Leonardo: “I dedicate this song to you, mi amore. It made me think of you and I hope you enjoy it and always know, you are more than enough to me.” - You are Enough by Sleeping at Last. 

You were very lucky to find yourself in the mansion at a time where most of the residents were out and about except for a few. Arthur was in the city, playing detective; Vincent was in the gardens, painting away; Theo was doing some gallery scouting; Napoleon had managed to forcefully convince Jean to join him in teaching the orphans in the city some self-defense.

Comte always takes it upon himself to take good care of his guests and he always ensures to do so. Thoroughly. There’s also the fact that Sebastian also acts as his sharp eyes and ears so you had two guardian angels watching over you from the moment you arrived, without you even knowing it. While Comte showed you around, you discovered all the historical figures that were living in the mansion. It was all too surreal and daunting but obviously, you still managed to plaster a smile on your face.

While walking through the hallways with Comte, you heard a low husky voice calling out to him. “Didn’t you have something important to attend to, Mr. Le Comte?”

What was this tall man (quite respectfully flirtatious man, if I may add) talking about? Comte actually had something to attend to and he put it on hold and disregarded it because he wanted to be there for you. (Isn’t he just the perfect gentleman? Come on…)

The vampire had called you “a refreshing beauty”[in Italian] the moment he saw and the blush on your face didn’t go unnoticed. That was enough for him to register the fact that you were quite a shy one, in his mind.

Leo is quite the observant type and empathetic, so just a few glances at you, he was able to take a few mental notes on you [and they were 99.9% accurate, most of the time, if not, all the time]. He also noticed the slight wavering in your eyes that indicated that you didn’t truly believe what he said.

[Men had a way of whispering sweet nothings into people’s ears, only to use them as a means to an end. Was he that type? You didn’t really know him so you couldn’t tell, but it didn’t mean that these thoughts didn’t/wouldn’t cross your mind.]

Leonardo came to the rescue, sweeping in and picking up where he basically persuaded Comte to leave because whatever business he had was important and his best friend knew. After introducing himself to you, the Italian polymath took over and that’s where your story began.

At first, the smell of his cigarillo was quite strong but it had an inconspicuous sweetness to it that was quite delightful. He asked you if you were bothered by it, not knowing if you would be or not, since he found your eyes focused on the smoke he puffed from his lips. The scent was oddly comforting and added some sort of mysterious and alluring coat to his aura.

As you wandered the mansion with him, Leonardo took it upon himself to give you a thorough briefing about the residents, not that you didn’t know of them, but interacting with historical figures was a completely different story and he knew that (especially when they were all vampires).

He was able to get your attention by promising to let you in on the biggest secret of the entire mansion (after your tour ended). Even Sebastian didn’t know this secret.

The location of Theo’s stash of sweets was the biggest mystery in the mansion and Leo was the only person, aside from Theo, who knew where it was (and the younger Van Gogh was unaware of this fact). [Best ice-breaker ever!]

That man was probably the biggest sweet-tooth beast of Paris. Leonardo probably said something along those lines and it kinda reminded you of the cookie monster, which made you giggle when you met Theodorus for the first time, a day later (and the man was awfully confused and did not understand why you reacted the way you did).

Being part of the rowdy breakfast with the other residents was sometimes a little bit too much to take and draining as well, since a lot would be happening at the same time but it was a great opportunity for you to observe and understand more about the residents, piecing together the information that Leo had given you with your surroundings.

Arthur was his usual flirtatious self and getting on his bestie’s (Theo, obviously) nerves. Their banter was joined by the commentary of Dazai, the annoyance of Mozart and Isaac and Vincent, the angelic presence whose smile managed to brighten up your day almost instantly. Since you were the new person around, they couldn’t really hold back on all their questions to you, which was actually pretty overwhelming for you.

Leonardo was always there for you though, stopping them in their tracks whenever things became a little too much for you. [and this did not escape Arthur’s attention. He has a keen eye for human behaviour, being a former physician and he had vast knowledge about how the human body worked and coupled with his analytical side that came with being a writer].

You hadn’t given Leonardo any indication about how you felt or how you were but he didn’t have to. From the first few days, Leonardo became the closest person to you and you assumed that it was because he looked after you, the way he would with a little sister. He could only imagine how hard it was to be thrown in the past, into the unknown.

So when you confided in him and told him about having ADD, he simply nodded while you talked, giving you the space and time to explain whatever you were comfortable in telling him. He respects your boundaries and was fine with whatever you were able to tell you. He didn’t push for more. When you were done talking, he smiled and told you how he was curious to know about you and he wanted to make your time in the past, as pleasant as possible [until you had to go back to the present].

It was a vow that he declared to you, with the purest intentions. He was a pureblood after all, each and every human he came across was worth admiring and you were definitely one of them. Why did he think that way? He knew that you were shying away in an invisible cocoon and he was standing right outside of it, his hand outstretched, just for you to take it. Every second, every minute, every hour of a human’s life counted and he wanted to make sure that you wouldn’t regret not having done anything whatsoever during the time you had in Paris.

The more time you spent in the mansion though, you became a little more acquainted with the residents and felt a bit more comfortable around them, as they became a part of your daily life. Living in the same mansion made you all like roommates and somehow, they all looked out for you like you were family. 

Being a jack of all trades, most of the residents looked up to Leonardo as someone they could rely on, to go to when in need. He had such a carefree and laid back attitude, which made him approachable by all and many. You noticed that, not only with the residents, but also the townspeople.

Leonardo had told Vincent about a beautiful land he had discovered while wandering the outskirts of Paris one day and decided to organize a trip to spark the painter’s muse. Leo obviously invited you to come along and it was definitely a relaxing and insightful outing. You had the chance to watch, none other than THE Vincent Van Gogh, paint so masterfully, while being surrounded by the most beautiful of views in all of France: a large field of greenery, with tulips and daffodils.

It was like staring into a canvas, created by nature and Vincent wasn’t the only one that felt inspired. Leonardo brought along a drawing notebook just for you, where he gave you tips and instructions on how to go about sketching and analyzing the overall form of your sketch subjects before looking into the more intricate details.

He was an amazing teacher, his instructions were simple yet very clear and concise. He also gave you constructive feedback, even leaning in to adjust parts of your sketches while holding your hand, the sweet scent of his cigarillo would fill your nostrils, almost distracting you completely from your task. And even if it did, Leonardo would chuckle and tease you, bringing your attention back to the task at hand with a kiss on your hand.

The first time he did that, you couldn’t help but be completely surprised and taken aback. But you knew that he wasn’t the type to try to take advantage of you or anything, so you would laugh it out and throw in a sarcastic remark, which only made the vampire boom with laughter [which, if I may be frank, is such a wonderful sound, you wouldn’t be able to resist not laughing along with him].

That outing was more lengthy than you thought it would be and you ended up staying out until late at night, when Vincent was inspired by the night view of another area which you happened to cross while heading back to the mansion.

You were immediately captivated by the clear night sky, the stars twinkling and inviting you to simply marvel at them. And that only prolonged your time together even more. And right then and there, a new ritual was created.

For 12 consecutive nights, Leonardo recounted to you the story behind each horoscope and where their stars were located, telling you about the tales from Roman and Greek myths and started with the story of Scorpio and the Greek myth of Orion, the son of Posiedon and Euriale.

He didn’t mind repeating himself as many times as he had to and was not bothered by it, one tiny bit. If you flooded him with questions, he would answer each and every single one of them. Leo was not the type to get annoyed at all so you were always relaxed and comfortable around him.

He loved seeing the expression on your face as it lit up as the information and inspiration would sink in. Knowledge was a beautiful thing in itself, but it was even more beautiful when shared with others. With Leo, it was oddly intimate, especially with the mix of emotions that came with interacting with him.

Your night escapades of tales of myth and astrology (and art, because Vincent would sometimes join to do some painting) became even more interesting when Isaac began to join you as well. He looked up to Leonardo as a mentor and often wanted to dig and dive into the man’s brain. He was a genius of his time yet so humble about it.

Isaac would bring his telescope with him and give you an even better view of the stars blinking at you from the wide dark skies. Astrology was also one of his interests and despite being known for always wanting to be alone, the man secretly liked sharing his interests with those who were genuinely fascinated by it.

Soon after, Isaac also became close to you. He felt comfortable around you and just like Leonardo, didn’t mind it when you asked him questions or when he had to explain things to you that could be a little bit difficult to understand. [Leo was also there to translate since he would sometimes use overcomplicated terms]

Isaac was quite fond of you, especially when you would ask Arthur and Dazai to stop teasing him about apples. The physicist obviously told you that he didn’t really need you to stick up for him but he was definitely pleased about it, the hint of a smile touching his thin lips.

If you ever got a panic attack with Leonardo around, he would wrap his arms around you from behind, lacing his fingers with yours and placing your hands over your heart. Whenever you cried, he would be there with you until you cried it all out. Whenever you shook, he would be there to hold you together and find your center of gravity.

He never made you feel restricted, his hold was always loose so you didn’t feel suffocated. He offered you the comfort and the solace you needed without you having to ask him for it and would speak to you so softly, almost crooning, telling you all the words, all the things that you needed to hear, as if he could read your mind. He could tell that you were often very hard on yourself and he was prepared to remind you, time and time again, as many times as needed that… you are and will always be enough, just the way you are.

Towards the end of the month, everyone was suddenly counting down the days until you would leave. Nobody mentioned it but you could definitely feel it in the air, sense it in their gaze. Some of them actually asked you to stay but in the end, it was all up to you. You had already made up your mind but something deep down made you hesitate. Lots of emotions were building up inside of you and yet, you still managed to draw a smile on your face. However, you weren’t really fooling anyone.

The residents had planned a farewell party in your honour, a few days before the door would open again. Comte had arranged for you something to wear on that evening and you were more than flattered at the gesture. The man never missed a single detail and made sure that you always felt welcomed, even when you were leaving. As did Leonardo.

Leonardo came to find you, to escort you to the party only to open the door to your bedroom, his heart clenching hard in his chest at the sight of your tears.

You were crying your eyes out and he couldn’t think of any reason why you would cry. Maybe you were afraid of going back to your time? Going through the door?

He asked you whether there was something that bothered you in the design of the clothes that you were wearing. He noticed you were looking down at yourself, fisting the fabric hard in your hands. That was when you discovered that he designed the apparel just for you, to your exact liking, which made you cry harder.

When you told him that there was no issue with the clothes, they were perfect and beautiful, tailored, stitched and created just for you.

Leo: Cara mia, if it upsets you, you do not have to wear it. I promise, you would look beautiful in anything you wear. You: No, that’s not true. Look at me! How could you even say that? Leo: Lan… I am looking at you, cara mia. I have been looking at you ever since you arrived and you are absolutely and utterly divine.

You: Don’t say that just to flatter me. Please. I don’t need lies.

Leo: If I could give you my eyes so you could see through them, then, I definitely would. Unfortunately, I am not physically capable of doing that but I have something else in mind. You’re coming with me, Lan.

Before you even had the chance to say anything, he took your hand and whisked you away, finding yourself in his room. Letting you sit on his bed, he handed you a notebook and asked you to open it. They were all sketches of you and you couldn’t believe your eyes. You went through them one by one and realized that Leonardo was no liar and he proved it to you. As you looked up at him, he cradled your face in his hands and laid the lightest of kisses on your lips. He didn’t have to say anything. The notebook and that kiss were more than enough to show how much he loved you.

He would also come up with new nicknames for you just because he loved to see you blushy and get flustered (don’t forget all the Italian romance with “mi amore” and “cuore mio” that would literally make you melt with that voice of his). He adored seeing the flush on your cheeks and teased you about wanting to paint them red always, in every single way he can (wink wink).

This man had absolutely no qualms in whispering  suggestive notions in your ear whenever you were in public, challenging you and giving you a greater reason to get over with whatever you were doing, so you could relish in the love this man had to offer you.

He is fine with small displays of affection in public, however, not too much of it though. He always holds your hand or had an arm around your shoulders or your waist, keeping you close to him whenever you were out in town. He wouldn’t hesitate to tease you or just simply kiss you whenever he felt like it. However, the different expressions you would make when he would passionately kiss you, the small sighs and whimpers, those were all for him and he didn’t want anyone to hear them or see them.

Whenever he got jealous, you would immediately know it from his eyes and the tone of his voice. He was definitely not the type to let his emotions take over but whenever any other person was being a little too friendly with you, he did not appreciate it. And if you were the one to encourage such behaviour from another, he would have a “discussion” with you about it in the bedroom.

Kisses of affection: he loves to smell your hair and kiss your temple.

NSFW Ahead ~ 

Your first time, Leonardo would do everything possible to make you as comfortable as possible. How it started? You were cuddling in his room with Lumière and just having a calm night together, just chilling with the candlelight surrounding you as he held you in his arms while you sketched.

He absolutely loves having his hands on you, like almost all the time. He kinda gets clingy like that. You had been at it for a while and the man wanted some attention from his lover so he tickled you, making you laugh your heart and giving him your full attention. He was kinda like a cat, which was actually adorable.

Finding yourself on your back, you were met with his smoldering gaze and he locked your lips in a breathtaking kiss, his hands gliding over your form, making you melt under him. He could feel and see the hesitation in you but he didn’t let it stop him. Why? He knew exactly how to make your worries wither away.

Leo was a vocal lover, not in terms of moaning/groaning (and FYI: he is usually all rough grunts and groans), but in terms of communicating with you when he was intimate with you. He told you every single thing he loved about you, praised you and repeated it, over and over again, etching it into your mind that he saw only you, loved only and wanted/desired nobody but you.

He wanted to know, see and feel all of you so he could show you the depth of his love for you. As he undressed you, he kissed every bit of skin that he would expose, leaving you completely breathless, with unshed tears of happiness burning in your eyes by the time he had you completely naked under him.

He actually had no intentions of taking you that night. He went down on you, making you come multiple times, using those skilled hands of his and that silver tongue (literally and figuratively). It was only when you pleaded to him and told him that you were ready that he gave in, his vampire instincts completely overpowering him, his need to feast on your blood and claim you were the only things he knew, in that moment.  He took you slowly and as gently as he could. He could never bear the thought of hurting you.

In the beginning of your intimate relationship, Leonardo was very gentle with you but after a while, he became a little bit more rough with you, but not in a way that was uncomfortable for you. He was experienced enough to know when you were reaching your limit and assessing what you were able to take and what you couldn’t. He is a very attentive lover and is all about making sure you are satisfied before he is. To your dismay, as much as you tried to put him first, he valued your pleasure more than his.

He always made sure that you were thoroughly made loved to/fucked, a physical and emotional reminder that you were his and he wouldn’t think of any other.

What he absolutely loves doing to you: Light bondage. Just tying you up and maybe blindfolding you (only if you were comfortable), heightening your senses. He likes to make you a complete and utter mess, making you unable to talk and after a while, unable to even walk. He’ll have you forget everything in the world and remember only his name.

He talks dirty and it is completely filthy, it has you whimpered and flustered and he just lives to see you like that. He doesn’t play fair and he doesn’t play on doing it anytime soon. Your pleasure is his reward and he’ll tease you by saying that he’s a masochist, and he likes to draw out his own pleasure, and your pleasure is his. (believe me, it’s all worth it in the end)

Places he loved drinking blood from: your neck (especially when he’s making love to you).

Favourite positions: any position that you are most comfortable in. However, he loves seeing you a complete whimpering mess under him. That’s the most beautiful sight to him. 

[soniaursukim]

Ivory Coast

From the age of 11 (when I first started playing basketball) and until now, my summers have always been full of basketball activities, like training camps, tournaments or different international events. I never complained about it but I didn’t like it that much either because I felt like I was sacrificing a lot of my free time and that I couldn’t have ‘normal’ vacations with my family, like the rest of my friends. As I grew older, I’ve realised that thanks to all of those summer basketball activities, I had the blessing and the opportunity to see a lot of countries and lost cities, and the chance to experience different cultures and to meet beautiful people.

Last year I was constantly thinking and debating whether to visit the States or Africa; I believe that if you really want something and put your thoughts into The Universe, of course through actions as well, you can achieve it. So, the Universe answered my prayers and got me a ticket to the Ivory Coast this summer. I was very happy because first of all, I’d never participated at the Francophone Games before, and second of all, I’d never been to Africa. Unfortunately, my team and I didn’t have much time to train together (I had the 3x3 Europe Cup), but we did manage to have one friendly game against the Romania U20 national team and two games with Tunisia before we left for the competition.Even though we finished on the 6th place out of 16, I’m very proud of my team for giving everything on the court and being able to adapt to the different style of basketball there. My coaches did a great job, they were always pushing and motivating us. I know that in every competition, everybody is looking for results but you can’t have sudden results without smart, long term training. Same in life, you’re never going to be 100% ready and the perfect moment doesn’t exist, but that’s the point. It means that every moment is the right moment and I strongly believe that each one of us grew as a player and learned a lot during these couple of weeks.

Like Cambodia, the Ivory Coast had a huge impact on me. As one of my good friends once told me, ‘There are people who would love to have your bad days’ - this sentence pretty much sums up my experience there. I’m sure that everybody involved made efforts and tried to organise and make everything look as good as possible but for some people, living in containers without hot water and wi-fi for twelve days is an ordeal. I think that’s why for me, one of the keys to my happiness is travelling. It allows me to grow and see certain things in a different perspective. When I’m caught up in this kind of situations, outside of my comfort zone, I like to work with my patience, try to adapt and see the positive side in everything. For some of the girls, this experience was hard to take in, but I’m sure that after a few years they will value their time there and realise that the problems they face back home are small compared to the health problems, poverty and corruption that some people have to deal with every day.  

Outside of the campus, the poverty in the Ivory Coast was visible to the naked eye. One time, one of our teammates gave away some t-shirts to some kids and after that, a lot of people gathered and they followed us to the bus. It was so bad that the local policeman had to force them back from our bus. You could see people struggling and hustling in every corner of the street but despite appearances, every time they saw us passing by, they would always wave or smile to us. I’m truly inspired by the African culture and as I was looking through my photographs, I’ve noticed their beautiful, colour-rich design clothing. After doing some research, I’ve learned that most of the colours on the ‘pagnes’ possess different values and meanings. 

Personally, I had my ups and downs during this journey but I saw it as a blessing. I created many beautiful memories and had the chance to meet kids with beautiful souls; even though my French is terrible, we managed to understand each other through body language. On our day off, along with the Romanian delegation, we visited the local zoo and one day before our departure, we went to the beach.

This kind of experiences humbles me. Not only does it make me understand and be thankful for what I have, but it also reminds me that there are parts in this world that need more love and kindness. We are living in the 21st century but poverty, corruption, racism and slavery still exist. We see it every day but yet fail to make a significant change. Small, young people like me should be more aware and less ignorant of this reality. Simple acts of kindness can help and being a better person every day doesn’t cost a thing.

Hope you’ll enjoy the pics and get the message.

  De la varsta de 11 ani (cand m-am apucat de baschet) si pana acum, verile mele erau intotdeauna pline de activitati cu baschetul. Ba aveam turnee nationale, ba cantonamente la ‘Cerbu’ cu minibaschetul, ba diverse evenimente internationale. Nu ma plangeam, dar in acelasi timp simteam ca imi sacrific mult din timpul meu liber si nu puteam sa am vacante “normale” cu familia mea, precum restul prietenilor mei. Pe masura ce am crescut, am realizat ca datorita acestor activitati cu baschetul de-alungul anilor, am avut binecuvantarea si oportunitatea de a vedea o multime de tari, orase, sansa de a cunoaste diferite culturi si de a intalni suflete unice.

Anul trecut, ma gandeam ce as alege daca ar trebui sa ma decid intre America sau Africa. Si uite ca, Universul  mi-a rezervat vara asta un bilet catre Coasta de Fildes. Eu cred ca daca iti doresti ceva cu adevarat si iti pui gandurile in Univers, bineinteles si prin actiuni, sunt sanse mari ca acel ceva sa se adevereasca. Am fost foarte incantantata si fericita pentru ca inainte de toate, nu mai participasem niciodata la Jocurile Francofone si, in al doilea rand, n-am fost niciodata in Africa. Din pacate, ca echipa, nu am reusit sa ne antrenam prea mult impreuna (eu avand competitie europeana cu 3x3) dar, am reusit sa avem un meci amical impotriva echipei nationale al Romaniei sub20 de ani si doua meciuri cu Tunisia, inainte de deplasarea din Coasta de Fildes.

Chiar daca am terminat pe locul 6 din 16, am fost si sunt foarte mandra de echipa mea. Am dat tot ce am avut mai bun din noi, reusind sa ne adaptam stilului diferit de baschet. La randul lor, antrenorii au facut o treaba buna, mereu motivandu-ne si incurajandu-ne in toata perioada. Sunt constienta ca in fiecare competitie, toata lumea cere rezultate insa nu putem sa obtinem rezultate peste noapte, fara o strategie si o pregatire inteligenta pe termen lung. La fel si in viata, niciodata nu vei fi 100% pregatit, iar momentul perfect, nu exista. Asta inseamna ca fiecare moment este oportun si cred cu tarie ca fiecare dintre noi, prin aceasta competitie, am crescut ca jucatoare si am avut multe de acumulat si de invatat.

La fel ca in Cambogia, Coasta de Fildes a avut un impact imens asupra mea. Cum unul dintre prietenii apropiati mi-a spus odata: ”Exista oameni care ar da orice sa aiba zilele tale proaste” iar aceasta propozitie face lejer rezumatul experientei mele acolo. Sunt convisa ca toti cei care au participat la organizarea competiei, au facut tot ce s-a putut ca sa iasa cat se poate de bine, insa pentru unii oameni, traind in containere fara apa calda si wi-fi timp de dousprezece zile este o tragedie. Cred ca de aceea, pentru mine, una din cheile fericirii, este sa calatoresc. Ma ajuta sa evoluez ca persoana si sa vad anumite lucruri dintr-o alta perspectiva. Cand sunt prinsa in astfel de situatii, in afara zonei mele de confort, imi place sa lucrez cu rabdarea mea, sa incerc sa fac fata situatiei, sa ma adaptez si sa vad partea pozitiva a lucrurilor. Pentru unele dintre fete, aceasta experienta a fost una greu de digerat, dar sunt sigura ca, dupa cativa ani, vor aprecia timpul petrecut acolo si isi vor da seama ca probleme de acasa sunt mici in comparatie cu problemele de sanatate, saracia si coruptia pe care unii oameni trebuie sa le confrunte in fiecare zi.

In afara campusului, saracia din Coasta de Fildes se vede cu ochiul liber. O data, una dintre coechipiere a donat cateva tricouri unor copii, dupa care mai multi oameni s-au adunat si s-au napustit dupa noi spre autobuz. A fost atat de rau incat politia locala a trebuit sa ii forteze sa se distanteze de autobuz. Puteai sa vezi oameni pe strazi sau in mijlocul drumului, incercand sa vanda disperati orice, dar in ciuda aparentelor, de fiecare data cand treceam pe langa ei, ne zambeau si ne faceau cu mana. Ma inspira cultura africana si uitandu-ma la fotografiile pe care le-am facut, am remarcat imbracamintea lor foarte bogata in tesaturi si culori. Am descoperit mai tarziu ca majoritatea culorilor de pe rochile traditionale Africane, poseda valori si semnificatii diferite.

Personal, am avut urcusuri si coborasuri in timpul sederii mele acolo dar, am luat toata aceasta calatorie ca pe o binecuvantare. Am creat multe amintiri frumoase si am avut ocazia sa intalnesc copii deosebiti, cu suflete frumoase; Chiar daca fraceza mea este teribila, am reusit sa conversam prin limbajul corpului. In una dintre zilele libere, impreuna cu toata delegatia Romaniei, am vizitat gradina zoologica locala, iar cu o zi inainte de plecare, am mers pe plaja. Momente unice.

Astfel de experiente ma face sa ma inclin. Nu numai ca ma ajuta sa inteleg si sa fiu recunoscatoare pentru tot ce am, dar, de asemenea, imi reaminteste ca sunt parti in aceasta lume unde este nevoie de mai multa dragoste si bunatate. Traim in secolul 21, dar in continuare exista saracie, coruptie, rasism si sclavie. O vedem in fiecare zi, dar, inca esuam sa facem o schimbare semnificativa. Oamenii mici si tineri ca mine ar putea sa fie mai constienti si mai putin ignoranti fata de aceasta realitate. Fapte simple de bunatate pot ajuta, iar a vrea sa devi o persoana mai buna, pe zi ce trece, nu costa nimic. Sper sa va placa fotografiile si sa fi inteles mesajul.

Credits:

Alexandra Florea

Gabriela Ursu

Dora Ardelean

Ana Ferariu

[secretmellowblog]

For the character ask game: Cosette, 2 + 25 👀

Thanks for the ask, even though I'm answering it late! (For this ask meme) #2. Favorite canon thing about this character? My favorite canon thing about Cosette is the way she parallels Jean Valjean-- not just in their traumatic backstories, but also in the way they both often "perform" politeness and kindness. Cosette needs to perform happiness for Jean Valjean in order to convince him to take care of himself, and it's...deeply sad! She has to 'trick' him into not doing self-destructive things by framing it in cheerful lighthearted ways, papering over difficult problems with polite nothings, pretending not to be that frightened or upset, and it's...very sad. And it feels like something that he taught her. The moments when she attempts to stop all the cheerfulness and talk to her father directly always tend to end with Jean Valjean breaking down-- like the moment when she asks "are you angry with me because I am happy?" or her attempts to ask directly about her mother, which both end with Jean Valjean shedding tears and avoiding her questions. There's something very realistic about that failure to communicate. I don't know whether Hugo fully considered this a negative thing-- but I do think he understands the way that children often put on a great performance of happiness in order to help their parents. Cosette is in many ways just Victor Hugo projecting his trauma over the death of his own young daughter onto Jean Valjean and Cosette's relationship, and like. As much as Cosette's writing is often deeply imperfect/ sexist, and as much as I think she should've been given more interiority and agency in the end of the story--- I think you can tell that Hugo did sincerely love his daughter? Cosette doesn't feel like a one-note cloying ingenue to me, but a fictionalized version of a real daughter Victor Hugo sincerely loved. I also think that Child-Cosette in particular is written very well! Lots of authors struggle to write children, but Hugo really captures a lot of the way children think and speak-- young Cosette isn't a cloying innocent ingenue, she's a starving frightened angry child, and it makes her teenage self far more interesting as a contrast. As a random addition: Hugo doesn't go into this, but it's fascinating how Cosette is extremely good at lying. She and Jean Valjean kind of share that talent. Very few people manage to trick Jean Valjean-- Marius fails utterly at pretending he's not in love with Cosette, and falls into all of his traps-- but Cosette manages to hide a secret love affair from him for a very long time. It's interesting how the two of them are very good at lying and concealing things from each other, and I don't fully know what to make of it.

Also my hot take is that anyone who thinks Cosette is a bland one-note ingenue should read Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, and contrast her with Lucie Manette. XD I used to be obsessed with A Tale of Two Cities, but it's basically just "what if Les Mis was bad and all the criticisms about it were actually true?" That novel also features a young ingenue who takes care of her traumatized ex-prisoner father-- but unlike Cosette, Lucie has no interiority or depth, and doesn't feel like anything resembling a real human young girl. All of the interesting things about Cosette- like her naivete/coming of age story, or the way her excessive bubbliness is often an act she puts on for her father's happiness, or her silly funny dialogue, or her own hard past that parallels her father's-- just aren't there. Again, there are lots of places where I think Hugo's writing of Cosette fails; but there's also a lot of interesting details that are easy for people to explore and dig deeper into in fanworks.

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

My first impression of this character was that she was Fine, but not very interesting? But the more I got invested in the novel and the fandom, the more I appreciated her as a character! Hugo's writing of her is deeply flawed, and she isn't given enough attention in the ending of the book specifically, but there's enough really compelling stuff there to be a great jumping off point for fanworks. I think I already answered how I see her now in the previous question, but I want to add that I also like that she's nicknamed Madame LaNoir, or the Lady in Black. Goth Cosette is canon! That's very fun to me.