Although he was first a convict, Jean Valjean eventually became a moral person. Victor Hugo portrayed Valjean in Les Misérables as someone his readers should look up to. At the end of the book, most of the characters, especially Valjean, displayed many admirable qualities.

One good aspect of Jean Valjean's personality was generosity. When he went to the Jondrette home, he saw them all shivering and pitied them. The eldest daughter, Eponine, reminded him he forgot his coat, but Valjean replied, "I do not forget it, I leave it"(212). Jean Valjean also gave Cosette almost his whole life savings-584,000 francs-when she got married. Another character, the Bishop of D-, also shared Valjean's characteristic of generosity. After the ex-convict was caught for stealing the Bishop's silver, the Bishop gave him his valuable silver candlesticks.

Jean Valjean was also very selfless. He often cared more about others than himself...