Summary of chapters 5.1.17-5.1.23:

Marius and Combeferre spring out of the barricade, retrieving Gavroche’s body and the basket of cartridges, respectively. Marius thinks about how Thénardier saved his father’s life, but he could not save the child. They lay Gavroche on the table with Mabeuf and cover them both with a black shawl, then distribute the cartridges Gavroche collected. The remainders, including Jean Valjean, go about various tasks such as caring for the wounded, arranging weapons, and other things. They hear a clock strike noon, and Enjolras begins shouting orders about fortifying the barricade and preparing for a new attack, as opposition gathers again outside the barricade. As they are all getting ready and deciding what to leave in the wine-shop, Valjean asks that his reward for saving the company earlier be to shoot Javert, the traitor who has been tied up this whole time; Enjolras agrees that it would be fine. Valjean takes possession of Javert and cocks a gun. Marius and Enjolras rally those who can still fight. Valjean takes Javert out of the wine-shop, into a little outlet in the Rue Mondétour, where no one can see them. They see a heap of dead, and Javert recognizes Eponine. Valjean, instead of shooting Javert, takes out a knife and cuts his bonds, tells him he is free, then gives him his address where he may be found if he makes it out of the barricade fight alive. Javert leaves slowly, and Valjean fires a single shot into the air to make it seem to the others that he has killed the spy. Marius, meanwhile, realized who Javert was once he saw the prisoner in the light of day, and felt a chill go through his heart when he is apparently shot. Things are not going well for the insurgents, as Hugo says, “the death-agony of the barricade was approaching.” Hugo tells his readers that the people as a whole are tired of revolution, tired of destruction, despairing in the lack of progress, but still partly hopeful for change. Hugo admits that the best way toward progress is the peaceable solution but acknowledges that revolution and violence are sometimes necessary to that solution. “The attack [is] a hurricane” and the soldiers come for the barricade and the streets fill with dead. Enjolras and Marius are at opposite ends of the barricade—Enjolras calculates his shots and protects himself, while Marius fires without aim and stands in full view of the enemy. As the insurgents run out of ammunition, still their spirits rise; they joke among themselves. “The barricade [is] ten times approached, assaulted, scaled, and never taken.” The small group of insurgents fights against the much larger group of soldiers; the Corinth wine-shop is destroyed; Bossuet, Feuilly, Courfeyrac, Joly, and Combeferre all are killed. Marius is covered in wounds but continues to fight, and Enjolras remains untouched. A final assault is tried from the side of the soldiers, and this succeeds—the insurgents try to get inside the house and wine-shop behind them for a final defense. Marius remains outside the wine-shop, and, as he is passing out from shock, feels a strong hand seize him. Enjolras locks the door to the shop and the soldiers begin their siege upon it. The soldiers make their way to way to where the remainder of the insurgents are, on the second level of the wine-shop, and one of the soldiers identifies Enjolras as the one who killed their artillery-man. Enjolras stands, majestic, motionless, and solemn; an officer confirms it was him who shot their man. Grantaire, who had been drunkenly asleep in that same upper room since the previous day, finally wakes up in the unnatural silence and understands what is happening. Grantaire stands up, takes his place beside Enjolras in front of the guns, asks and gets Enjolras’ permission to die beside him, and the two are shot together. The soldiers find and dispose of the few remaining insurgents and the barricade is taken.

Questions for 5.1.23:

1. What do you make of how the barricade is finishing up?
2. Did you have a favorite line or passage from this chapter? If so, what made it stand out to you?
3. Were there any instances of figurative language you thought added to the narrative of this chapter?
4. Do you have any other comments or questions about this chapter?

Final line:

The soldiers commenced [...] pursuit of the fugitives.

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