What was Victor Hugo's purpose in presenting a story from the point of view of a person like Jean Valjean? What kind of emotions does Victor Hugo seek to awaken in his readers?

think the protagonist represents an "everyman": a person who most people could see themselves in if they were down on their luck. He is a sympathetic character who undergoes a transformation. This leads us to the idea that Jean encapsulates the indominable spirit in human nature. Ultimately, Hugo's view of human nature is a contemporary one. Hugo suggests that the change and ability to transform oneself can be a source of great power within the human being. People can change and it is their weaknesses that can be re-shaped into strengths. Jean is a thief but a thief with a great heart. He had the ability to use his survival instinct to make people, including himself, better.