Gargoyles
Quasimodo, who was raised in the cathedral, knows every inch of it. He is well acquainted with the gargoyles: grotesque creatures whose mouths serve as spouts for draining water. These gargoyles are carved to resemble fanciful versions of demons, monsters, or exaggerated animals.
Because a gargoyle's features are necessarily distorted to allow for the movement of water through the mouth, and because Quasimodo's limited vision does allow him to notice that his own features are distorted and different from the human norm, Quasimodo identifies with the gargoyles. He also notices that other people find them somewhat frightening. So he considers them protectors, identifying with their strength.
Gothic Architecture
Gothic architecture is meant to be impressive. It features huge, vaulted ceilings, impressive pointed arches, and lots of stone ornamentation. Compared to the post-Revolution French tastes, which tended toward minimalism and perhaps Romanticism as opposed to excessively ornamented styles which were associated with pre-Revolutionary excess, the Gothic features of the Notre Dame cathedral are presented as being outdated and ugly. The cathedral is sometimes presented as representing the "old" way of thinking, which is destined to be replaced by science and progress.
In real life, human beings still have reverence toward religion and an interest in mysticism. Modern visitors to Notre Dame appreciate its Gothic architecture as an excellent representative of its period. Ironically, Victor Hugo's novel made the Notre Dame Cathedral into an international tourist destination and stimulated interest in its ongoing preservation and restoration.
Quasimodo's Deformities
Kyphosis of the spine, or an abnormal growth process that causes the spine to curve, is only one of Quasimodo's disabilities. He is nearly blind, his face is misshapen and distorted, and years of ringing the heavy, loud bells have left him deaf as well. In addition, he has developmental and intellectual delays that make him unable to reason and think as quickly as others. He is therefore easily manipulated by Claude Frollo and others, since he takes their explanations at surface value.
Although Quasimodo has disabilities, Hugo does not make him completely pathetic. He is not a helpless recipient of charity, although he did grow up in the cathedral as a foundling. He has a trade: he is the official bell ringer of the cathedral, and despite his deafness he knows exactly which bell to ring, and when. He has enormous strength in his arms and upper body, which is one of the traits that allows him to snatch Esmeralda to safety when he uses a bell rope to swing down to rescue her on a bell rope. These are examples of Quasimodo overcoming the limitations imposed by his physical limitations.
Quasimodo's physical deformities make him physically unattractive. Esmeralda, for example, never seriously considers him as a potential suitor despite his ongoing love for her and his willingness to take risks on her behalf. This creates a great deal of irony. Many of the most odious men in the book, particularly Phoebus, are physically attractive but morally empty. Quasimodo is the opposite.
Dance
Esmeralda, whose name is taken from the Spanish word for "emerald", is a beautiful young women who dances. Her dance, although not explicitly erotic, shows off her physical beauty and also displays her grace and coordination. Phoebus, Frollo, and Quasimodo all notice Esmeralda in part because of her dance. Raised as a Gypsy (but, as it turns out, actually a Frenchwoman who was stolen as a child), Esmeralda learned to dance from the Gypsies who adopted her. Her dance is partly the expression of the Gypsy culture, and partly an expression of her own emotions, hopes, and dreams.
Initially Esmeralda is a small-scale celebrity who is very popular because her dancing entertains many people of all ages. Later, when she is falsely accused of witchcraft, her dancing skills are viewed as a corrupting and negative influence partly because of the carnal thoughts her movements inspire in the minds of some men.
