Victor Hugo criticizes monasticism, asserting that it serves more as a hindrance to societal progress than as a benefit. He likens monasteries to unnecessary growths that drain resources from the greater community, suggesting that their presence impedes labor and productivity. Hugo argues that while monastic institutions may have had a role in the early stages of civilization by helping to refine people's moral values, they ultimately become detrimental as societies mature.

He emphasizes that in a well-developed society, monastic communities become irrelevant, stifling growth and contributing to the overall impoverishment of the nation. By comparing monasteries to a wart on the human body or mistletoe on an oak, Hugo illustrates how they can diminish the strength and vitality of a society rather than enhance it. His views challenge the justification for the existence of monasticism in thriving communities.