Shall we continue to raise our eyes to heaven? is the luminous point which we distinguish there one of those which vanish? The ideal is frightful to behold, thus lost in the depths, small, isolated, imperceptible, brilliant, but surrounded by those great, black menaces, monstrously heaped around it; yet no more in danger than a star in the maw of the clouds.
In Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables," the text reflects on the struggle for hope and the pursuit of ideals amidst overwhelming challenges. It questions whether we should keep looking upwards for inspiration and if the light we see is transient. This notion signifies the difficulty of maintaining faith when surrounded by daunting adversities.
Furthermore, the ideal is depicted as both beautiful and daunting, akin to a star that shines brightly yet remains isolated among dark threats. Despite the surrounding darkness, the ideal remains safe, suggesting that hope persists even in the face of despair. This metaphor highlights the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring nature of aspiration, despite the difficulties encountered along the way.
