"Toilers of the Sea" by Victor Hugo begins on a snowy Christmas Day in the early 1820s on the island of Guernsey, where snowfall is a rare occurrence. The scene is set along a deserted coastal road, where three individuals—a child, a man, and a woman—are walking at a distance from each other. The child, an eight-year-old boy, is mesmerized by the winter landscape. The man, dressed in worker's attire that suggests he is neither a sailor nor a churchgoer, walks behind the woman, who is elegantly dressed for church in a fashionable outfit. Despite their proximity, there is no apparent connection among them, and while the woman walks gracefully, the man seems indifferent to her presence. This introduction establishes a contrast between the characters and sets a tone of introspection and observation against the backdrop of a rare winter day in the Channel Islands. The narrative hints at deeper themes related to class, identity, and the human experience, which are explored further as the story unfolds.

by Victor Hugo in English Adventure Stories

Writen by Victor Hugo

Category Adventure Stories