Jean (Jehan) Prouvaire (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
poeticverses) wrote2013-02-01 08:50 pm
poeticverses) wrote2013-02-01 08:50 pm
App for Tu Shanshu
Player Information:
Name: Fae
Age: 21
Contact: PM this journal orfae_of_the_rose.
Game Cast: None!
Character Information:
Name: Jean “Jehan” Prouvaire
Canon: Les Misérables, novel primarily.
Canon Point: Just after being shot in the novel
Age: 24-25ish
Reference: Here. Wikipedia itself only lists him as a 'young romantic poet'.
Setting: Les Mis takes place from 1815 (fall of Napoleon) to about 1833. This was a very turbulent time in French history, filled with revolutions and wars. In 1789, the French Revolution brought about the First French Republic that lasted until about 1794 (a year that Jehan loathes for many reasons, including the death of André Chénier). Following that, there were five years of chaos until Napoleon took power in 1799 and created the French Empire. The wars he waged against the rest of Europe eventually caused his downfall and a return of the monarchy (courtesy of the rest of Europe) in 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo. It was a constitutional monarchy, but it was a monarchy nonetheless. King Louis XVIII reigned until 1824, when he died and was succeeded by the more moderate Charles X.
Constitution and moderate rulers or not, many people people were not happy by the return to a monarchy. Part of this was because they felt betrayed, as people had died to avoid a monarchy, and part of this was because of the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment preached reason and inspired many constitutions that promoted equality for men. Men like Rousseau and Voltaire thrived in the Enlightenment, and Rousseau in particular became something of an icon for groups like Les Amis de l’ABC in the 19th century.
Charles X ruled until 1830 and the July Rebellions, when he was replaced Louis-Philippe. This didn’t help the unrest and unhappiness in France one bit, however, as many people saw no change, just a king swapped out for a newer model. The June Rebellion in 1832, where the story of Jehan and the rest of Les Amis ends, was a failed revolt triggered by cholera, the death of two important officials, and general unrest.
France was still a monarchy and would remain so until 1848, long after the story of Les Mis ends.
That background is vital to understand Jehan’s, however. He was the only son of a rich family in the south of France, born around 1806/1807. He would have been very little during the fall of Napoleon, but growing up in such a tumultuous time period affected his own political opinions. Going from his fairly cushy life in the south of France to the hellhole of Paris spurred him on, and he joined Enjolras’s group with dreams of change.
One thing that is particularly different about Jehan is the effect Romanticism had on his life. Romanticism was a movement that peaked from about 1800 to 1840 that promoted the natural, human emotions, and was seen by some as a way to escape the urban sprawl and the Industrial Revolution, which can be considered its direct opposite. It encouraged imagination and creativity, breaking the standards set by the past to elevate the people.
Personality: Jehan is the Romantic among his friends. His name is Jean, but he prefers to go by Jehan (there is a difference in how they’re said, but I don’t speak French naturally and can’t describe it) because it’s how his name was said/spelled in the Middle Ages and he adores the Middle Ages. He’s a poet and one of the most emotional and sentimental of Les Amis; Hugo says he ‘mourned over woman, wept over childhood’ and was the only one who occasionally said “Napoleon” in contrast to Bonaparte or Buonparte like the others. He’s a dreamer, wandering around the country when he can and watching the clouds and stars as much as he watches the political climate. Ranking Les Amis in terms of political fervor, Enjolras and Combeferre would rank as the top two, with Jehan ranking at about third. He desires change just as much as anyone, but his reasons tend towards the Romantic and emotional just as much as the political. He’s in love with love and can be considered representive of the dreams of Les Amis.
Jehan is described as being well-read “even to erudition”; he’s a scholar, in other words, and is very well spoken. He understands four languages just so he can read four different poets, plays the flute, and might come off as a bit of an airhead as he spends most of his time contemplating something. He’s gentle and shy, with a soft voice and an awkwardness around him that’s endearing. He also dresses badly. Hugo doesn’t specify what that all entails, however, and it’s my personal headcanon that Jehan wears colors that don’t really go together (though the fact he wears colors at all could be considered badly dressed), some slightly out-of-style waist coats, and interesting patterns. Subtle colors were gaining popularity in the 1830s, so I chose to say that he prefers the bolder colors of the 1820s. He’s going to love all the new patterns in the city.
Despite being shy and soft-spoken, Jehan is one of the bravest members of Les Amis. He was taken captive at the barricades after the first skirmish. While Hugo doesn’t tell us what happened beforehand, the last thing Jehan Prouvaire says is “Vive la France! Vive l’avenir!” or “Long live France! Long live the future!” in a voice loud enough to be heard from the end of the street to the barricade where his friends are. He marched to the barricades with a blunderbuss despite being a Romantic dreamer and was very likely doing something that caused the National Guard to capture him.
Since he’s coming right after having been shot, he’s well aware that he’s dead in his own world. He knew going into the fight that he would likely not make it out. Despite this, you don’t get shot at by a firing line and not suffer some sort of post-traumatic stress. He’ll be skittish and even more shy, prone to nightmares, and not at all keen on sudden noises or movements. Jehan will also refer to himself as dead if asked because he is. You don’t survive something like that.
Being told that he’s in some sort of purgatory-esque world will just delight Jehan. He finds things like that interesting and worthy of contemplation, though he’ll be a little thrown by the apparently alive people and the Empress and the general Asian-ness of it all. He pegged the afterlife being more Greek, but he’ll adapt easily enough.
Appearance: Alistair Brammer.
Abilities: He’s a human. Nothing fancy about him, except his education. He can shoot people with a gun, but that’s about it and kind of moot here anyway. He’s not unfamiliar with sabers, either.
Inventory: His clothing—a dark blue vest, dirty white shirt, dark gray pants, and a patterned red cravat—is all bloody and bullet-ridden. He’s got a white, red, and blue cockade pinned to his waist coat and a tricolor sash around his waist.
Suite: Wood sector with or very near Enjolras and Combeferre if at possible. He, like the other two, wouldn’t like the Fire or Metal sectors. The Earth sector would be too stubborn and boring for him, and the Water sector, while it would also be a nice fit, would be too far removed from his friends. Besides, he can grow things and wander around the trees here, and he adores being outside. Two floors would likely be the best as he likes to grow things and read and he’s the cute one, not an idiot. He’ll need the space.
In-Character Samples:
Third Person: This certainly wasn’t what Jehan expected upon waking up. To be honest, he hadn’t expected on waking up, either. How could you “wake up” when your body was shot through and your spirit free to wander about as it will? Even if there was a Heaven (and after this, Jehan wasn’t entirely certain), you wouldn’t “wake up” in it. Jehan personally felt that you would float up to it.
But that didn’t really matter right now, did it? He was in this purgatory—oh, the people who found him on the beach had told him he might not be dead, but he knew he was, he’d been shot by a firing line after all—and he was still in a lot of pain. Whoever had brought him here had been kind enough to heal the bullet wounds that Jehan was certain would have killed him, but he was still injured from the skirmish on the barricade and he hurt. The...kirin, he recalled, had been hitting every bump between the shore and their destination and oh God did he hurt. One of the people assured him of a healer as soon as they reached the city, but as of yet one hadn't shown up.
I almost wish for Combeferre or Joly.
Jehan shook his head as soon as the thought crossed his mind. He shouldn’t wish any of his friends here. That would mean their revolution had failed and that, he felt, was a worse fate than death.
Still, he would rather not be alone, if he had the choice.
A hand on his shoulder snapped Jehan out of his reverie; the person showing him his new lodgings smiled kindly and went back to explaining all of the strange things in the apartment. A box that allowed him to communicate with everyone in the city at once, with pictures and voice, an icebox without ice, and…well, Jehan wasn’t exactly sure how to describe what the person (and really, ‘person’ seemed such an inadequate word for the people here—the one speaking to him now had blue skin! He should ask if they have an actual name or else make one up that fit them better than “person”) called the “bathroom”. He could appreciate hot water whenever he needed it, but he wasn’t so sure about the rest of it.
Network:[Jehan’s blushing a bit when the feed clicks on. Then again, he’s always blushing]
Ah…would anyone happen to know where I might find a tailor familiar with French fashion?
[A pause]
19th century French fashion. I forget I need to specify here. But, as lovely as everything in this city is, I’m not terribly comfortable with the styles offered to me at the shops. The colors and patterns are wonderful, but the style…
[He trails off, glancing down before smiling a bit and cutting the feed]
Name: Fae
Age: 21
Contact: PM this journal or
fae_of_the_rose. Game Cast: None!
Character Information:
Name: Jean “Jehan” Prouvaire
Canon: Les Misérables, novel primarily.
Canon Point: Just after being shot in the novel
Age: 24-25ish
Reference: Here. Wikipedia itself only lists him as a 'young romantic poet'.
Setting: Les Mis takes place from 1815 (fall of Napoleon) to about 1833. This was a very turbulent time in French history, filled with revolutions and wars. In 1789, the French Revolution brought about the First French Republic that lasted until about 1794 (a year that Jehan loathes for many reasons, including the death of André Chénier). Following that, there were five years of chaos until Napoleon took power in 1799 and created the French Empire. The wars he waged against the rest of Europe eventually caused his downfall and a return of the monarchy (courtesy of the rest of Europe) in 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo. It was a constitutional monarchy, but it was a monarchy nonetheless. King Louis XVIII reigned until 1824, when he died and was succeeded by the more moderate Charles X.
Constitution and moderate rulers or not, many people people were not happy by the return to a monarchy. Part of this was because they felt betrayed, as people had died to avoid a monarchy, and part of this was because of the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment preached reason and inspired many constitutions that promoted equality for men. Men like Rousseau and Voltaire thrived in the Enlightenment, and Rousseau in particular became something of an icon for groups like Les Amis de l’ABC in the 19th century.
Charles X ruled until 1830 and the July Rebellions, when he was replaced Louis-Philippe. This didn’t help the unrest and unhappiness in France one bit, however, as many people saw no change, just a king swapped out for a newer model. The June Rebellion in 1832, where the story of Jehan and the rest of Les Amis ends, was a failed revolt triggered by cholera, the death of two important officials, and general unrest.
France was still a monarchy and would remain so until 1848, long after the story of Les Mis ends.
That background is vital to understand Jehan’s, however. He was the only son of a rich family in the south of France, born around 1806/1807. He would have been very little during the fall of Napoleon, but growing up in such a tumultuous time period affected his own political opinions. Going from his fairly cushy life in the south of France to the hellhole of Paris spurred him on, and he joined Enjolras’s group with dreams of change.
One thing that is particularly different about Jehan is the effect Romanticism had on his life. Romanticism was a movement that peaked from about 1800 to 1840 that promoted the natural, human emotions, and was seen by some as a way to escape the urban sprawl and the Industrial Revolution, which can be considered its direct opposite. It encouraged imagination and creativity, breaking the standards set by the past to elevate the people.
Personality: Jehan is the Romantic among his friends. His name is Jean, but he prefers to go by Jehan (there is a difference in how they’re said, but I don’t speak French naturally and can’t describe it) because it’s how his name was said/spelled in the Middle Ages and he adores the Middle Ages. He’s a poet and one of the most emotional and sentimental of Les Amis; Hugo says he ‘mourned over woman, wept over childhood’ and was the only one who occasionally said “Napoleon” in contrast to Bonaparte or Buonparte like the others. He’s a dreamer, wandering around the country when he can and watching the clouds and stars as much as he watches the political climate. Ranking Les Amis in terms of political fervor, Enjolras and Combeferre would rank as the top two, with Jehan ranking at about third. He desires change just as much as anyone, but his reasons tend towards the Romantic and emotional just as much as the political. He’s in love with love and can be considered representive of the dreams of Les Amis.
Jehan is described as being well-read “even to erudition”; he’s a scholar, in other words, and is very well spoken. He understands four languages just so he can read four different poets, plays the flute, and might come off as a bit of an airhead as he spends most of his time contemplating something. He’s gentle and shy, with a soft voice and an awkwardness around him that’s endearing. He also dresses badly. Hugo doesn’t specify what that all entails, however, and it’s my personal headcanon that Jehan wears colors that don’t really go together (though the fact he wears colors at all could be considered badly dressed), some slightly out-of-style waist coats, and interesting patterns. Subtle colors were gaining popularity in the 1830s, so I chose to say that he prefers the bolder colors of the 1820s. He’s going to love all the new patterns in the city.
Despite being shy and soft-spoken, Jehan is one of the bravest members of Les Amis. He was taken captive at the barricades after the first skirmish. While Hugo doesn’t tell us what happened beforehand, the last thing Jehan Prouvaire says is “Vive la France! Vive l’avenir!” or “Long live France! Long live the future!” in a voice loud enough to be heard from the end of the street to the barricade where his friends are. He marched to the barricades with a blunderbuss despite being a Romantic dreamer and was very likely doing something that caused the National Guard to capture him.
Since he’s coming right after having been shot, he’s well aware that he’s dead in his own world. He knew going into the fight that he would likely not make it out. Despite this, you don’t get shot at by a firing line and not suffer some sort of post-traumatic stress. He’ll be skittish and even more shy, prone to nightmares, and not at all keen on sudden noises or movements. Jehan will also refer to himself as dead if asked because he is. You don’t survive something like that.
Being told that he’s in some sort of purgatory-esque world will just delight Jehan. He finds things like that interesting and worthy of contemplation, though he’ll be a little thrown by the apparently alive people and the Empress and the general Asian-ness of it all. He pegged the afterlife being more Greek, but he’ll adapt easily enough.
Appearance: Alistair Brammer.
Abilities: He’s a human. Nothing fancy about him, except his education. He can shoot people with a gun, but that’s about it and kind of moot here anyway. He’s not unfamiliar with sabers, either.
Inventory: His clothing—a dark blue vest, dirty white shirt, dark gray pants, and a patterned red cravat—is all bloody and bullet-ridden. He’s got a white, red, and blue cockade pinned to his waist coat and a tricolor sash around his waist.
Suite: Wood sector with or very near Enjolras and Combeferre if at possible. He, like the other two, wouldn’t like the Fire or Metal sectors. The Earth sector would be too stubborn and boring for him, and the Water sector, while it would also be a nice fit, would be too far removed from his friends. Besides, he can grow things and wander around the trees here, and he adores being outside. Two floors would likely be the best as he likes to grow things and read and he’s the cute one, not an idiot. He’ll need the space.
In-Character Samples:
Third Person: This certainly wasn’t what Jehan expected upon waking up. To be honest, he hadn’t expected on waking up, either. How could you “wake up” when your body was shot through and your spirit free to wander about as it will? Even if there was a Heaven (and after this, Jehan wasn’t entirely certain), you wouldn’t “wake up” in it. Jehan personally felt that you would float up to it.
But that didn’t really matter right now, did it? He was in this purgatory—oh, the people who found him on the beach had told him he might not be dead, but he knew he was, he’d been shot by a firing line after all—and he was still in a lot of pain. Whoever had brought him here had been kind enough to heal the bullet wounds that Jehan was certain would have killed him, but he was still injured from the skirmish on the barricade and he hurt. The...kirin, he recalled, had been hitting every bump between the shore and their destination and oh God did he hurt. One of the people assured him of a healer as soon as they reached the city, but as of yet one hadn't shown up.
I almost wish for Combeferre or Joly.
Jehan shook his head as soon as the thought crossed his mind. He shouldn’t wish any of his friends here. That would mean their revolution had failed and that, he felt, was a worse fate than death.
Still, he would rather not be alone, if he had the choice.
A hand on his shoulder snapped Jehan out of his reverie; the person showing him his new lodgings smiled kindly and went back to explaining all of the strange things in the apartment. A box that allowed him to communicate with everyone in the city at once, with pictures and voice, an icebox without ice, and…well, Jehan wasn’t exactly sure how to describe what the person (and really, ‘person’ seemed such an inadequate word for the people here—the one speaking to him now had blue skin! He should ask if they have an actual name or else make one up that fit them better than “person”) called the “bathroom”. He could appreciate hot water whenever he needed it, but he wasn’t so sure about the rest of it.
Network:[Jehan’s blushing a bit when the feed clicks on. Then again, he’s always blushing]
Ah…would anyone happen to know where I might find a tailor familiar with French fashion?
[A pause]
19th century French fashion. I forget I need to specify here. But, as lovely as everything in this city is, I’m not terribly comfortable with the styles offered to me at the shops. The colors and patterns are wonderful, but the style…
[He trails off, glancing down before smiling a bit and cutting the feed]