From watching this version of the musical I learned how lucky we are to have freedom and peace in our country. So many people died in this musical, all for rights that we already have, and that we take for granted. We can also learn from this musical how important it is to be kind and forgiving to all. Jean Val Jean was forgiven by a kind and compassionate bishop, and his whole life changed. He was considered to be a criminal, simply for stealing bread, but this bishop gave him a second chance and gave him silver to better his life and others lives. I saw how Val Jean used his second chance to turn his life around, and from this we can learn that we need to try harder to forgive others and let them change. One of the most important things I learned from watching this musical is what people are capable of doing for love. Eponine died for Marius because she loved him and wanted him to have a better life, even though she knew he didn't love her in the same way. She forgave him for breaking her heart, and then saved his life by taking her own. Another example of this is what Fantine did for her child, Cosette. She became a prostitute and let a man buy her body. She shaved her head and sold her hair just for ten francs. She did all of these things in an effort to save someone she cared deeply for and loved immensely. These lessons should make us wonder what we would be capable of. If someone stole your finest silver, would you be able to just simply say "go in peace" and let him take it? Could you be as brave and courageous as Eponine and die for someone, knowing that they didn't love you back? I also wonder if in the future I would be capable of doing what Fantine did for her child for my children. A good musical would let us learn about these things, but a great one like Les Miserables makes us learn about ourselves and whether we could be as loving and brave as these incredible characters.
The scenes that stood out to me the most were the scenes I have already mentioned above. Eponine dying for unrequited love, the bishop being kind to a stranger that robbed him, and Fantine giving up everything she has in hopes her daughter could have a better life than she did. Another scene that really stood out to me was Javert's suicide. In the beginning of this story Javert is a character we dislike almost immediately. He is rude and harsh to Val Jean and he seems to be the villain in this musical. However, in Javert's suicide, he realizes that he was misguided in his life because Val Jean saves his life and forgives him. Because Javert feels so overcome with guilt and confusion, he sees no way out other than to take his own life. Suicide has always been an issue very close to my heart so Javert's suicide really impacted me. The effect Val Jean had on Javert by simply forgiving him, was  astronomical. Javert's whole world view was flipped upside down and it was too much for him to comprehend that he felt he had dedicated his whole life to something so wrong and inhumane. Maybe if Javert had taken a step back and let himself have a second to think, he wouldn't have acted so rashly. From Javert we can learn that at any moment your whole world could flip upside down, and we also are advised not to act so impulsively. 
A motif that stood out to me are the insects and birds. To me this represents how small and insignificant we are in the world. While Eponine gave the ultimate sacrifice for Marius, there would only be a couple people that remember her name. This could also signify that while one person is small and not likely to make much of a difference, when we stand together we could change the world. When one bee is buzzing around you, it's easy to wave it away or ignore it. However, if a whole swarm of bees was around you, it's not so easy to ignore. If Enjolras was the only one at that barricade, it would be incredibly easy to defeat him and ignore the problem. But when all of the people came together, they couldn't be ignored. Another theme that is present through out this whole musical is the importance of love and forgiveness. I can't help but wonder what would have happened to Val Jean if that bishop hadn't forgiven him. In our daily lives, we could also change someone's life just by showing them compassion. We also note from this story how important it is to not only love people around you, but to have people that love and support you. It is incredibly difficult to feel alone with no one loving you and supporting you, as we learnt from young Cosette. As a child, she felt alone, and she had to create an imaginary "Castle On A Cloud" where no one yelled at her. It is heartbreaking to see anybody, never mind a little girl go through that.
This musical is incredibly powerful, moving and heart wrenching. Everyone can relate to a character, which makes it even more powerful. All the lessons that we learn from this story could change the way we carry ourselves and the way we treat others. This story is amazing, and I am so incredibly excited to be a part of it and help others learn from it the same way I did.