Alan first appears as a destitute youth in Montreuil-sur-Mer, stealing bread to feed his younger siblings, Daniel and Marie. Jean Valjean, acting as Mayor Madeleine, intercepts the theft. He offers Alan immediate food and a basket of bread for the children, then proposes work as his errand boy. Alan initially refuses, distrustful of the offer. Later reconsidering, he accepts and becomes Valjean's apprentice at the black glass factory. In this role, Alan observes Valjean's profound acts of mercy, including shielding Fantine from arrest. When Valjean's past as a convict is revealed and he is arrested, Alan steps in to manage the factory, maintaining its operations and safeguarding the workers' well-being. Alan's journey culminates in his election as mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. He assumes the mantle of his mentor, continuing Valjean's legacy of community leadership and industrial stewardship. His transformation from a hungry thief to a respected civic leader embodies the narrative's themes of redemption and social duty.