Why was jean valjean sent to prison and did he have justifiable reason for hating society?

This question relates to the story of Les Miserables, a French novel by Victor Hugo, often adapted as a play and sometimes called 'The Bishop's Candlesticks'.

Jean Valjean is a former convict whose faith in humanity is restored when he comes into contact with a kind bishop.

Jean Valjean is bitter and hateful towards society due to injustices meted out to him. When he was unemployed and his wife was starving, he had been forced to steal a loaf of bread, but got caught and imprisoned, and his wife died.

Even after having served time in prison, Jean Valjean cannot get easily integrated into society, and is marked as a criminal, making it difficult for him to find work and shelter. These reasons combine to make him bitter and hateful, until he meets the kind Bishop.