Did you forget to mention that this question is about "The miserable ones" written by Victor Hugo.
Answer:
She uses this statement to justify her condition and to obtain freedom from prison.
Explanation:
Fantine is a single mother and her daughter is guilty of a family that owns a pension. Fantine pays seven francs a month for this family to use in the expenses of her daughter (called Cosete). However, the family that takes care of Fantine's daughter, exploits the child, in addition to asking Fantine for more and more money.
Fantine doesn't want her daughter to be in need and ends up working more and more and handing over her salary to her daughter's care. However, the family that takes care of Cosete keeps asking for more money, which makes Fantine sell her hair, her teeth and become a prostitute, to get enough money.
All of this makes Fantine very sick and looks deplorable, but she continues to work to pay for her daughter's expenses. One day a man insults Fantine, she becomes possessed of anger, attacks this man and is arrested by Javert, the city police inspector.
Javert is extremely disgusted by Fantini's appearance and situation, she begs to be released since she needs to work and therefore says: "is not cowardliness and gluttony that have made what I am".
