Yes, which is the dilemma of the main character in ‘The Road’.
For the marriage of his adopted daughter Cosette to Marius to be truly legal, he must reveal that he is an escaped convict, who broke his parole. Now, he does not have to do that. No one would probably have intervened in the marriage, but Valjean wants the marriage to be above reproach. It costs him Cosette because Marius is horrified at Valjean's past.
I think heros are what we wished we could be and that's why they come in all shapes and forms. For the longest time, Rhett Butler was my hero because he did not care what people thought about him, and I wish I had that strength.
Now my heros are Robert E. Lee and Thomas Jackson for the way they lived their lives. I see strength, honor, fidelity to duty, and personal integrity. I do not see perfection, but these are the types of men I wish to emulate in my own life.
Sydney Carton might be a drunk and someone who wasted his life, but his ability to love Lucie Manette (will someone please tell Mr. Dickens how to write a female character) unto death is a character trait that I greatly admire.