# In Which Little Gavroche Extracts Profit from Napoleon the Great explained — Les Misérables

> Chapter companion for Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.

## What happens

In the spring of 1832, during a harsh cold spell and cholera epidemic, Gavroche, a street urchin, encounters two lost, crying children outside a barber's shop. He takes them under his wing, leading them to the dilapidated elephant statue on the Place de la Bastille, where he has made a makeshift home. Inside the elephant's belly, he comforts the children, puts them to bed, and deals with rats. Later, he meets the criminal Montparnasse, who warns him of a nearby police sergeant with a slang phrase. Gavroche then returns to his elephant with the children.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Injustice and Poverty

Gavroche and the two children embody the harsh realities of poverty and homelessness in 19th-century Paris, living in a decaying elephant statue.

### Love and Compassion

Gavroche shows unexpected kindness and care for the two lost children, taking them in and comforting them despite his own destitution.

### The Human Condition and Fate

The chapter reflects on the resilience and resourcefulness of the poor, as Gavroche makes a home in the elephant and faces the elements and rats with humor.

## Character check-ins

### Gavroche

The street urchin who takes charge of two lost children, leading them to his home inside the elephant statue and showing resourcefulness and care.

### Montparnasse

A criminal who meets Gavroche on the street, warns him of a nearby police sergeant using slang, and then departs.

### Thénardier

Mentioned indirectly as the father of the two children (Éponine and Azelma's younger brothers), though not present in the chapter.

### Éponine

Referenced as the elder sister of the two lost children, though she does not appear in the chapter.

### Azelma

Referenced as the younger sister of the two lost children, though she does not appear in the chapter.

## Key lines

> Little Gavroche, who was always shivering gayly under his rags, was standing as though in ecstasy before a wig-maker’s shop in the vicinity of the Orme-Saint-Gervais.

Gavroche, despite being poorly dressed and cold, stood cheerfully in front of a barber's shop.

_Highlights Gavroche's resilience and poverty._

> “Come along with me, young ’uns!”

Gavroche invites the two lost children to follow him.

_Shows Gavroche's protective and authoritative role._

> “It’s the rats,” replied Gavroche.

Gavroche explains that the noise is from rats.

_Demonstrates the squalid conditions of their shelter._

> “Listen to what I tell you, boy! If I were on the square with my dog, my knife, and my wife, and if you were to squander ten sous on me, I wouldn’t refuse to work, but this isn’t Shrove Tuesday.”

Montparnasse uses slang to warn Gavroche that a police sergeant is nearby.

_Illustrates the coded language of the criminal underworld._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se/chapters/ii-in-which-little-gavroche-extracts-profit-from-napoleon-the-great
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/les_miserables_se/chapters