The Counterfeiters · Chapter
The First Day of the Term explained
The chapter opens on the first day of term at the Vedels' school, with old Azaïs delivering a speech.
What happens
The chapter opens on the first day of term at the Vedels' school, with old Azaïs delivering a speech. The boys, including George Molinier, Philippe Adamanti, Léon Ghéridanisol, Boris, and Gontran de Passavant, interact in the classroom. George and Phiphi discuss a police raid on a brothel, narrowly avoided thanks to Profitendieu's delay. Bernard later visits Edouard and recounts his observations of the boys, including Armand Vedel's cynical demeanor and a boy with a 'fabricated personality.' Bernard feels sad and leaves early to prepare for an exam.
Themes in this chapter
Youth and Education
The first day of term showcases the social dynamics among schoolboys, their bravado, and the pressures of fitting in, as seen through Boris's anxiety and George's cynicism.
Morality and Corruption
The police raid on the brothel and the boys' casual discussion of it reveal the moral corruption lurking beneath the surface of respectable society.
Characters to notice
- George Molinier
George is a cynical and audacious boy who discusses the police raid with Phiphi and boasts about his narrow escape.
- Phiphi
Philippe Adamanti, George's friend, is shocked by the news of the raid and tries to keep up with George's bravado.
- Ghéridanisol
Léon Ghéridanisol is a central figure among the boys, known for his 'lip' and insolent jokes, and listens to George and Phiphi's conversation.
- Little Boris
Boris is terrified by his schoolfellows and feels like a girl among them, distressed by the attention from his grandfather La Pérouse.
- Gontran de Passavant
Gontran is an independent and proud boy who keeps to himself, preferring reading and solitary sports, and could be a protector for Boris.
- Bernard Profitendieu
Bernard visits Edouard and shares his observations of the first day, including his impressions of Armand and other boys, but feels sad and leaves early.
Key passages
“The boys knew, was that Profitendieu had taken good care to wait before taking this action until the younger delinquents should have left Paris, so that their parents might be spared the scandal of their being caught.”
Profitendieu deliberately delayed the police raid until the young offenders had left Paris to avoid public scandal for their families.
This reveals Profitendieu's calculated protection of family reputation.
“Some of them seem to me to have a fabricated personality.”
Bernard observes that some boys appear to have artificial or constructed personalities.
Bernard's comment to Edouard reflects his critical view of the boys' affectations.