# Mr. French — Just William character guide

> Mr. French in Just William by Richmal Crompton.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Furtively Mr. French

**First appearance:** 0000-i-william-goes-to-the-pictures

## Snapshot

A lovestruck young man who courts Ethel by befriending her small brother, a strategy that costs him his dignity and a great deal of carrying.

## Who they are

Smitten at an evening party, James French lacks the nerve to approach Ethel directly, so he cultivates William instead — bribing him with white rats and poetry about red-gold hair. His kindness is genuine but his judgment is not, and he finds himself staggering down a lane with a sturdy eleven-year-old on his back, sweating and inwardly cursing. He embodies the novel's running joke that the surest way to reach the Brown family is through its most dangerous member.

## Relationships

### [William Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/william_brown)

_rivalry_

Mr. French is a neighbor and frequent antagonist who clashes with William over property and peace.

### [Ethel Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/ethel_brown)

_romantic_

Ethel and Mr. French are involved in a flirtatious courtship, much to William's annoyance.

### [Ethel Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/ethel_brown)

_romantic_

Ethel and Mr. French are involved in a flirtatious courtship, much to William's annoyance.

### [William Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/william_brown)

_rivalry_

Mr. French is a neighbor and frequent antagonist who clashes with William over property and peace.

### [William Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/william_brown)

_rivalry_

Mr. French is a neighbor and frequent antagonist who clashes with William over property and peace.

## In the story

### [The Best Laid Plans](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/xi-the-best-laid-plans)

Infatuated with Ethel, bribes William repeatedly to cover up rat-related disasters.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/i)

Infatuated with Ethel, he carries William home and later bribes him with white rats to gain Ethel's favor.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/chapters/ii)

Pays William hush money to conceal his schemes and is snubbed by Ethel.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters/mr_french
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/just_william_se/characters