# Little Boris — The Counterfeiters character guide

> Little Boris in The Counterfeiters by André Gide.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Boris, little Boris, Mr. Boris, Master Boris

**First appearance:** 0023-ii-edouard-s-journal-little-boris

## Snapshot

A strange, fragile boy in a Polish doctor's care, Boris invents words and contradictions faster than anyone can love him into truth.

## Who they are

Boris trails after the angelic Bronja on the terrace, refusing walks and telescopes in the same breath, spinning nonsense syllables so no one can understand him. His lying is almost lyrical — a bid for attention, or for angels, from a child who suspects he will always be naughty. Sophroniska watches him with a physician's care, and the gap between her vigilance and his wild inventions makes him one of the novel's most unsettling small mysteries.

## In the story

### [XIII: Edouard’s Journal: First Visit to La Pérouse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/chapters/xiii-edouard-s-journal-first-visit-to-la-p-rouse)

La Pérouse's grandson, living in Poland; deeply loved but unknown to him.

### [II: Edouard's Journal: Little Boris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/chapters/ii-edouard-s-journal-little-boris)

Nervous child under Sophroniska's care; speaks in contradictions and invented languages; shows signs of trauma.

### [Edouard's Journal: Conversation with Sophroniska](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/chapters/v-edouard-s-journal-conversation-with-sophroniska)

Subject of the conversation; his past 'magic' practices, talisman, nervous illness, and current mysticism are examined.

### [VII: The Author Reviews His Characters](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/chapters/vii-the-author-reviews-his-characters)

Described as tender and fragile, exposed to the poisonous air of Azaïs's school.

### [III: Edouard’s Journal: Third Visit to La Pérouse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/chapters/iii-edouard-s-journal-third-visit-to-la-p-rouse)

Mentioned as the grandson La Pérouse wanted to see before dying.

### [The First Day of the Term](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/chapters/iv-the-first-day-of-the-term)

Boris is terrified by his schoolfellows and feels like a girl among them, distressed by the attention from his grandfather La Pérouse.

### [XIV: Bernard and the Angel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/chapters/xiv-bernard-and-the-angel)

In bed, grieving over Bronja's letter about her illness; prays and sobs quietly while Bernard wrestles with the angel.

### [XVIII: "The Strong Men"](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/chapters/xviii-the-strong-men)

Grieves Bronja's death, feels abandoned, and is manipulated into joining the brotherhood's deadly test.

### [XIX: Boris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/chapters/xix-boris)

Boris is the central figure of the chapter, who commits suicide in the classroom under the coercion of Ghéridanisol and George.

### [XX: Edouard's Journal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/chapters/xx-edouard-s-journal)

His suicide is the central event discussed; Edouard finds it indecent and unaccountable.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/characters/boris
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_counterfeiters_se/characters