# Monsieur Auguste — The Enormous Room character guide

> Monsieur Auguste in The Enormous Room by E. E. Cummings.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Harree, Monsieur Auguste Harree, Auguste, Harree the Hollander, Harree The Hollander, Pompom, Harree Pompom

**First appearance:** 0005-iv-le-nouveau

## Snapshot

A Dutch prisoner and harmonica player whose trembling joy over a sliver of cheese reveals a man thrilled from filthy head to soleless slippers by the smallest kindness.

## Who they are

He receives le fromage as a king might hold the best jewel of his realm, quivering with astonishment that anyone would offer it, then disappears with profuse thanks. His timidity and gratitude mark him as one of the camp's most vulnerable, bullied by men who desire Liberté with a terrible desire he can barely name. Through him the narrator measures how cheaply human happiness can be bought—and how much it costs.

## In the story

### [IV: Le Nouveau](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enormous_room_se/chapters/iv-le-nouveau)

Mentioned as part of the throng heading to the soup distribution.

### [V: A Group of Portraits](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enormous_room_se/chapters/v-a-group-of-portraits)

A small Russian man arrested because he was Russian; finds joy in singing 'Quackquackquack' despite his sorrow for his wife and child.

### [IX: Zoo-Loo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enormous_room_se/chapters/ix-zoo-loo)

Expresses sorrow over the fight, admits The Young Pole brought it on himself, but notes he is only a boy.

### [X: Surplice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enormous_room_se/chapters/x-surplice)

Expresses sympathy for Surplice during the '606' incident and is later selected for transfer to Précigne.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enormous_room_se/characters/monsieur_auguste
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enormous_room_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enormous_room_se/characters