Georges Méliès Character Analysis in The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Georges Méliès is married to Jeanne Méliès and is the godfather of Isabelle. Although his portrayal in the novel is largely fictional, Georges Méliès was a real magician and director, one of the most significant figures in the early days of movie making. Unfortunately, like his real life counterpart, Georges loses his film career at the start of World War I because of financial setbacks. Sadly, Georges sold off all of his films and faded into obscurity until close to the end of his life. In the novel, Hugo first meets Georges as the crotchety operator of a toy stand near the train station where Hugo lives. Georges is a depressed old man who spends his shift at the toy stand looking at the clock, waiting for the day to end. However, when Hugo starts working for Georges, he realizes that there must be something more to him. Georges regularly entertains himself with card tricks and he knows something about the automaton in Hugo’s notebook. Later, when Hugo and Isabelle discover some of Georges’ old drawings, Georges looks at them and has a breakdown. He has never emotionally recovered from the tragedy of his past and has a hard time even thinking about it. However, at the end of the story, with the help of Etienne and Monsieur Tabard, Georges discovers that he has not fallen into obscurity after all. He learns about the immense impact his films have had on a generation of young film scholars and movie makers. This knowledge radically alters Georges’ behavior. He starts to act more like he did when he was young and becomes a noticeably happier person.

Georges Méliès Quotes in The Invention of Hugo Cabret

The The Invention of Hugo Cabret quotes below are all either spoken by Georges Méliès or refer to Georges Méliès. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Magic, Cinema, and Imagination Theme Icon

“Ghosts. . .” the old man muttered to himself. “I knew they would find me here eventually.”

Related Characters: Georges Méliès (speaker), Hugo’s Father, Hugo Cabret

Related Symbols: The Notebook

Page Number and Citation: 60

Explanation and Analysis:

Hugo touched the ashes and then let them fall to the floor with the handkerchief. He staggered backwards. All of his plans, all of his dreams, disappeared in that scattered pile of ash.

Related Characters: Georges Méliès, Hugo’s Father, Hugo Cabret

Related Symbols: The Notebook

Page Number and Citation: 138

Explanation and Analysis:

“Stop it, Georges! Stop!” yelled his wife. “This is your work!”

“HA!” he cried. “How could this be mine? I am not an artist! I am nothing! I’m a penniless merchant, a prisoner! A shell! A windup toy!”

Related Characters: Georges Méliès (speaker), Jeanne Méliès (speaker), Hugo Cabret

Page Number and Citation: 298

Explanation and Analysis:

He related the whole story, from his father’s discovery of the automaton up in the attic of the museum, to the fire, to the arrival and disappearance of his uncle. He told her about discovering the toys in her godfather’s booth and how he used them to fix the automaton. He told her everything.

When Hugo finished, Isabelle was quiet for a few moments, then she said, “Thank you.”

Related Characters: Georges Méliès, Hugo Cabret, Isabelle

Page Number and Citation: 365

Explanation and Analysis:

“Maybe it’s the same with people,” Hugo continued. “If you lose your purpose . . . it’s like you’re broken.

“Like Papa Georges?”

“Maybe . . . maybe we can fix him.”

Related Characters: Hugo Cabret (speaker), Isabelle (speaker), Georges Méliès

Page Number and Citation: 375

Explanation and Analysis:

“Before you go home, come with me,” Hugo said, and he helped Isabelle through the nearest air vent into the walls. Between Hugo’s injured hand and Isabelle’s sprained foot, it was extremely difficult for them to get up the staircases and the ladder, but they helped each other and at least they came to the glass clocks that overlooked the city.

Related Characters: Hugo Cabret (speaker), Isabelle, Georges Méliès

Related Symbols: Clocks

Page Number and Citation: 375

Explanation and Analysis:

“I like to imagine that the world is one big machine. You know, machines never have any extra parts. They have the exact number and type of parts they need. So I figure if the entire world is a big machine, I have to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too.”

Related Characters: Hugo Cabret (speaker), Georges Méliès, Isabelle

Page Number and Citation: 378

Explanation and Analysis:

“He bent down on one knee and whispered to me, ‘If you’ve ever wondered where your dreams come from when you go to sleep at night, just look around. This is where they are made.’”

Related Characters: Georges Méliès (speaker), Monsieur Tabard (speaker), Hugo’s Father, Jeanne Méliès

Page Number and Citation: 387

Explanation and Analysis:

“Remember the drunken old Timekeeper of the station?” continued Madame Emile. “It was him! Dead for years!”

Related Characters: Georges Méliès, Hugo Cabret, Claude

Page Number and Citation: 410

Explanation and Analysis:

When Hugo opened his eyes, all he could see where stars. Stars and moons and what looked like a rocket ship. It was the cape from A Trip to the Moon, and Georges Méliès was wearing it.

Related Characters: The Station Inspector, Georges Méliès, Hugo Cabret, Isabelle

Page Number and Citation: 478

Explanation and Analysis:

“Then you know Prometheus was rescued in the end. His chains were broken and he was finally set free.” The old man squinted one of his eyes and added, “How about that?”

Related Characters: Georges Méliès (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 494

Explanation and Analysis:

Once upon a time, I was a boy named Hugo Cabret, and I desperately believed that a broken automaton would save my life. Now, that my cocoon has fallen away and I have emerged as a magician named Professor Alcofrisbas, I can look back and see that I was right.

Related Characters: Hugo Cabret (speaker), Georges Méliès

Page Number and Citation: 509

Explanation and Analysis:

But now I have built a new automaton [. . .]. When you wind it up, it can do something I’m sure no other automaton in the world can do. It can tell you the incredible story of Georges Méliès, his wife, their goddaughter, and a beloved clock maker whose son grew up to be a magician.

Related Characters: Hugo Cabret (speaker), Hugo’s Father, Georges Méliès

Page Number and Citation: 510-511

Explanation and Analysis:

Georges Méliès Character Timeline in The Invention of Hugo Cabret

The timeline below shows where the character Georges Méliès appears in The Invention of Hugo Cabret. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...street without being seen. He peers through the “5” on the clock and sees an old man sitting at a toy shop across the street from the train station. Despite the toys... (full context)

The boy—whose name is Hugo—watches as a young girl, approximately his age, walks up to the old man and talks to him. Hugo is nervous as he watches. He tells himself to be... (full context)

Hugo notices that the old man is irritated. He wonders if the old man found out that he is missing some... (full context)

The old man starts yelling “thief” and calls for the Station Inspector, which sends Hugo into a panic.... (full context)

However, there is one pocket Hugo does not empty. The old man notices and tells Hugo to keep going. Hugo lies and says there is nothing in... (full context)

Friendship, Honesty, and Vulnerability Theme Icon

At the sight of the automaton, the old man mysteriously says, “Ghosts […] I knew they would find me here eventually.” Not sure how... (full context)

Hugo’s response appears to satisfy the old man . He pushes Hugo away and tells him not to come back. As Hugo stumbles... (full context)

Hugo runs away from the old man ’s shop and reenters the vent in the wall. The air in the vent is... (full context)

...use is Hugo’s. Scattered around Hugo’s room are jars filled with objects he’s stolen from the old man ’s toy store. Other than the toy parts, Hugo does not have many possessions. The... (full context)

...locked up in it, including children his age. Next, Hugo goes to the clock overlooking the old man ’s toy shop. Hugo doesn’t want to go there, but he knows he must. When... (full context)

Hugo approaches the old man as he is closing up his shop. He knows he will only have a few... (full context)

Hugo asks for his notebook back. The old man refuses, and says he is planning to burn it instead. Then, the old man finishes... (full context)

Hugo continues following the old man through the streets of Paris. Although it is nighttime, there are bright streetlights all over,... (full context)

Hugo stands outside in the cold, looking at the old man ’s apartment building. For a moment, Hugo simply stares at the building and fiddles with... (full context)

...that the girl’s grandfather stole his notebook. In response, the girl tells Hugo that “Papa Georges” isn’t her grandfather. Then, she calls Hugo a thief. Hugo protests his innocence, but the... (full context)

...to the ground and holds him there. She promises Hugo that she will not let Georges burn his notebook. She also tells Hugo to return to the toy shop the following... (full context)

...the fabric is an automaton sitting at a desk—it is the spitting image of what Georges saw in Hugo’s notebook. The automaton is built from an array of gears, metal, and... (full context)

...Hugo. However, Hugo will never know unless he can get his father’s notebook back from Georges. (full context)

Early the next day, as Georges opens his toy shop, Hugo approaches him. Georges knew Hugo would come, and he hands... (full context)

...the young girl he met a few nights ago. The young girl tells him that Georges did not burn his notebook. At first, Hugo does not believe her, but she assures... (full context)

...bookstore still not entirely sure what to think. From there, he makes his way to Georges’s shop and tells Georges he doesn’t believe that he burned his notebook. In response, Georges... (full context)

After a few days of this pattern, Georges gives Hugo a broom and says, “Be useful.” Hugo sweeps for Georges and then asks... (full context)

Impressed, Georges tells Hugo that he knew he was talented and asks him again about the contents... (full context)

The next morning, Hugo checks on the clocks and then walks to Georges’s toy shop. Georges puts him to work cleaning and making small repairs. As he works,... (full context)

While Hugo works, Georges plays with a deck of cards. Georges is incredibly gifted with the deck and knows... (full context)

Hugo spends the rest of the day thinking about Georges’s tricks, and he often watches Georges play with a deck of cards out of the... (full context)

...a movie theater near her house. Apparently, Etienne helps Isabelle sneak into the movies because Georges won’t let her go. Hugo recalls going to the movies with his father to see... (full context)

...The book is full of magic tricks, including some of the card tricks Hugo saw Georges perform. Hugo looks to see if there is anything about automata, but unfortunately there isn’t. (full context)

...bed, he works on the automaton. He looks at the various mechanisms he’s stolen from Georges and suddenly realizes that one of them will work perfectly. After a bit of work,... (full context)

...all of his time working and gets very little sleep. Whenever he is not at Georges’s shop, he is maintaining clocks, and the rest of his time goes toward working on... (full context)

Instead, Hugo asks Isabelle why Georges doesn’t let her watch movies. Isabelle says she doesn’t know but thinks her parents would... (full context)

The next day, Hugo arrives late to Georges’s shop and finds that Georges is furious with him. Georges accuses Hugo of breaking into... (full context)

...chastises Isabelle for looking and requests that she give him the notebook, but she refuses. Georges angrily makes his way toward Hugo and Isabelle. Before he can get to them, Hugo... (full context)

...what it means. The automaton keeps moving and only stops after it signs the name “Georges Méliès” at the bottom of the drawing. Confused, Isabelle tells Hugo that Georges Méliès is... (full context)

...that the machine belonged to his father, and he does not know why it signed Georges’s name. Isabelle grabs the key out of the automaton. Hugo tries to take it from... (full context)

...where she got the key. However, Isabelle refuses to answer him. When Isabelle gets to Georges’s apartment, she opens the door and slams it shut. Hugo tries to stop her, but... (full context)

...to get the drawing out of the apartment. She also tells him to make sure Georges doesn’t see it. Additionally, she gives the key back to Isabelle and tells her to... (full context)

Before Hugo can leave, Georges enters the apartment. Jeanne tells Hugo to hide and keep quiet. She plans to lure... (full context)

Seconds later, Jeanne storms into the bedroom and yells at Isabelle. Right behind Jeanne is Georges, whose eyes are on the drawings. Jeanne orders Hugo to clean up the drawings and... (full context)

As Hugo picks up the pictures, Georges starts repeating the word “No.” At first, he is quiet, but his voice gets louder... (full context)

Jeanne yells at Georges to stop and tells him that the drawings are his. Georges laughs at this idea... (full context)

Once everyone is in bed, Hugo sneaks over to Georges’s jacket and steals his keys. Then, he makes his way to the toy shop and... (full context)

...lays down in bed and starts dreaming. His dreams are full of images of clocks, Georges, Isabelle, and the automaton. The last image he remembers before waking up is the Station... (full context)

...up, he is excited. He has an idea of how to solve the mystery of Georges. He makes his way to the bookstore and asks the shopkeeper if he has any... (full context)

...looks exactly like the picture the automaton drew. Following the picture is a description of Georges Méliès’s contribution to the history of film. Georges started as a magician and brought his... (full context)

...book from the Film Academy’s library. He reads the book repeatedly, especially the parts about Georges. While he is looking at the book, Isabelle shows up on crutches. Isabelle apologizes to... (full context)

...better. He shows Isabelle the book on early films. Isabelle is amazed; she cannot believe Georges made movies when he wouldn’t even let her see them. Hugo tells Isabelle all about... (full context)

...toys to several customers, and he plans to use the money to buy medicine for Georges. Isabelle meets Hugo at the toy shop and spends the day reading from a book... (full context)

...a free moment, Hugo shows Isabelle the windup toy he repaired. Isabelle tells Hugo that Georges must like him because he kept the toy. (full context)

...purpose, life becomes dull and depressing. Isabelle wonders if that is what has happened to Georges. Hugo hopes that a visit from Monsieur Tabard and Etienne will help Georges get his... (full context)

Hugo and Isabelle make enough money at the toy store to buy medicine for Georges. However, in the meantime, the clocks are starting to function poorly, and Hugo knows it... (full context)

The following day, Hugo goes to Georges’s apartment where he meets Monsieur Tabard and Etienne. Isabelle lets them all inside and asks... (full context)

Monsieur Tabard also tells Jeanne that he brought along a projector and one of Georges’s films. Ultimately, Jeanne lets them come inside and put on the film. Jeanne thinks Georges... (full context)

Everyone stands next to Georges’s door to try and figure out what is going on. After a few moments, they... (full context)

When he sees he has an audience, Georges tells a story about his life. Growing up, his parents made shoes, but he always... (full context)

Georges lost his company and, shortly after, two of his close friends in a car accident.... (full context)

...to his room, where he grabs the automaton and tries to carry it back to Georges. However, before he can get far, the Station Inspector grabs him by his injured hand,... (full context)

...brightly against a dark cloth. He realizes that he is looking at a cape that Georges is wearing. Hugo recognizes the cape from the armoire where he found Georges’s pictures, although... (full context)

...the truth when he finds out that Claude is, indeed, dead. When everything is settled, Georges tells the Station Inspector that Hugo is coming home with him. Hugo apologizes to Georges... (full context)

...and the automaton sitting where he can see it. Hugo leaves his room to find Georges in the living room, also dressed up. The occasion is a celebration of the life... (full context)

At the Film Academy, Georges sees the picture of Prometheus and tells Hugo that he painted it. Hugo is surprised... (full context)

Then, Monsieur Tabard plays several of Georges’s films. Like the photos Hugo saw in Georges’s room, the films are surreal and full... (full context)

...celebrate. Hugo sits at a table and does magic tricks, which draw a small crowd. Georges introduces everyone to Hugo as "Professor Alcofrisbas," and describes the tricks as Hugo’s first public... (full context)

...is Professor Alcofrisbas. Professor Alcofrisbas (aka Hugo) says that in the years after he met Georges and Isabelle, he built an automaton all by himself. It is an incredibly complex machine... (full context)

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Georges Méliès Character Analysis

Georges Méliès Quotes in The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Part 1, Chapter 1: The Thief Quotes

Part 1, Chapter 6: Ashes Quotes

Part 2, Chapter 2: The Armoire Quotes

Part 2, Chapter 5: Papa Georges Made Movies Quotes

Part 2, Chapter 6: Purpose Quotes

Part 2, Chapter 7: The Visit Quotes

Part 2, Chapter 9: The Ghost in the Station Quotes

Part 2, Chapter 10: A Train Arrives in the Station Quotes

Part 2, Chapter 11: The Magician Quotes

Part 2, Chapter 12: Winding it Up Quotes

Georges Méliès Character Timeline in The Invention of Hugo Cabret