Morality and Civil Obedience in Conflict: A Comparative Analysis of Arsène Lupin and Inspector Guerchard

I.

Character Description

A. Physical

1. Sex: 

Male Approximately

2. Age:

30 years old

3. Health:

Excellent; athletic, agile, and physically disciplined.

4. Clothing:

Elegant and refined, often dressed in tailored suits or disguises suited to his current role (aristocrat, detective, or sailor).

5. Appearance:

Handsome, poised, and confident; carries himself with grace and irony.

6. Props/Hand-held items:

Walking stick, gloves, monocle, false papers, and symbolic calling card signed “Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Burglar.”

B. Social

1. Class:

Operates in upper-class circles despite his criminal identity; impersonates nobles and professionals.

2. Occupation:

Gentleman thief, master of disguise, amateur detective, and adventurer.

3. Education:

Highly educated; fluent in several languages, knowledgeable in law, art, and science.

4. Place in community:

Both feared and admired; a folk hero to some, a criminal mastermind to others.

5. Amusements:

Chess, fencing, puzzles, fine art, and elaborate heists planned for aesthetic satisfaction.

C. Psychological

1. Moral Standards:

Guided by personal ethics—steals from the corrupt or wealthy, avoids harming innocents.

2. Philosophy:

“Life is a game of intelligence and daring.” He values wit, self-mastery, and poetic justice above obedience to law.

3. Ambitions:

To test the limits of intellect and imagination; to prove superiority over social hypocrisy.

4. Disappointments:

The moral decay of society and the failure of law to protect the weak.

5. Complexes:

A latent need to justify crime as moral rebellion; a desire for recognition as an artist of life.

6. Abilities:

Disguise, strategy, persuasion, and psychological manipulation.

7. Peculiarities:

Vanity mixed with altruism; theatrical in speech and action; often leaves clues for the police intentionally.

II.

Character’s Objectives

A. Desire:

To achieve mastery over society through intellect and artistry; to expose corruption by transgressing its norms.

B. Will:

Extremely strong—his confidence and daring allow him to transform any setback into triumph.

I.

Character Description

A. Physical

1. Sex: 

Male

2. Age:

Mid-forties

3. Health:

Strong but worn; years of police service have made him methodical rather than agile.

4. Clothing:

Practical uniform or plain coat, reflecting discipline and modesty.

5. Appearance:

Square-jawed, keen-eyed, with a reserved, serious demeanor.

6. Props/Hand-held items:

Notebooks, warrants, revolver, handcuffs—symbols of the law.

B. Social

1. Class:

Middle-class civil servant.

2. Occupation:

Chief Inspector at the Sûreté; devoted to public order.

3. Education:

Formally trained in criminal investigation; self-educated in criminology and logic.

4. Place in community:

Respected representative of the law; both feared and ridiculed for his obsession with Lupin.

5. Amusements:

Strategy games, detective work, reading case reports—his leisure mirrors his duty.

C. Psychological

1. Moral Standards:

Rooted in legality and duty; believes morality equals obedience to law.

2. Philosophy:

“Law is reason free from passion.” He values discipline and service above self-expression.

3. Ambitions:

To capture Lupin and reaffirm society’s faith in justice.

4. Disappointments:

Repeated failures to apprehend Lupin despite diligence; recognition of Lupin’s superior wit.

5. Complexes:

Struggles with admiration for Lupin; represses envy and fascination with criminal genius.

6. Abilities:

Observation, logic, interrogation, and procedural rigor.

7. Peculiarities:

Obsessed with control; emotionally detached; experiences moral unease when justice conflicts with empathy.

II.

Character’s Objectives

A. Desire:

To restore moral and civic order by capturing Arsène Lupin.

B. Will:

Strong but conflicted, driven by integrity, yet internally divided by admiration for his adversary.

I.

Character Description

A. Physical

1. Sex: 

Female

2. Age:

Approximately 20–22 years old

3. Health:

Generally healthy, though often described as delicate, pale, or fragile due to stress, poverty, and emotional turmoil.

4. Clothing:

Simple, modest, and conservative clothing reflecting her impoverished background; often wears outdated dresses or garments repaired multiple times. Nothing ostentatious.

5. Appearance:

Beautiful in a quiet, almost ethereal way; soft facial features, expressive eyes, and a composed, gentle demeanor. Her calm presence conveys dignity despite hardship.

6. Props/Hand-held items:

A small handbag or worn satchel; personal letters tied to her past; sentimental mementos rather than functional tools.

B. Social

1. Class:

Lower-middle class or impoverished outsider; socially vulnerable due to her immigrant and political refugee background.

2. Occupation:

Companion, governess, or paid attendant to a wealthy household; her role varies but consistently places her in subordinate social positions.

3. Education:

Modest but solid education; capable of reading, writing, and conversing with refinement. Likely educated in a Russian provincial school before exile.

4. Place in community:

Seen as an outsider and object of curiosity; admired for her gentleness but pitied for her circumstances. She often becomes the moral center in rooms full of corruption.

5. Amusements:

Reading, playing simple piano pieces, sewing, or quiet reflection. Her amusements are introspective and rooted in tradition, not luxury.

C. Psychological

1. Moral Standards:

High, compassionate, and rooted in empathy. She believes in honesty and human dignity and avoids judgment even when confronted with deceit or crime.

2. Philosophy:

Life’s purpose is to endure hardship with grace and to protect others from suffering. She values kindness over power. She believes redemption is possible even for the morally ambiguous.

3. Ambitions:

To find stability, emotional safety, and a place where she is no longer threatened by political violence or poverty. She also hopes to help those she cares about find their better selves.

4. Disappointments:

The tragedies of her past in Russia, the destruction of her family, and the cruelty she witnesses in society. Her displacement and lack of agency weigh heavily on her.

5. Complexes:

A tendency toward self-sacrifice; fear of causing harm; distrust in authority rooted in traumatic displacement. She is especially vulnerable to male authority and manipulation.

6. Abilities:

Emotional intelligence, compassion, calming influence, intuition, and the ability to earn trust even from morally complex characters such as Lupin.

7. Peculiarities:

A quiet strength masked by timidity; an innate ability to humanize those around her; a unique moral force that softens both criminals and lawmen.

II.

Character’s Objectives

A. Desire:

To survive with dignity, protect those she cares about, and avoid being used as a pawn in conflicts of morality, crime, and law. She longs for a stable life free of fear.

B. Will:

Moderate but resilient. Though gentle, she possesses inner fortitude. Her will is strongest when defending someone she believes is fundamentally good (especially Lupin).