Beau, Auguste
Summary
Auguste, also known as Beau, serves as a poet and the biological father of Gilbert, although he publicly presents himself as the boy’s uncle. He is an adopted member of the Cocteau house. Haunted by the trauma of being raped by his older step-brother during his own youth, Auguste inflicts physical, emotional, and eventually sexual abuse on Gilbert from a young age. Initially, he attempts to mold Gilbert into an "obedient pet," but his goals shift as he seeks to transform the boy into a "pure" and "artistic" figure through neglect and by manipulating Gilbert’s obsessive affection for him. Upon discovering Serge’s relationship with Gilbert, Auguste actively works to separate the two, determined to prevent his "nephew" from forming bonds with anyone who might offer genuine care. It is only in his final moments, upon realizing that Gilbert has fallen in love with Serge, that Auguste displays any semblance of true concern.
