Harold Hill

Harold Hill, a dishonest traveling salesman, is the main character in The Music Man.

## Role in The Music Man

Harold Hill travels on a train to River City, Iowa, among other salesmen who are talking about him and his tricks. Upon arriving, he reveals himself to the salesmen before getting off the train quickly.

The people in River City show Harold their stubborn attitude when he arrives in the small town. He eventually runs into an old friend, Marcellus Washburn, and Marcellus describes the town and its people, specifically a piano teacher and librarian named Marian Paroo. Harold looks for a way to stir up a need for a band in River City, and when he learns that the town recently purchased a new pool table he warns the townspeople about the trouble that it brings to the youth in town. This causes the chaos he had hoped for.

He spots Marian in the crowd of people and attempts to follow her home, but is met with stubbornness and ignored.

The next day, during the Independence Day activities held in the Madison Gymnasium due to the rain, Harold stirs up the crowd once again about the new pool table and uses this as his opportunity to tell them about his "business". He describes the glory that having a boys' band in town would bring. He also attempts to gain trust by sending Tommy Djilas, a troublemaking boy, off with Zaneeta Shinn, the mayor's daughter.

The school board approach Harold in order to get his credentials, but he forms them into a barbershop quartet and manages to distract them. Marian continues to ignore Harold, despite his attempts to make her pay attention. He inquires some of the town's most avid gossipers about her, and hears a false rumor that Marian had an affair with Miser Madison, who gave the town its library. He again distracts the school board from his credentials by helping them start to sing.

Harold travels to the library and tries to make her pay attention to him, and almost succeeds, but when he kisses her she tries to slap him.

Tommy helps Harold spread his business all over town, and soon everyone is talking about it. When the Wells Fargo Wagon delivers the instruments, Harold gives Winthrop Paroo his cornet and Winthrop begins to open up more.

When Marcellus begins a dance in the gymnasium, Harold grabs Marian and they begin to dance together. Afterward, Marian asks about the music lessons promised by Harold, who knows nothing about music, and Harold responds, telling her about his new "think system". They arrange that Harold can come by her house soon enough to discuss it. The school board continues to try and get Harold's credentials, but he again leads them into song.

Harold stops by Marian's house later, where they eventually begin discussing rumors about each other and how the rumors were probably lies. They agree to meet in fifteen minutes at the footbridge, and Harold leaves for the bridge, thinking about everything that's happened.

When they both arrive, Marian tells Harold how much she loves him, and how much he's done for her and this town. Harold plays along, but as he does he realizes that he loves her as well. They are interrupted by Marcellus, who tells him about Charlie Cowell, the salesman who's been spreading rumors about him all over town. Harold promises him that he'll flee as soon as possible. Marian reveals to Harold that she'd known all along that his business selling instruments was a sham, but she'd kept it a secret. She then tells him that she expects to see him at the sociable, then leaves Harold wondering what he's going to do about all of this - especially with his newfound love for Marian.

Harold Hill, exposed by Charlie Cowell to the entire town, walks to the sociable while trying to avoid the groups of angry townspeople searching for him. When he runs into Marian and Winthrop, Winthrop calls Harold "a big liar" and tries to run away, but Marian tells him that she was glad that Harold had come to River City. The two tell Harold to run away, but he replies that he can't - "For the first time in my life, I got my foot caught in the door."

Harold is arrested and brought before the townspeople, but Marian defends Harold and slowly brings the rest of the town to his side. Finally, the boys in the town, in full uniform and band instruments in hand, come marching in. Marian tells Harold to direct the band, which he does, and he stays in River City for good.