Father Goriot

Honore de Balzac wrote a book titled Father Goriot. The story which takes place in Paris in the early 19th century explores the concepts of love wealth and social status. The protagonist Father Goriot an old widower who has used his fortune to support his two daughters and other people are followed throughout the novel. But the daughters have left him and are now leading lavish lifestyles while disregarding the needs of their father. Eugene de Rastignac a young law student who is lured into Parisian high society is another key figure. One of Father Goriot's daughters Delphine is the object of Rastignac's affection. Delphine meanwhile is already married to a rich ruthless man who is using her to maintain his social status. The novel shows the dramatic difference between middle-class hardship and the lifestyles of the rich elite. Balzac depicts the greed and corruption that often go hand in hand with the chase of money and social prestige. Father Goriot dies in poverty and is left by his daughters at the novel's terrible conclusion and Rastignac realises the full price of his ambitions. Father Goriot is a potent examination of 19th-century French society as well as a timeless look at human nature and the quest for happiness.