CliffsNotes on Balzac's Pere Goriot

Honore De Balzac

This French realist novel contrasts the social progress of an impoverished but ambitious aristocrat with the tale of a father, whose obsessive love for his daughters leads to his personal and financial ruin.

This concise supplement to Honore De Balzac's Pere Goriot helps students understand the overall structure of the work, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author.