Father Goriot

In Balzac's Father Goriot, impoverished aristocrat Eugene de Rastignac strives to ascend the ranks of Parisian high society while residing at the Maison Vauquer boarding house. There, he forms a bond with Jean-Joachim Goriot, a retired vermicelli maker who sacrifices everything for his two daughters, igniting Rastignac's interest in Goriot's daughter, Delphine. As Rastignac navigates complex relationships and moral dilemmas—facing temptations from a cunning criminal named Vautrin—this profound work offers a stark exploration of vanity and ambition in 19th-century Paris.