Money and Power in Père Goriot

If I’m being completely honest, the feeling I get from reading Père Goriot is an uneasy one because the novel puts under a magnifying glass the kinds of motivations in certain societies that many may consider “superficial.” By portraying Paris to be a scene where a great majority of the people are striving for money, power, and high social status above anything else, I’m sort of presented with a harsh outlook on reality and people’s motivations. I like to think that there is more to life than just striving for financial success and high social stature, such as developing lifelong relationships with friends or making a positive impact on others’ lives or in nearby communities. However, lines like “In Paris success is everything, it is the key to power.” (page. 73) make it clear that many of the characters’ intentions are simple and based in self-interest.


Whether a great deal of it is for comedic effect or social commentary, the harshness of the characters in the novel towards Goriot also especially stuck on me. As Goriot sort of shuns himself after a long time of just wanting to please his daughters, he is often made fun of or bullied (take for example the scene where he is laughed at for having his hat pushed lower than his eyes as he tries to continue eating his soup). Though I might be over-interpreting, I wonder whether there is a parallel here for how one who does not conform to the continuous quest for money and power is treated in the presence of those who do.

Comments

  1. jdoutMarch 4, 2018 at 5:36 PM

    Sign your work! You are definitely not over-interpreting! Look at the short bio of Balzac that I gave you--he is a man with an ax to grind, for sure. With his pen, he can get revenge on the kinds of people--wealthy people, money-lenders, inscrutable businessmen, jealous lovers--who at one time or another made his life so miserable. Plus it is funny. Or tragic. Depending on your mood...

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