Super Short Summary

Le Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac, set in Madame Vauquer's boarding house, follows three main characters: Goriot, a doting father whose fortunes have dwindled; Rastignac, a law student aspiring to join high society; and Vautrin, a criminal offering sinister paths to wealth. Through their intertwined lives, the novel explores themes of ambition, class, and the moral consequences of pursuing power. The book includes themes of familial neglect, financial ruin, and death.