Usage of the Narrator in a Passage Analysis Throughout Pere Goriot, Balzac's narrator oscillates between the roles of social historian and moralist. Although the presence of both observer and commentator may initially seem mutually exclusive, it also is a large part of what makes this novel interesting and entertaining. Balzac's readers do not segregate perception and judgment routinely in their everyday lives. By packaging profound ideas in a way similar to natural human expectation, Balzac's …showed first 75 words of 1098 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1098 total…tand alone as an objective social history or an impassioned moral commentary. To accomplish his task, Balzac's narrator cannot easily separate observation or commentary, because they are both integral parts of how humans perceive the world. To disconnect them would dampen the impact of the themes in Pere Goriot. Regardless of whether these assertions are ultimately right or wrong, Balzac's narrator triumphs by presenting them in a way which is both entertaining and convincing.