What was the social reality reflected in the novel, Old Man Gao?
The novel Père Goriot reflected the social reality that Balzac, the outstanding representative of French Critical Realism, was concerned about. In the novel, Goriot was a poor painter who was abandoned by society. Through his own personal experience, he reflected the poverty, injustice and exploitation that some people in French society faced. At the same time, the novel also depicted the political corruption, social unrest, and the suffering of the people during the July Dynasty in France. Through the story of Goriot, the novel criticized the social equality and injustice at that time, revealing the huge gap between the rich and the poor, as well as the negative impact of political corruption on society. At the same time, the novel also explored the complexity of human nature and the relationship between human and society, emphasizing human dignity and value. Therefore, the novel "Goriot" reflected the various problems faced by French society under the severe situation at that time and was one of the representative works of critical realism literature.