An analysis of how the charector Eugene in Balzac's "Old Goriot" matures.

Live and Learn Eugene's life is much like a roller coaster throughout "Old Goriot". He displays feelings of love, hatred, greed, selfishness, kindness, and compassion. He starts out as an innocent, moral citizen, and quickly becomes imbued with the corruption and social-climbing instincts that his world is made up of. This new world of his a huge difference from his traditional lifestyle. The "young man from the provinces" theme is seen throughout with Eugene coming …

…life. Eugene learned that the world is not sweet and kind; but that it is a vicious system in which he has to live, and adapt to, if he wishes to live. Through trial and error, experimentation, and some counseling, Eugene seems to finally understand society, in his eyes. He matures rapidly, and turns from a leach into a moral individual who is still able to exist in the vicious society in which he lives.