The Illustrious Gaudissart

"The Illustrious Gaudissart" by Honoré de Balzac is a funny story set in France during the Restoration period, poking fun at society through the eyes of Gaudissart, a traveling salesman. Gaudissart, who thinks he's a smooth talker, journeys through the provinces trying to sell insurance and newspaper subscriptions but instead finds himself in a series of awkward and funny situations with the locals. The biggest mess happens when he mistakes a crazy man for a rich guy, which leads to all sorts of problems. The story ends with a duel, which surprisingly turns into a friendship over their shared mistakes and personality issues. Balzac uses humor to shine a light on social expectations, people's dreams, and the silliness that comes with different classes trying to understand each other.