Unconscious Comedians

"Unconscious Comedians" by Honoré de Balzac is a story set in 19th-century Paris. The novel explores the funny and sad sides of high society through its characters. We follow Leon de Lora, a painter who went from struggling to famous, and his country cousin Sylvestre Gazonal. Gazonal comes to Paris needing help with a lawsuit and is quickly confused by the city's strange ways. The story starts by showing how different Leon's successful life is from Gazonal's, who is new to Paris. As Gazonal tells his legal troubles, he also learns about the odd culture of Paris, meeting all sorts of interesting people like artists and fortune-tellers. This beginning sets up a funny look at wanting to climb the social ladder, social standing, and how silly people can be when they interact in a big city, with Gazonal watching it all.