Jack 1877

"Jack" by Alphonse Daudet is a story set in 19th-century Paris that pulls you into the life of a young boy named Jack as he faces the prospect of leaving his mother for boarding school. The story throws light on the difficult relationship between Jack and his mother, Ida de Barancy, and how she juggles her social life with her son's emotional needs. From the first meeting with a priest, planning Jack's entry into a strict school, to the different realities of boarding school life, the book pulls on themes of abandonment and identity, highlighting Jack's early struggles and the challenges that shape his journey.