In the days before the Revolution, Jean-Joachim Goriot was simply a workman in the employ of a vermicelli maker. He was a skilful, thrifty workman, sufficiently enterprising to buy his master's business when the latter fell a chance victim to the disturbances of 1789. Goriot established himself in the Rue de la Jussienne, close to the Corn Exchange. His plain good sense led him to accept the position of President of the Section, so as to secure for his business the protection of those in power at that dangerous epoch.
Jean-Joachim Goriot, Iraultza baino lehen, soldatapeko fideogile soil bat omen zen, abila, zuhurra, eta nagusiaren, halabeharrak 1789ko lehen altxamenduaren biktima bilakatu zuenaren, fondoen erosteko behar bezain ausarta izan zena. De la Josienne karrikan kokatu zen, Garien Merkatutik hurbil, eta bere saileko presidentziaren onartzeko zentzu ona izan zuen, bere tratuetan sasoi arriskugarri haietako pertsonaiarik ahaltsuenek geriza eman ziezaioten amoreagatik.