 Parents , meanwhile , give endlessly to their children ; Goriot sacrifices everything for his daughters . Balzac refers to him in the novel as the " Christ of paternity " for his constant suffering on behalf of his children . That they abandon him , lost in their pursuit of social status , only adds to his misery . The end of the book contrasts Goriot 's deathbed moments with a festive ball hosted by Madame de Beauséant – attended by his daughters , as well as Rastignac – suggesting a fundamental schism between society and the family . 
