 The novel takes place during the Bourbon Restoration , which brought profound changes to French society ; the struggle by individuals to secure a higher social status is a major theme in the book . The city of Paris also impresses itself on the characters – especially young Rastignac , who grew up in the provinces of southern France . Balzac analyzes , through Goriot and others , the nature of family and marriage , providing a pessimistic view of these institutions . 
