The novel explores the lives of several characters in late 19th-century Paris, focusing on their struggles with poverty, morality, and social class. The story centers around a group of people living in a working-class neighborhood, including a laundress, a seamstress, and a carpenter, among others. Through their experiences, the novel examines themes such as the exploitation of the working class, the corrupting influence of wealth, and the decline of traditional values.
By Émile Zola · First published 1898 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Social Critique, Realism · 5 chapters