Profitable Business
The story revolves around a young man who becomes wealthy through his business ventures and marries a woman from a lower social class. He struggles with the moral implications of his success and the societal expectations placed upon him. As he navigates his new life, he must confront the consequences of his actions and decide whether to conform to the norms of high society or maintain his independence. The narrative explores themes of class, morality, and identity, raising questions about the nature of success and the human condition.
By Guy de Maupassant · First published 1850 · Genre: Realism, Psychological Fiction, Satire · 2,085 words
First lines
He certainly did not think himself a saint, nor had he any hypocritical pretensions to virtue, but, nevertheless, he thought as highly of himself as much as he did of anybody else, and perhaps, even a trifle more highly. And that, quite impartially, without any more self love than was necessary, and without his having to accuse himself of being self conceited. He did himself justice, that was all, for he had good moral principles, and he applied them, especially, if the truth must be told, not only to judging the conduct of others, but also, it must be allowed, in a measure for regulating his own conduct, as he would have been very vexed if he had been able to think of himself:
What this Textopian page supports
Profitable Business is listed on Textopian as a short story by Guy de Maupassant, dated 1850 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Guy de Maupassant
- Date: 1850 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realism, Psychological Fiction, Satire, Drama, Social Commentary
- Length: 2,085 words
- Structure: 1 section, 49 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Profitable Business by Guy de Maupassant
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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- Upstarts by L. J. Stecher
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- In Business by Arthur Morrison
- The Man Who Would Manage by K. Jerome
- Brewsters Millions by George Barr Mccutcheon
Genres
- Realism — The narrative focuses on the detailed depiction of everyday life and the moral ambiguities of the protagonist, characteristic of realist literature.
- Psychological Fiction — The story delves into the protagonist's internal moral conflicts and self-justifications, exploring complex psychological themes.
- Satire — The text employs irony and exaggeration to critique societal norms and the protagonist's self-righteousness, typical of satirical works.
- Drama — The narrative presents intense emotional situations and moral dilemmas, elements commonly found in dramatic literature.
Tags
Business · Finance · Economics · Profitability · Entrepreneurship · Management · Strategy · Marketing · Investment · Risk · Return · Growth