# Social Class and Ambition in The Celibates

> Theme guide for The Celibates by Honoré de Balzac.

Class distinctions and the pursuit of status are central, with characters like the proletarian Brigaut and the clerical figures striving for advancement, while the narrative critiques the rigid social hierarchy of provincial France.

## Where it surfaces

- [A Bachelor's Establishment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_celibates_se/chapters/a-bachelor-s-establishment): Philippe's ambition to become a general and peer of France drives his manipulation, and Flore's marriage to Rouget elevates her social status.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_celibates_se/themes/social_class_and_ambition
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_celibates_se/themes