Guy de Maupassant 
Pierre and Jean 

Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was an admired 19th century French writer. He became one of the leading artists since Gustave Flaubert and is considered to be one of the fathers of the modern short story. Maupassant’s stories are characterized by their wealth of style, clever plotting and effortless resolutions. Considered Maupassant’s greatest novel, ’Pierre and Jean’ is vivid, satirical, and emotionally profound. The Roland brothers, Pierre and Jean, have always been driven by competition. When a lawyer arrives at the house of their parents to declare that an old family friend has bestowed his entire fortune to Jean, the envy hastily becomes an ardent force for Pierre. Roaming the seaport of Le Havre alone, Pierre contemplates, desperate to come to terms with his brother’s success. Why didn’t he get a share of the friend’s estate? ’Pierre and Jean’ is a powerfully personal story of jealously, suspicion, and family love.