La Peau de chagrin

Synopsis of La Peau de chagrin

This edition of Honoré de Balzac's 'La Peau de chagrin', published by Hachette Éducation, is part of the BiblioLycée collection. It is an essential resource for high school students, featuring the complete text of the novel alongside a comprehensive pedagogical dossier designed to prepare for the BAC exams. The material provides detailed analysis, reading keys, and methodological resources focused on the curriculum theme 'Novels of energy: creation and destruction'. The story follows Raphaël, a desperate young man who acquires a magical talisman: a shagreen skin that grants all his wishes but shrinks with each one, shortening his life. Through this parable, Balzac offers a profound critique of 1830s French society, exploring themes of ambition, desire, and human will.