Pierre and Jean

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Pierre and Jean (1888) by Guy de Maupassant is a psychological novel about family, jealousy, and the search for identity.

The story follows the Roland family in Le Havre. When a wealthy family friend dies, he leaves his fortune solely to Jean, the younger son. This inheritance sparks Pierre's jealousy and suspicion. He begins to believe that Jean is the illegitimate son of their mother, Louise, and the deceased man. As Pierre obsesses over this possibility, his relationship with his family deteriorates. Eventually, his suspicions are confirmed, leaving him alienated and embittered, while Jean, unaware at first, embraces his good fortune and future.

The novel explores themes of legitimacy, maternal love, sibling rivalry, and the painful consequences of uncovering hidden truths.