Background Information

The struggle between rich and poor went on for a long time in France. During the French Revolution the poor people fought against the rich people who were in power. After the French Revolution, laws were introduced to try to make things fairer. This still did not work, and further rebellions happened. During the story we find out about life in France for the seventeen years before a rebellion and we see what life was like for both rich and poor people.

The Story

• A poor man is sent to prison for twenty years for stealing a loaf of bread. He manages to escape after serving most of his sentence.
• The man becomes a businessman. He has a very privileged life and becomes mayor of the town where he lives. He keeps his past secret.
• The man helps a poor woman who works for him. He promises to look after her daughter when she dies.
• The man brings up the girl as his own daughter, but his secret past is found out and he has to live a life on the run from the police.
• The man and his daughter become involved in the rebellion and the man becomes a hero after saving the life of a young rebel.
• The man confesses his past crimes. His daughter is persuaded to move away from him, and he becomes seriously ill.
• The girl realises her mistake and returns to the good man who has been like a father to her.
• The man dies peacefully.