The protagonist of the novel, Julien Sorel, is an intelligent and ambitious man from a poor family, a carpenter's son. He has very high ambitions, but he does not understand the ways of the world, yet he wants to conquer it. He wants to rise high in his life.

He has very high romantic illusion, but when he comes to the political scene of the society, he becomes just like a pawn. Most of the cruel and influential people around him make him work as they want.