The Necklace

1. What kind of a person is Mme Loisel and why is she always unhappy?
2. What fresh problem disturbs Mme Loisel? How is the problem solved?
3. Did Loisel have a choice other than giving the 400 francs to Matilda to buy the dress?
4. What impression do you gather of Loisel as a human being?
5. What could have happened if Loisel had taken the right stand?
6. The course of the Loisel’s life changed due to the necklace. Comment.
It took Loisels a decade to pay back the money they borrowed to buy the necklace. And, it
changed everything for them. They had to move to the poorest quarters of the city. With no
maids or assistance, Matilda had to cook, clean, mend, sew, bargain with the grocer and
butcher to save every sou just for mere survival. The husband had to work in the evening
and night to pay their debt. In this way, the course of the Losiel’s life changed due to the
necklace.
7. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she
had lost her necklace?
8. Honesty is the best Policy. Comment.
Honesty is definitely the best policy. People may find the fruits of falsehood and
hypocrisy very attractive and rewarding at first. But, the path they tread on leads to
nothing but misery, evil and utter gloom. Honesty, on the contrary, seems to be a
difficult choice, in pursuit of material happiness. However, it is the only choice for a life
of contentment, peace and everlasting happiness. One may try to improve his lot by
honest means, can only be at peace with what one manages to have.
If the Loisels had the courage to tell their friend about the loss, without being afraid of
losing face and without bothering about their social standing, they would have avoided
the tragedy, and the loss of ten fruitful years of their lives. There might have been
unpleasantness initially, but once said, they would not have had the need to suffer in
silence.