Name : Ayu Suhesti

NPM : A1B017021
Class : 7A
Subject : Prose and Poem
Story : The Diamond Necklace

Answers:
1. What are the characters in the story?
a) Mathilde Loisel
The Protagonist of the story, the wife of Monsier Loisel
b) Monsieur Loisel
Mathilde’s husband, the clerk of the Ministry of Public Instruction
c) Madame Forestier
Mathilde’s wealthy friend
d) George Ramponneau
The Minister of Public Instruction (Monsier’s boss)
2. Tell what the story about
The short story "The Necklace" by Guy De Maupassant takes place in
France several hundred years ago. Mathilde Loisel lives in a flat with her
husband, who works as a clerk for the Minister of Education. Their lives are
not luxurious, but they are not poor, merely simple. Mathilde, however, longs
to be rich. She envies her friend Jeanne who has a large house and lots of
jewelry. One day, She receives an invitation to a ball from her husband.
Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace from her wealthy friend, Madame
Forestier, to wear to a ball. After the ball, Mathilde realizes that the necklace is
gone. Unable to find it, the Loisels borrow a great deal of money to buy a
replacement. The couple must come up with thirty-four thousand francs to
replace it. Mathilde and her husband spend the next ten years of hard work to
paying off their debts, and Mathilde ages prematurely as a result of the hard
work. When Mathilde finally tells Madame Forestier about replacing the
 necklace, Madame Forestier tells her that the diamonds were fake , worth no
more than five hundred francs.
3. Is there any object that is appointed as a symbol in the story, and what it refers
to?
From the story, there are 2 symbols
a.) The diamond Necklace symbolizes being wealthy and material status. It can
be seen from the story, while wearing it, Mathilde feels so superior.
b.) The coat that Moiseur give to Mathilde at the end of the party symbolizes
their current life, which Mathilde hates and the middle class status she want
to escape from
4. What is the morale/message of the story?
There some moral/message from the story that can teach us about life
a) We should always be true to ourselves. It means that don’t be pretended to
be something you are not.
b) We have to be grateful and satisfied for what we already have rather than
striving for things beyond our limits that cause our life is messed. So be
happy with what you have.
c) We should not be greedy, because being so greedy bring grim life.
d) The story teaches us to telling the truth and face the consequences will
prevent future conflict rather than lie for getting bad result in future.
5. What is the element from outside of story/extrinsic elements that you got from
the story?
1. Author’s Social Background
The author of this story was Guy de Maupassant. He is a France writer. In
the necklace story which was written by Guy Maupassant talked about
Monsieur Loisel who was a clerk of Ministry of Public Instructions. It just
same as Maupassant (The author) who became a clerk in Ministry of
Marine and the Ministry of Public Instruction in 1871. The influence of
Flaubert, famous author and Maupassant's friend, is clear in this story: both
"The Necklace" and the works of Flaubert feature female characters that are
dissatisfied with their lives and are desperate to escape them. Maupassant’s
 work is thoroughly realistic. His characters which are full of material
desires, lust, greed, and ambition are the driving forces. Tragic power of
many of the stories derives from the fact that Maupassant presents his
characters, poor people or rich bourgeois, as the victims of ironic necessity.
That can be seen by the the story ended with an ironic ending. This type of
ending was a mark of Maupassant’s style.
2. Community/place Social Background
The Diamond Necklace was published in 1884. The Story is set in 19th
century France. This story is a fictional short story in the genre of realism.
Literary Realism was a 19th-century literary movement that began in
France. Works of Realism generally depict everyday activities and
characters such as business men, spinsters, and people of the lower class.
The author presented his story showed how the society in that time divided
into some classes; such poor/middle and upper class. It described how the
women in 19th century have limited role in the society. It can be seen in the
conflict form of the story. The protagonist’s main characters Mathilde and
her husband of the story belongs to the poor class and the antagonist
character madame Foreisters from upper class. The society in that time
have an usual habits such women loved to do a party and materialistic.

3. Social/ Moral Value

The story tells that one must be satisfied grateful with what one has. Also,
one must not hide the truth.