BOOK REFLECTION TASK SHEET (20%)

NAME : Nuraini Binti Jalal

ID NO : MDB 20-07-076

CLASS : DBS 2C

Name of Short story: The Necklace

Name of Writer : Guy De Maupassant

a. Summary (Synopsis)

i. Summarise the short story by providing relevant background information and the main

events of the stories from the beginning until the end.

The story that I have studied is The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant. The story tells about a
beautiful woman born in a middle-class family of clerks named Mathilde Loisel. She lived in simple
life but always unhappy. Her unhappiness was because of feeling unsatisfied of the wealth she did
not have. She only happy at one point in this story, which was on the night of the party. Her body
was hugged by the newly bought dress using her husband's money and she borrowed a necklace
from her rich friend, Madame Forestier. The appearance obviously showed that she was from the
wealthy world, albeit she was not. Her moment of happiness stopped due to her careless of
missing the necklace. The missing necklace was replaced with a new one that lead her to pay the
debts in ten years ahead. One day, while she was out for a walk, she approached Madame
Forestier after long enough they hadn't meet. When Madame Forestier exclaimed that Mathilde
looked different, she explained that she was working hard to repay the debts of replacing the
necklace. At the end of her story, Madame Forestier told Mathilde the original necklace was just a
copy.

ii. State and describe the main characters in your summary.

One of the main characters is Mathilde Loisel who is a beautiful woman born in a poor family of
clerks. She always feel unhappy because she think that her life is a mistake of destiny which lead
her to live in a rebellion against her situation. Next, she is ungrateful because no matter how her
loving husband does to make her satisfy, she always wants more. She also a jealous person. She is
jealous with her friend's wealthy, Madame Forestier. Lastly, she is oblivious. She never realise that
her greed and deception are what finally sealed her fate. Next character is Madame Forestier. She
is kind because she lend Mathilde her necklace for her to wear to the ball.
b. Personal reflection

i. Discuss what you like and dislike about the short story. Relate the short stories to your
personal experience and explain how the short stories impact your life.

In this story, I like the character of Madame Forestier because she is kind for lending her necklace
to Mathilde. I also like how Mathilde's husband had some struggle to get the invitation because he
knows that his wife will like to go to the grand party. It shows that her husband is very loving for
his wife. There is parts that I dislike in the story. First, I dislike how Mathilde always feel unsatisfied
with her life. She should feel grateful and start thinking from positive perspective because being
bitter will only lead to negative circumstances. I also dislike how Mathilde have a lack of caution.
She only noticed that she had lose the expensive necklace after she had just come back from the
ball. I also dislike how Mathilde did not get up and run to the place she have been to search for the
necklace. Instead, she only sit on the chair while worrying about the consequence. I felt so
frustrated on this part of the story.

ii. Provide and elaborate at least three (3) moral values or lessons or messages you learnt
from the short story.

The moral values that I got from the story are, firstly we should feel satisfied and happy with what
we have. In this story, Mathilde Loisel was very unhappy with her life. She wanted to be rich so that
she can showed off to people but she got married with a cleark instead. Next, we should not be so
greedy like Mathilde borrowed the necklace. If she didn't borrowed the necklace, it shouldn't have
been lose and she and her husband doesn't need to pay the debts of replacing the necklace in ten
long years. Last but not least, we must be honest. When Mathilde Loisel lose the necklace, she
insisted to tell Madame Forestier the truth so she decided to buy a similar necklace that lead her
and her husband in debts. After ten years, she stumbled over Madame and decided to tell what
happened about the original necklace. She then found out that the necklace was a paste. In
conclusion, we should live with positivity because it will lead to a better life.

c. Plot twist

Describe your opinion towards the plot of the short story. If you were the author of the
short story, how would you change the plot (ending, plot or character) for each short story?
Describe.

There are some plot that I would like to change. For the missing necklace's part, Mathilde decide to
be honest with Madame Forestier so that Mathilde and her husband doesn't have to be in debts.
When Madame Forestier receive the confession, she would forgive Mathilde because it just a paste.
I think if the necklace had been found when Mathilde's husband went to search for it, the Loisels
will live as before but the plot will be boring. I also like to add alternative ending which after
Madame Forestier found out that the replacement necklace is much expensive, she give the Loisels
the necklace back because she feel sympathy at them.
Name of Short story: Looking For A Rain God

Name of Writer : Bessie Head

a. Summary (Synopsis)

i. Summarise the short story by providing relevant background information and the main
events of the stories from the beginning until the end.

The story that I have studied is Looking For A Rain God by Bessie Head. The story is about an
African family that was struggling to do anything for rain to pour. The land of their home was very
dry and plants were never grow because there was no rain. When the rains came in early
November, an African family decide to move because the ploughing season was about to start but
their happiness stopped eventually after two weeks. No rain had fall so they sat under the tree
with disappointment, wishing the rain will fall so that they can eat. Mokgobja was desperate.
Mokgobja thought about the situation, the more convinced as he ever been as he assumed the
ancient ritual would deliver rain. Ramadi and him believe that the only thing that will save them
was sacrificing Neo and Boseyong to the Rain God. The ritual was made but the rain never fall so
the family flee back to the village and the villagers was suspicious of them because they do not
see Neo and Boseyong. When the police were brought in and asked the mother where to show
the girls' graves, the mother broke down and confessed what happened. Finally, Mokgobja and
Ramadi were sentenced to death for ritual murder.

ii. State and describe the main characters in your summary.

The character of Mokgobja is selfish. For example, he only think how he will live if there's no rain
so he convinced the ritual murder would be a success. Next, Mokgobja is acceptance. He knew that
his action are wrong to kill the two girls so he did not plead when he got taken by the police. He
also do not blame the God of Rain when the rain never fall after the sacrifice was made. The
characters of the young girls, Neo and Boseyong is innocence. They always imitating their mother’s
chastisements and hitting their dolls as she might them, not knowing the imitating were meant.
They obviously mocked their mother's sentences when they got shouted by her. Lastly, the
character of Ramadi is obedient. He can not ignore Mokgobja convinces because in their culture,
they need to obliged the olders wishes.
b. Personal reflection

i. Discuss what you like and dislike about the short story. Relate the short stories to your
personal experience and explain how the short stories impact your life.

There are some parts I like and dislike in this story. I like Neo and Boseyong because they are
innocent and cheerful. They imitate the adult world when they play with each other but their
innocent nature results in them being considered as appropriate sacrifices to the Rain God. I dislike
Mokgobja because he is a desperate person. The desperation of the situation drives him to an
irresponsible act by thinking if he sacrifices his two granddaughters, the rain will fall. He convinced
his son, Ramadi to do the ritual and Ramadi accepted the idea. I hate how easy Ramadi agrees to
his father’s suggestion to sacrifice his 2 children. He should be rational but the absence of the
rainfall affects his self-control. Lastly, I dislike how Tiro is very strict to her daughters. It can be
shown when the two young girls were playing with the dolls, scolded the rag dolls severally like
their own mother.
ii. Provide and elaborate at least three (3) moral values or lessons or messages you learnt
from the short story.

The moral values that I got from the story are, firstly we should think rationally. Despite being
desperate, we should think before we done something because it may lead to bad things. Unlike
Ramadi and Mokgobja, they sacrifice Neo and Boseyong without thinking further. Secondly, I have
learned that we cannot stop nature from taking its course. Human should obey the rules of nature.
Next, we must be honest. For example, Tiro finally explained to the police what happened to her
daughters that were killed in the ritual. Lastly, we must be fair and have justice. People that have
done bad things should be punished like Mokgobja was arrested by the police after the ritual was
made by him.

c. Plot twist

Describe your opinion towards the plot of the short story. If you were the author of the
short story, how would you change the plot (ending, plot or character) for each short story?
Describe.

There are some plot that I would like to change. After the sacrifice had been made, rains started to
pour heavily. Tiro cried with happiness but after awhile, she started to felt guilty for sacrifice her
children. Then she live with regret. I also have an idea after they came back to the village. When
the villagers asked about Neo and Boseyong, the family explained that they had been eaten by a
tiger. The villagers find it weird but they doesn't questions about it further. Although as far as they
knew, all the tigers have died out of starvation. A heavy plot twist, the two young girls was eaten
by the family because they can not held their starvation any longer.