the necklace

by Guy de Maupassant.

The story of "The Necklace" opens with an exposition in which

01 Maupassant portrays the heroine, Mathilde Loisel, a young lady of
modest means who wishes to marry into fortune. Instead, fate steps in
and she marries a clerk at the Ministry of Education. Mme. is described
by Maupassant. Loisel was described as "beautiful and attractive, yet
she suffered constantly, considering herself born for every delicacy and
luxury."

Mme. Loisel's middle-class lifestyle causes her ongoing

embarrassment and humiliation as she fantasizes about
02 what a wealthy life might have been like. Mme. Loisel is
certain that she is deserving of riches and prestige, but she
is forced to settle with the mediocrity of the middle class.
She was not born into a wealthy family, but she has
convinced herself that her beauty and charm should have
lifted her enough to marry into a life of luxury and leisure.

M. one day Loisel comes home an invitation to a ball, which he believes

would satisfy his wife, but she is disappointed since she does not have an
appropriate clothing to wear. M. Loisel reluctantly offers her 400 francs to
get a new one. She is still dissatisfied, though, because she does not own
any expensive jewelry. M. Loisel recommends that she pay a visit to her 03
affluent friend, Mme. Forestier, who she could borrow some jewels from for
the occasion. The visit is deemed a success, and Mme. Loisel dresses up
for the occasion with a stunning diamond necklace.

04
At the ball, the whole M. Loisel's efforts are rewarded as his wife had a magical
evening. She dances all night, with partygoers praising her gown and diamonds. She
feels guys are drawn to her and continues to dance as her husband falls asleep
nearby. The Loisels depart at 4 a.m., hurrying out so no one notices their shoddy
overcoats or absence of furs. They ride home in a dilapidated carriage, only to
discover something that radically transforms the mood of the evening. The borrowed
diamond necklace has vanished.

After searching Paris for a week in search of the jewelry, the Loisels make
a life-altering choice. They decide to spend 36,000 francs on a new
05 diamond necklace to replace the one they lost. This is more than double
their whole savings, so the Loisels go into debt to buy the jewelry. While
accumulating this amount of debt allows them to replace Mme. Forestier's
jewelry, on the other hand, permanently reduces their standard of living.

The story now follows the Loisels over the following ten years as they
return their debt. This period is defined by hard labour and poverty. They
leave their residence and no longer have slaves to assist them with
06 chores. Mme. Loisel's attractiveness fades as she performs all of the
cleaning and cooking. For years, she exploited her attractiveness to
define herself and to reinforce the notion that she deserved luxury and
prosperity. M. Loisel takes on extra job to assist with debt repayment.
This time period demonstrates Mme's repercussions. Loisel's vanity and
selfishness are highlighted, but her courage in keeping her pledge to pay
the loan is also highlighted.

07
Loisel goes for a walk one day and meets with her former affluent
friend, Mme. Forestier, who, despite her efforts and suffering, does
not recognize her. Mme. Loisel explains her financial condition and
decides to tell her about losing the jewelry and how they replaced it
via hard labor and hardship. Mme. Forestier is taken aback by her
narrative, and then confesses in the final line that the original
jewelry was a forgery that cost little more than 500 francs.