Title: The Necklace

Author:Guy de Maupassant

Author's Background-

Guy de Maupassant was a renowned 19th-century French author, widely considered a master of the
short story and a key figure in the naturalist movement.

-Wrote over 300 short stories, many of which are still beloved today.

Known for his concise style, vivid descriptions, and unexpected twists.Some of his most famous stories
include "The Necklace," "Boule de Suif," and "The Horla."His stories often explored themes of love, loss,
war, social class, and the darker side of human nature.

-Associated with the literary movement known as naturalism, which aimed to depict human life
realistically and objectively.His stories often featured characters from the lower and middle classes,
facing everyday struggles and grappling with raw emotions.He did not shy away from portraying the
harsh realities of life, including poverty, violence, and illness.

Five- sentence summary of the story

Mathilde, a woman longing for luxury, borrows a dazzling diamond necklace for a prestigious ball.
Disaster strikes when she loses it, plunging her and her husband into crippling debt. Years of toil follow,
stealing their youth and beauty. Finally, they replace the necklace, only to discover a devastating truth:
it was a mere fake. The story ends with a bitter irony, leaving the reader pondering the consequences of
discontent and the deceptive allure of appearances.

Vocabulary

Tormented (adj.)-Mathilde feels a chronic unease with her social and economic situation. The word
"tormented" suggests something beyond mere dissatisfaction; it hints at a soul-crushing, ongoing pain
caused by the disparity between her desires and her reality.

Covetously (adverb)- It describes the manner in which Mathilde desires something. It signifies a strong,
often envious, longing for something someone else has.
Frenziedly (adverb)-It describes the manner in which Mathilde embraces Madame Forestier after
securing the necklace loan. It modifies the verb "embraced," indicating the intensity and uncontrolled
nature of Mathilde's action.

Blundered( verb)-means to make a careless or stupid mistake. It suggests that Mathilde's birth into a
lower class was somehow an error or an unfair twist of fate.

Homage(noun)-Deep respect or admiration shown towards someone or something. Applies mainly

when Mathilde imagines a different life filled with luxury and social acceptance. For example, "She
dreamed of vast saloons hung with antique silks, ... of little parties of intimate friends, men who were
famous and sought after, whose homage roused every other woman's envious longings."

(verb)-To show deep respect or admiration.This interpretation applies mainly during the party
where Mathilde wears the borrowed necklace. For example, "She danced madly, ecstatically, drunk with
pleasure, ... in the triumph of her beauty, in the pride of her success, in a cloud of happiness made up of
this universal homage and admiration."

Figurative language

Simile

"She was one of those pretty and charming girls who are sometimes, as if by a mistake of destiny, born
in a family of clerks." (compares Mathilde's beauty to being misplaced in her social class)

Metaphor

"Her elegant carriage had the proud and provocative bearing of a beautiful woman." (compares the way
Mathilde carries herself to a confident woman)
Personification

"Her eyes, full of unspoken reproaches, followed him around." (implies emotions are conveyed through
inanimate objects)

Symbolism

The diamond necklace: represents unattainable luxury, superficiality, and the burden of desire.

Elements

Setting: Paris, France

✓The Loisels' Apartment

✓The Grand Ball

✓ The Street of Paris

Time: Late 19th Century

Mood/Atmosphere:

•Discontent and Envy-The story initially establishes a mood of simmering dissatisfaction within
Mathilde.

•Transient Joy and Illusion: The ball offers a temporary escape into a world of grandeur. However, the
joy is tainted by the borrowed necklace and the knowledge of its artificiality.

•Tragic Irony and Bitterness: The realization of the necklace's worthlessness throws the story into a
spiral of tragedy and regret. Mathilde's ten years of hardship and sacrifice turn out to be for a mere
illusion, deepening her bitterness and despair.

Characters
Protagonist:

Mathilde Loisel: A beautiful young woman, dissatisfied with her middle-class life and consumed by
desires for wealth and luxury. She is vain, ambitious, and struggles with envy. Initially static, she
undergoes a significant transformation after losing the necklace, becoming more grounded and
hardworking.

Major Characters:

Monsieur Loisel: Mathilde's loving and devoted husband. He is content with their life and tries to fulfill
her wishes. He is static, remaining consistently supportive and understanding throughout the story.

Madame Forestier: Mathilde's wealthy friend who lends her the necklace. She is kind and generous, but
unknowingly contributes to Mathilde's misfortune. She is also static, maintaining her friendly and
compassionate nature.

Minor Characters:

Monsieur Georges Ramponneau: Mathilde's husband's boss, whom she hopes to impress at the ball. He
is a minor character with little impact on the plot.

The Jewelry Shop Owner: The person Mathilde and Monsieur Loisel purchase the replacement necklace
from. He is another minor character, mainly playing a functional role in the story.

Plot Diagram

Exposition:
Setting: Paris, France, late 19th century

Introduction of Characters: Mathilde Loisel, a beautiful but dissatisfied middle-class woman, and her
loving husband, Monsieur Loisel.

Conflict: Mathilde's longing for a luxurious life clashes with her reality.

Rising Action:

Mathilde receives an invitation to a grand ball but lacks a suitable dress.

Her husband gives her money for a dress, but she desires more.

Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier.

At the ball, Mathilde enjoys the attention and feels she belongs.

After the ball, Mathilde discovers the necklace is missing.

Climax:

Mathilde and her husband desperately search for the necklace, fearing the consequences.

They cannot find it and decide to replace it with a similar one, incurring a heavy debt.

They spend ten years working tirelessly to repay the debt, sacrificing their comfortable life.

Falling Action:

One day, Mathilde encounters Madame Forestier and confesses about the lost necklace.

Madame Forestier reveals the shocking truth – the borrowed necklace was a fake.

Mathilde realizes her ten years of hardship were for nothing.

Resolution:

Mathilde accepts her reality, though with the lingering pain of her choices.

The story ends with her reflection on the consequences of desire and deception.
Plot Technique

Suspense:

The lost necklace: Throughout the story, the reader is kept in suspense about whether Mathilde will be
able to find and replace the necklace. The mounting debt and desperation add to the tension.

Mathilde's secret: The story builds suspense around Mathilde's decision to borrow the necklace and not
inform her husband of its loss. We wonder how this secret will impact their relationship and her actions.

Foreshadowing:

Mathilde's dissatisfaction: Even in the exposition, Mathilde's unhappiness with her life and yearning for
luxury foreshadow the potential for impulsive decisions and misfortune.

Descriptions of the Loisel's apartment: The dingy and worn-down apartment contrasts with Mathilde's
desires, subtly hinting at their struggle and the difficulty of achieving their ambitions.

Mathilde's anxieties: Her nervousness and self-consciousness before the ball foreshadow the potential
for something going wrong during the event.

Surprise Ending:

The fake necklace: The revelation that the borrowed necklace was actually a fake comes as a complete
shock to both the characters and the reader. This unexpected twist upends Mathilde's entire narrative
and adds a layer of irony to her hardship.

The story's conclusion: The ending, where Mathilde reflects on her lost years and choices, is open to
interpretation, leaving the reader with a lingering sense of surprise and ambiguity.

Point of view

Third Person POV ✓

Conflict

Internal

Character vs self ✓
External

Character vs fate ✓

Character vs society ✓

Theme/s

•The Deceptiveness of Appearances

•Greed and its Destructive Consequences

•Illusion vs. Reality

•Social Class and Inequality

•Sacrifice and Redemption

Tone

The tone of "The Necklace" is multifaceted and evolves throughout the narrative. It is a blend of
pessimism, irony, detachment, and occasional sympathy, ultimately leaving the reader with a thought-
provoking and bittersweet experience.

Critical Analysis and Critique

"The Necklace" remains a masterful short story, captivating readers with its suspenseful plot, complex
characters, and timeless themes. Its critique of materialism, social inequality, and the deceptive nature
of appearances continues to resonate today. While some readers may find the ending bleak and the
character development limited, the story's strengths outweigh its weaknesses, making it a powerful and
thought-provoking piece of literature. The story can be analyzed through various critical lenses,
including feminist, Marxist, and psychological perspectives.
Reflection or insights

"The Necklace" glitters with a deceptive allure, drawing us into Mathilde's insatiable desire for a life
beyond her means. Her envy, mistaking diamonds for happiness, pushes her to borrow, lie, and
ultimately sacrifice ten years of her life for a phantom of luxury. The irony of the fake necklace stings:
her hardship, built on illusion, becomes a monument to misplaced priorities. Maupassant paints a
poignant portrait of the human condition, where societal pressures and internal ambition can warp our
perception of value. We become trapped in a gilded cage of materialism, mistaking external validation
for self-worth. Mathilde's journey serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us that true fulfillment lies not
in chasing empty shadows, but in appreciating the quiet gems of our own lives.

Yet, beyond the harsh lessons, there's a glimmer of hope. Mathilde's transformation, though born from
pain, shows a newfound strength and acceptance. She emerges from the ashes of delusion, finally
seeing the world with clearer eyes. The necklace, once a symbol of her yearning, becomes a memory, a
reminder of the path not taken. In the end, "The Necklace" leaves us with a bittersweet reflection. It's a
story about loss, yes, but also about resilience, and the delicate dance between desire and contentment.
It begs us to question what truly holds value, and whether the diamonds we chase are worth the
sacrifices we make along the way.