Theme Analysis of Maupassant's The Necklace Essay

‘The Necklace’ is a morality tale written by Guy de Maupassant where he portrays the life of a beautiful but dissatisfied girl named Mathilde who desires to live a luxurious life despite being born into a clerk’s family and marrying a clerk too. Mathilde’s discontentment in life instigates her to pretend someone rich that she is not. Moreover, it leads her to severe trouble that caused ten years of hardship to Mathilde and her husband. So, this suffering is a punishment for Mathilde which taught her a lesson and changed her dramatically over the course of the story by making her a person of completely different personality for whom appearances

When her husband gave her the invitation to the ball, which was a perfect place to meet the rich people, Mathilde got mad and cried. It was a shame since she has nothing to wear. Mr Loisel gave his money to Mathilde and she got an elegance dress. But she didn’t stop and wanted to have jewels. Mathilde met her friend, Madame Forestier and chose an gorgeous diamond necklace. Of course, she became the prettiest woman in the ball, with everyone stared at her, as if she was the most attractive woman ever. She felt fascinated, just like her dream came true. But then a tragic came to her. She lost the necklace! Mathilde and her husband tried to find the necklace, but they found nothing. Mathilde lost her hope and had aged five years. The Loisels finally decided to replace the diamonds for 36 000 Francs, spent all of their money and accepted to pay the debts. It was such an unfortunate situation. After Mathilde lost the necklace, she was described as “ And, clad like a poor woman, she went to the fruiterer, to the grocer, to the butcher, a basket on her arm, haggling, insulted, fighting for every wretched halfpenny of her money”. (Maupassant 8). The family was suffering from poverty and have to pay the debts continuously. Mathilde changed immediately and did everything. They have worked so hard to earn every single penny for their life, to survive and pay all those debts. The third person limited

Loisel’s pride, greed, and selfishness through her demand for a necklace. Despite getting a large sum of money that was being carefully saved by her husband, she was not satisfied with the dress. Mme. Loisel demanded a piece of jewelry to go along with her new dress and was not satisfied until she received it. If Mme. Loisel had not been prideful in regard for her demand of a better dress and a necklace, the conflict regarding this story would not have happened. The necklace represents Mme. Loisel’s egotistical attitude. Once she started to desire it, her desire only grew. When looking through the jewelry from Mme. Forestier, Mme. Loisel was very demanding in her selection and even asked if there was anything else to choose from. After searching more, “All of a sudden she discovered, in a black satin box, a superb necklace of diamonds, and her heart began to beat with an immoderate desire” (Maupassant 401). After obtaining it, she was extremely proud of her status rank. However, upon losing the necklace, she lost her pride and ego as well. The only thing she was concerned with was returning it as she knew how losing it would damage her family’s life. The necklace symbolized Mathilde’s power and how sometimes things might not be what they appear to

‘The Necklace’ is a short story by French writer Guy De Maupassant and is set during the 19th century in Paris. Throughout the story, Maupassant addresses many numerous themes such as greed, pride, honesty and femininity. This allows the reader to have an insight of how women were treated during the 19th century of Paris and how they affected the society. In the story, Madame Loisel is the daughter of a very minor civil servant, she went along a proposal made by a junior clerk in the Ministry of Education. Then, leads to Madame Loisel’s downfall as she switches from the middle class towards the working class in the society.

Despite only being born into a bourgeois family, Mathilde laments over the notion that she was “born for all the delicacies and all the luxuries” (Maupassant). Though Mathilde is born into a lower class, she is in no way poverty-stricken.

The internal conflicts established in “The Necklace” were a result of Madame Loisels perception of happiness. Because of her ungrateful and dejected views on life, she didn’t realize nor recognize true merriment. In the text, Guy De Maupassant shows how Madame “..was one of those pretty and charming girls born as though fate had blundered over her, into a family of

At the beginning of the story, Mathilde was self-centered and spoiled. Mathilde grew up in a wealthy family and when she married a clerk, who could not get her what she wanted, Mathilde was unhappy and expected him to take out his savings, so she could have the finest of possessions. When invited to a ball, Mathilde doesn't want to go because she won’t have a nice enough dress: "She looked at him out of furious eyes, and said impatiently: "And what do you suppose I am to wear at such an affair?"… But with a violent effort she overcame her grief and replied in a calm voice, wiping her wet cheeks: "Nothing [is wrong]. Only I haven't a dress and so I can't go to this party" (Maupassant 1-2). Mathilde only thinks of her appearance and what people think of her, not about how important the ball was to her husband. The only way Mathilde will go is if she gets a big extravagant gown that will require her husband to take out his savings, Mathilde is only thinking about herself; making her a selfish lady who is used to getting what she wants. In her mind, Mathilde must “stupify” other guests and leave them “at a lost of words.” Mathilde is a self-indulgent and self-absorbed lady who has no understanding of how fortunate she is.

There is no sign of morality within’ Mathilde and if she ever had the opportunity to adjust her circumstances or reverse fate, evidently she will consider the upper rank as oppose to settling for a mediocre lifestyle with her husband. After the extravagant event Mathilde lost the necklace of Madame Forestier which was assumed to be worth thousands of francs. Eventually Mathilde decided to replace it by purchasing an identical that corresponded to the original. After having purchased it she worked over ten years to pay off the necklace.

“The Necklace” Literary Analysis “In the last few years, the very idea of telling the truth […] is dredged up only as a final resort when the alternative options of deception, threat and bribery have all been exhausted.” Michael Musto, a journalist, columnist, and author, understood many people tell the truth when all other options are unavailable. In “The Necklace”, a short fictional story written by Guy de Maupassant, a similar situation occurs. Characters are given the opportunity to speak the unvarnished truth; however, they choose a contrasting route. Essentially, Guy de Maupassant utilizes characterization, conflict, and irony to develop the theme, honesty is the best policy which, in turn, showcases itself throughout the story.

Throughout the whole story Mathilde was described as a beautiful and lovely woman who acted as though she was rich, when she really wasn't. Her beauty was a huge driving force for her to go and get the necklace from her friend. She was already beautiful naturally but she wanted more than she needed. While she was the most beautiful at the ball and every man there wanted to dance with her, the necklace caused her to lose that beauty that she had that night.

In the famous short story, The Necklace, Guy de Maupassant portrays a girl named Mathilde who expects everything to be handed to her on a silver platter. Mathilde believes that she is too beautiful to be poor even though she is not very poor. She has a comfortable life, but her greed gets the best of her. Mathilde’s husband wants to please her, she gives her as much as he can to make her happy. She still wants more, and this causes her to end up with less money that she did before. Mathilde has to endure hard labor for many years because of her greediness. Maupassant uses irony to develop the theme of the danger of greed in The Necklace by showing Mathilde’s wish for happiness, love for money, and focus of appearances.

Mr. Loisel was an average guy with an average job at the Ministry of Education as a copyist. He doesn't seem to be bothered by their basic yet comfortable lifestyle; however, Mathilde is obviously anguished over the lack of his riches.

In life, many things are hidden behind curtains. Curtains are facades that hide the truth. One might think they know the curtain but in fact when the curtain is lifted, something totally different lurks behind. In the short story, "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant, things are not as they appear. Mathilde is not the fake person she was at the party. Madame Forestier’s diamond necklace, is not a diamond necklace. Those many years of toil and hardship to stay out of debt were gave her nothing besides a lesson. What one sees is not necessarily as it appears.

Guy de Maupassant’s story “The Necklace” is about a woman whose life falls apart after one mistake. It shows us how everything someone knows and has can be gone in a blink of an eye with just one mistake. The mistake is the fault of a woman who would rather be greedy than appreciate all that she has in her life. “The Necklace” is a story letting it be known that people should reflect on their character and better themselves rather than chase after a fantasy and risk losing it all.

Mathilde Loisel is "pretty and beguiling" yet feels she has been naturally introduced to a group of troublesome monetary status. She was offered to a humble agent in the Ministry of Education, who can bear to furnish her lone with an unassuming however not awkward way of life. Mathilde feels the weight of her neediness strongly. She laments her present circumstance and spends unlimited hours envisioning a more excessive presence. While her better half communicates his pleasure at the little, humble dinner she has arranged for him, she longs for an intricate devour served on favor China and eaten in the organization of well-off companions. She has no favor gems or attire, yet these are the main things she lives for. Without them, she believes she isn't attractive. She has one well of a companion, Madame Forestier, yet declines to visit her in light of the shock it brings her.