ACTIVITY 1.
1: ESSAY
Direction: Answer the given questions.
1. Is the story fiction or non-fiction? Why do you say so?
"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant is a under the type of Fictional stories or Fiction
story as it includes several aspects of the story, including its content, style, and other
element of fiction. The content of the story The Necklace it tells the tale of Madame
Loisel, a middle-class woman who borrows a necklace to wear to a high-society event,
and then loses it. The story flows around the consequences of this loss necklace and
Madame Loisel attempts to replace the necklace without revealing the truth and the
events and characters in the story are not based on real-life individuals or events, but
rather serve as a tool for imagining themes and emotions and includes the elements of
fiction alike irony, symbolism, and character development to enhance the story's impact
and for instance, the necklace itself serves as a symbol of social status.
2. What type and elements of fiction are used in the story?
In "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant, several elements of fiction are utilized and
some of these elements are the plot, characterization,setting, point of view and
symbolism. These elements of fiction were form together to create a story "The
Necklace." , the plot, characterization, setting, point of view, and symbolism all
contribute to the story's themes and messages, making it a work of fiction.
ACTIVITY 1.2
Direction: Make a summary and write interpretation and analysis of the story “The
Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant. A minimum of 300 words is required for the
summary. For the review/analysis, 400-500 words.
Summary
"The Necklace" is a short story by Guy de Maupassant that follows the life of Mathilde
Loisel, a middle-class woman with dreams of wealth and social status. Mathilde is
dissatisfied with her simple life and daydreams about the luxuries enjoyed by the upper
class. When her husband secures an invitation to a high-society event, Mathilde is
devastated by the realization that she lacks appropriate jewelry. In a desperate attempt
to fit in, she borrows a stunning diamond necklace from a wealthy friend.
At the event, Mathilde is the center of attention She danced wildly, with passion, drunk
on pleasure, forgetting everything in the triumph of her beauty, in the glory of her
success, in a sort of cloud of happiness, made up of all this respect, all this admiration,
all these awakened desires, of that sense of triumph that is so sweet to a woman's
heart, but the night takes a disastrous turn when she loses the necklace.
Afraid of the consequences, Mathilde and her husband decide to replace the necklace
without revealing the truth. They purchase a new necklace in a shop at the Palais
Royal, they found a string of diamonds which seemed to be exactly what they were
looking for. It was worth forty thousand francs. They could have it for thirty-six thousand,
which plunges them into debt. Mathilde spends the next ten years working tirelessly to
repay the debt, enduring a life of poverty and hard labor. Eventually, she crosses paths
with her friend who loaned her the necklace, and Mathilde confesses the truth. To her
surprise, her friend reveals that the original necklace was a fake, worth only a fraction of
the cost of the replacement.
Interpretation and Analysis:
Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace” is a story that explores the social status and
materialism of human nature and the consequences that follow. The story follows the
life of Mathilde Loisel, a middle-class woman, who is unhappy with her simple life and
dreams of wealth and social status. "The Necklace" explores the themes of appearance
versus reality and the consequences of lies and pride. Mathilde's obsession with wealth
and social status leads her to make choices that have cause them plunged in debt. The
story serves as a warning tale, warning against the dangers of materialism and the
desire to fit into societal expectations.
Mathilde's character undergoes significant development throughout the story. Initially
depicted as discontented and ambitious, her obsession with appearance and her
ambiton to be wealthy and not to accept her circumstances that will lead to her downfall.
The loss of the necklace acts as a element of her being wanted to fit in societal status of
a wealthy persons, forcing her to face the consequences of her actions and the true
value of material that she have.
Maupassant's use of elements in the story is evident in the twist ending were in the
necklace, which Mathilde believed to be an expensive and valuable piece, turns out to
be a cheap imitation of the real piece of the necklace they return to her friend. This
ironic revelation highlights the eagerness of Mathilde's wanting of material wealth and
her sacrifices to repay a debt for something of little value.
Mathilde's longing for wealth and her unwillingness to accept her middle-class status
are reflections of the societal pressures and expectations of the time and also it also
reflect on how the people nowadays unwillingness to accept their societal status just to
fit in a group of friends or to fit in high-class status group of people.
"The Necklace" is a story that explores universal themes and warning on the dangers
of materialism and the consequences of pride and lies. Through its elements or fiction
elements includes the characters, plot, point of view and setting of this story and this
also serves as a reminder to appreciate what one has and to be cautious of the pursuit
of material desires.
