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COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Written Report
in
Great Books

Reporter:
Deoquino, Ivy C.
BSEd- Math 4

JOHN KARLO MANLANGIT

Course Professor
 "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant Written Report

I. Introduction

The Necklace (La Parure), written by French author Guy de Maupassant, is one

of the most famous short stories of all time. Published in 1884, it explores themes

such as materialism, pride, class distinctions, and the consequences of dishonesty.

Through Maupassant's use of irony and social commentary, the story leaves a

lasting impact on readers by highlighting how appearances can be deceiving and

how the pursuit of status can lead to unforeseen misfortunes.

II. Background of the Author

Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was a prominent French writer known for his

mastery of the short story form. Born into a wealthy, yet unhappy family,

Maupassant's works often reflect his critical views on society, the bourgeoisie, and

human nature. His experiences as a government clerk and his military service during

the Franco-Prussian War greatly influenced his storytelling, especially his keen

observations on the lives of the common people. Maupassant’s stories often delved

into the lives of ordinary individuals, highlighting their desires, fears, and struggles in

a rapidly changing French society.

III. Creation of the Story

The Necklace was created during a period in France when social mobility was

becoming increasingly challenging. The Industrial Revolution had brought about

massive economic and social changes, leading to greater divides between the rich

and the poor. Maupassant wrote the story as a reflection of the aspirations of the

middle class, especially those like Mathilde Loisel, who feel trapped in their social

status and long for wealth and luxury. The story's plot, which revolves around

Mathilde's desire to appear rich, followed by the devastating consequences of her

pride, serves as a critique of societal values at the time, particularly the materialism

and vanity that dominated French bourgeois culture.

IV. Cultural Context Portrayed

The culture portrayed in The Necklace is that of 19th-century France, specifically

Paris. During this time, the French society was structured around rigid class

distinctions. The bourgeoisie (middle class) aspired to the lifestyle of the aristocracy,

while the working class struggled to make ends meet. Mathilde, though middle class,

believes she is entitled to a life of luxury and resents her actual position. Her

dissatisfaction with her modest life reflects the societal pressures of the time, where

wealth and appearance were given more importance than character or values.

The ballroom scene, where Mathilde shines among the elite, showcases the

opulence and grandeur of French high society. The stark contrast between

Mathilde’s borrowed elegance at the ball and her eventual downfall into poverty

mirrors the harsh realities faced by those who pursued wealth and status beyond

their means.

V. Representation of the Characters, Settings, and Events

Mathilde Loisel represents the aspirations of the middle class who constantly crave

more than what they have. Her vanity and constant discontentment with her life drive
the story forward. She embodies the theme of materialism—desiring outward beauty

and luxury without understanding the true value of what she already possesses.

Monsieur Loisel, her husband, represents the patient and humble individual who is

content with his life. He sacrifices his own desires for Mathilde's happiness, even

though she often disregards his efforts. He is the quiet hero of the story, whose

devotion to his wife ultimately leads to his suffering as well.

Madame Forestier, the wealthy friend from whom Mathilde borrows the necklace,

represents the ease with which the rich live. The fact that the necklace was a mere

imitation speaks volumes about how wealth can be a façade and how things are not

always as they seem.

The setting of Paris plays a key role in the story. Paris was a hub of culture and

fashion, but also a city of sharp social divides. The ballroom, with its grandeur and

extravagance, contrasts with the Loisel’s modest home, emphasizing the gap

between the life Mathilde desires and the one she actually leads.

The event of losing the necklace acts as the turning point in the story. It is not just a

physical loss but a metaphor for Mathilde’s loss of pride, status, and comfort. The

ensuing years of hardship signify the consequence of living beyond one’s means and

placing too much value on outward appearances.

VI. Theory Observed

From a Marxist perspective, The Necklace can be analyzed as a critique of

class structure and social inequality. Mathilde’s dissatisfaction stems from her

awareness of her social position and her desire to transcend it. The story highlights
how the lower and middle classes are often oppressed by their aspirations to

become part of the upper class, which, in turn, maintains its power through wealth

and status. The irony of the necklace being fake reinforces the notion that the wealth

Mathilde seeks is illusory and unattainable for someone in her position.

VII. Bleeding of the Text

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant is a captivating short story that revolves

around the lives of Madame Mathilde Loisel and her husband, Mr. Loisel. The

structure of the story follows a traditional plotline, consisting of the exposition, rising

action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

The exposition introduces the main characters and setting. The author portrays

Madame Mathilde Loisel as deeply unhappy and dissatisfied with her life. She feels

that she was destined for luxury but ended up in a modest life due to a twist of fate.

The story begins with: "She was one of those pretty and charming girls, born by a

blunder of destiny in a family of employees..." and highlights her lack of dowry and

social standing, which led her to marry a humble clerk. Her discontent is evident, as

she dreams of wealth, fancy clothes, and expensive jewelry, all of which are out of

her reach.

The rising action occurs when Mr. Loisel brings home an invitation to a grand

ball at the Ministry, thinking it will make his wife happy. However, Mathilde is upset

because she has nothing suitable to wear. Her husband gives her money meant for

a hunting gun to buy a new dress. Despite this, Mathilde still feels incomplete without

jewelry, so she borrows a stunning necklace from her wealthy friend, Madame

Forestier.
 The story reaches its climax when Mathilde loses the borrowed necklace after

the ball. The couple is devastated and searches everywhere for it but to no avail.

Realizing they cannot find it, they decide to replace it with an identical one, plunging

them into severe poverty. Their lives drastically change as they struggle for years to

repay the debt.

The falling action occurs when, after ten years of hardship, Mathilde encounters

Madame Forestier again, but her old friend barely recognizes her due to how much

Mathilde has aged and changed. Mathilde then confesses the truth about losing the

necklace, leading to the story’s denouement.

The resolution delivers a surprising twist: Madame Forestier reveals that the

original necklace was not made of real diamonds and was only worth 500 francs.

Mathilde and her husband sacrificed years of their lives to pay for a replacement that

far exceeded the value of the original. This ironic ending leaves the reader reflecting

on the consequences of vanity and materialism. The necklace, as a symbol, bleeds

into our everyday lives as a reminder that the pursuit of wealth and status can be

both misleading and destructive. Maupassant’s work continues to resonate with

readers because it deals with themes that are still relevant in today’s consumer-

driven world.

FULL TEXT

The Necklace

The girl was one of those pretty and charming young creatures [internsifier of social

position] who sometimes are born, as if by a slip of fate, into a family of clerks. She

had no dowry, no expectations, no way of being known, understood, loved, married

by any rich and distinguished man; so she let herself be married to a little clerk of the

Ministry of Public Instruction.[Flaubert's influence on his nephew was extremely

powerful. He would not allow Maupassant to publish until he felt satisfied with his

writing. Flaubert is known as the leading exponent of literary realism in France.

Maupassant's story can be seen as an example of literary realism, which is largely a

reaction against Romanticism. The main characteristic Emma Bovary and Mathilde

Loisel have in common is dissatisfaction with their boring lives, including their boring

husbands. "The Necklace" can be read as a criticism of romanticism.]

She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was unhappy as if

she had really fallen from a higher station; since with women there is neither caste

nor rank,[Guy de Maupassant was also heavily influenced by the German

philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. What Maupassant says about women here

seems to come directly from Schopenhauer's cynical essay "On Women," in which

the German philosopher quotes Napoleon as saying: "Les femmes n'ont pas de

rang," which could be translated as "Women have neither caste nor rank." That is to

say, a poor girl can marry a rich man and rise into the upper class if she has "beauty,

grace and charm.”] for beauty, grace and charm take the place of family and birth.

Natural ingenuity, instinct for what is elegant, a supple mind are their sole hierarchy,

and often make of women of the people the equals of the very greatest ladies.

Mathilde suffered ceaselessly, feeling herself born to enjoy all delicacies and all

luxuries.[Even though she does not have a lot of money, this desire for material

possessions characterizes Mathilde as greedy and runs through the poem as a

theme. Throughout the story, Maupassant includes specific details that reinforce this

notion, specifically ones that contrast other character's generosity with Mathilde's

greed.] She was distressed at the poverty of her dwelling, at the bareness of the

walls, at the shabby chairs, the ugliness of the curtains. All those things, of which

another woman of her rank would never even have been conscious, tortured her and

made her angry. The sight of the little Breton peasant who did her humble

housework[Maupassant includes this detail to show that for all of the suffering

Mathilde endures, she still does not have to do her own housework and can afford to

have one servant. Despite her not having the luxuries she dreams of, Mathilde is still

considered in the lower bourgeoisie, a class above traders and laborers, and has

more than many.] aroused in her despairing regrets and bewildering dreams. She

thought of silent antechambers hung with OrientalWhen Maupassant was writing, the

term "oriental" was used to refer to any culture, region, or state located to the

physical east of Europe, the Mediterranean, and generally lands east of the Christian

world at the time. Mathilde uses it simply to refer to her desire for exotic and

expensive possessions.] tapestry, illumined by tall bronze candelabra, and of two

great footmen in knee breeches who sleep in the big armchairs, made drowsy by the

oppressive heat of the stove. She thought of long reception halls hung with ancient

silk, of the dainty cabinets containing priceless curiosities and of the little coquettish

perfumed reception rooms made for chatting at five o'clock with intimate friends, with

men famous and sought after, whom all women envy and whose attention they all

desire.

When she sat down to dinner, before the round table covered with a tablecloth in use

three days,[This detail reminds the reader that Mathilde and her husband do not
have enough money to have clean cloth each day, but it also shows how Mathilde

focuses on small details. While a tablecloth might be dirty from a few days of use, it

might equally not be very dirty. Her observation of this small detail reinforces how

unsatisfied she is with her situation and possessions. opposite her husband, who

uncovered the soup tureen and declared with a delighted air, "Ah, the good soup! I

don't know anything better than that,"[In the original French version of the story, the

husband does not say "Ah, the good soup!" but "Ah, le bon pot-a-feu!" Pot-au-feu is

a particular beef stew that is one of the most celebrated dishes in France and an

essential part of French family cuisine.][Monsieur Loisel's attitude stands in stark

contrast to his wife's. This statement reveals his satisfaction with such simple,

inexpensive fare and likely how pleased he is to have such a lovely wife. However,

this also shows how intolerable Mathilde likely finds her situation because her

husband is undistinguished, unambitious, and unlikely to rise much higher in civil

employment.] she thought of dainty dinners, of shining silverware, of tapestry that

peopled the walls with ancient personages and with strange birds flying in the midst

of a fairy forest; and she thought of delicious dishes served on marvellous plates and

of the whispered gallantries to which you listen with a sphinxlike smile[Mathilde is not

only imagining the objects that she would like to possess, but she is also considering

the social interactions and behaviors she wishes were a part of her life. "Sphinxlike"

refers to something that is mysterious or difficult to understand. In her mind, only

these kinds of inscrutable smiles are appropriate for upper-class persons.] while you

are eating the pink meat of a trout or the wings of a quail.[Maupassant employs

vibrant imagery throughout the story. This is a technique designed to make a story

more vivid and real in order to draw readers into the setting. Here he is appealing to

the reader's sense of taste by mentioning the "delicious dishes" of trout and quail
wings. The passage is also full of visual descriptions, such as the color of the trout or

the "strange birds flying in the midst of a fairy forest." Mathilde's fantasy showcases

her disastifaction with her station as she instead conjures up images of decadent

food and rich surroundings to replace her soiled tablecloth and common cuisine.]

She had no gowns, no jewels, nothing. And she loved nothing but that. She felt

made for that. She would have liked so much[Mathilde Loisel feels cheated by life

and believes she deserved to be born wealthy. This leads her to feel dissatisfied with

her comfortable, if not always elegant, life. However, rather than accepting her

situation and learning to be content with what she has, Mathilde instead daydreams

about luxuries and allows her jealous nature to alienate her from her wealthier

friends. She does not attempt to earn the regard she craves with genuine effort.

Instead, she believes that she is entitled to admiration and luxury on account of

being born beautiful and charming.] to please, to be envied, to be charming, to be

sought after.

She had a friend, a former schoolmate at the convent,[This is shorthand for a

convent school. Many schools like these were attached to a convent and run by the

nuns who lived there. The student population typically consisted of primarily girls.

Since she knows her rich friend from school, it is possible that Mathilde's friend

acquired her wealth and status through marriage] who was rich, and whom she did

not like to go to see any more because she felt so sad when she came home.
But one evening her husband reached home with a triumphant air and holding a

large envelope in his hand.

"There," said he, "there is something for you."

She tore the paper quickly and drew out a printed card which bore these words:

The Minister of Public Instruction and Madame Georges Ramponneau request the

honor of M. and Madame Loisel's company at the palace of the Ministry on Monday

evening, January 18th.

Instead of being delighted, as her husband had hoped, she threw the invitation on

the table crossly, muttering:

"What do you wish me to do with that?"

"Why, my dear, I thought you would be glad.[Monsieur Loisel reveals himself to be

caring and generous. He not only notices how his wife desires fine things and

company, but he also acts to provide what he can for his wife despite his limited

income and social position. Even though Mathilde doesn't recognize this, the fact

that not many clerks are receiving invitations to this event actually shows that her

husband has acquired some level of success and reputation.] You never go out, and
this is such a fine opportunity. I had great trouble to get it. Every one wants to go; it

is very select, and they are not giving many invitations to clerks. The whole official

world will be there."

She looked at him with an irritated glance and said impatiently:

"And what do you wish me to put on my back?"

He had not thought of that. He stammered:

"Why, the gown you go to the theatre in. It looks very well to me."

He stopped, distracted, seeing that his wife was weeping.[Mathilde is not weeping

because of the gown; rather, she is crying because she is married to a man with

such humble values and aspirations. Monsieur Loisel undoubtedly thinks he is

fortunate to have such a beautiful and charming wife, but she brings terrible

misfortune into his life. Just as she is married to the wrong man, he is married to the

wrong woman.] Two great tears ran slowly from the corners of her eyes toward the

corners of her mouth.

"What's the matter? What's the matter?" he answered.

By a violent effort she conquered her grief and replied in a calm voice, while she

wiped her wet cheeks:

"Nothing. Only I have no gown, and, therefore, I can't go to this ball. Give your card

to some colleague whose wife is better equipped than I am."

He was in despair. He resumed:

"Come, let us see, Mathilde. How much would it cost, a suitable gown, which you

could use on other occasions--something very simple?"[very demure, very mindful,

very considerate of him]

She reflected several seconds, making her calculations and wondering also what

sum she could ask without drawing on herself an immediate refusal and a frightened

exclamation from the economical clerk. [The choice of "economical" here

characterizes Monsieur Loisel in two ways. First, it has a positive connotation that

suggests he is efficient with spending money and good at his job. This contrasts with

the second connotation (which Mathilde likely intends) that negatively characterizes

him as cheap and unwilling to spend any money.]

Finally she replied hesitating:

"I don't know exactly, but I think I could manage it with four hundred francs." [Mr.

Loisel gets a free invitation to the Minister of Public Instruction's ball. Mathilde, who

is very concerned with appearances, insists on buying a new gown. Despite the

Loisel's economic situation, Mathilde is willing to spend an irresponsible amount of

money to appear wealthier at the ball. This indicates that she is more concerned with

the appearance of wealth than actually being fiscally responsible.]

He grew a little pale,[Mathilde's husband's reaction reveals that this is still a relatively

large amount of money. Despite his growing "a little pale," we can see that Monsieur

Loisel is willing to put aside his own desires for the sake of his wife's.] because he

was laying aside just that amount to buy a gun and treat himself to a little shooting

next summer on the plain of Nanterre, with several friends who went to shoot larks

there of a Sunday.

But he said:

"Very well. I will give you four hundred francs. And try to have a pretty gown."

The day of the ball drew near and Madame Loisel seemed sad, uneasy, anxious.

Her frock was ready, however. Her husband said to her one evening:
"What is the matter? Come, you have seemed very queer these last three days."

And she answered:

"It annoys me not to have a single piece of jewelry, not a single ornament, nothing to

put on. I shall look poverty-stricken. I would almost rather not go at all."

"You might wear natural flowers," said her husband. "They're very stylish at this time

of year. For ten francs you can get two or three magnificent roses."

She was not convinced.

"No; there's nothing more humiliating than to look poor among other women who are

rich."

"How stupid you are!" her husband cried. "Go look up your friend, Madame Forestier,

and ask her to lend you some jewels. You're intimate enough with her to do that."

She uttered a cry of joy:

"True! I never thought of it."

The next day she went to her friend and told her of her distress.

Madame Forestier went to a wardrobe with a mirror, took out a large jewel box,

[Maupassant doesn't waste words. He provides the wardrobe with a mirror so that

Mathilde can try on the jewels in front of it without the author having to explain where

the mirror is located. The large jewel box is an eloquent way of showing that

Madame Forestier must be quite rich. There is no other description of this friend's

home, but readers can imagine that it is spacious and sumptuously furnished in the

fashion of the period.] brought it back, opened it and said to Madame Loisel:

"Choose, my dear."

She saw first some bracelets, then a pearl necklace, then a Venetian gold cross set

with precious stones, of admirable workmanship. She tried on the ornaments before

the mirror, hesitated and could not make up her mind to part with them, to give them

back. She kept asking:

"Haven't you any more?"

"Why, yes. Look further; I don't know what you like."

Suddenly she discovered, in a black satin[Satin is a smooth, silky material that is

fairly expensive and objects made of this material generally give the impression of

luxury. Fine pieces of jewelry are often contained in such boxes to protect the

craftsmanship.] box, a superb diamond necklace, and her heart throbbed with an

immoderate desire.[The original French here can also be translated as, "her heart

beat covetously." The notion is that her "immoderate desire" represents greed and

her belief that she should live like her friend Madame Forestier.] Her hands trembled

as she took it. She fastened it round her throat, outside her high-necked waist,[The

original French is sur sa robe montante. She is wearing one of those dresses which

cover the neck almost to the chin. She is improvising by fastening the necklace

around this high collar, but she can see how it will look when she is wearing a low-

cut dress at the ball. The necklace will call attention to her beautiful neck, throat and

bosom. Although Mathilde has never owned expensive jewelry, she has an instinct

about such things and has undoubtedly imagined wearing all sorts of distinctive

jewelry while indulging in her fantasies about the privileged life she felt born to

enjoy.] and was lost in ecstasy at her reflection in the mirror.

Then she asked, hesitating, filled with anxious doubt:

"Will you lend me this, only this?"[Mathilde's desire for a new dress and jewelry

further characterize her as greedy. This moment where she covetously looks at the

diamond necklace provides further support for this characterization, and her greed

stands in contrast to the generosity of both her husband and Madame Forestier.]
"Why, yes, certainly."

She threw her arms round her friend's neck, kissed her passionately, then fled with

her treasure. [This word choice is important because "fled" means to run away from

a place of peril or danger. This gives the impression that Mathilde is afraid her friend

might change her mind.]

The night of the ball arrived. Madame Loisel was a great success. She was prettier

than any other woman present, [Madame Loisel is possibly described as prettier than

any other woman present because she is still so young. Most of the guests would

belong to an older generation. The husbands would be middle-aged men who held

important positions in the world, and their wives would be in approximately in the

same age category. The women would all be wearing more expensive clothing, but

Mathilde's youth and natural beauty would more than rival their artificial elegance.]

elegant, graceful, smiling and wild with joy. All the men looked at her, asked her

name, sought to be introduced. All the attaches of the Cabinet [An "attaché" is

someone who serves on the staff of someone else, an establishment, or an

organization. The "Cabinet" here refers to part of the governing political body in

Paris. These details serve to remind readers that Mathilde is participating in a high-

end, aristocratic ball.] wished to waltz with her. She was remarked by the minister

himself.

She danced with rapture, with passion, intoxicated by pleasure, forgetting all in the

triumph of her beauty, in the glory of her success, in a sort of cloud of happiness
comprised of all this homage, admiration, these awakened desires and of that sense

of triumph which is so sweet to woman's heart.

She left the ball about four o'clock in the morning.["The Necklace" is reminiscent of

the fairy tale "Cinderella." The heroine in the fairy tale could not go to the ball

because she needed all the accoutrements her Fairy Godmother provided. Both

stories deal with the idea of outward appearance dictating the perceptions of others,

but while Cinderella was humble and gracious, Mathilde feels entitled to the gown

and jewels.] Her husband had been sleeping since midnight in a little deserted

anteroom with three other gentlemen whose wives were enjoying the ball.

He threw over her shoulders the wraps he had brought, the modest wraps of

common life,[The wraps the women wore to the ball would not have been long coats

or shawls but garments long enouigh to cover their bare necks, backs, shoulders and

arms. This suggests that most of the women, including Mme. Loisel, were following

the current fashion in wearing gowns that revealed a great deal of flesh above the

bosom. It also explains why Mme. Loisel was so anxious to borrow that diamond

necklace from her friend Mme. Forestier. The necklace would show to its best

advantage against her bare chest, and in turn her beautiful neck would show to its

best advantage against the necklace. However, she certainly would need something

warm to cover her decolletage when she went outside, because the ball was being

held on January 18th, which was well into winter.] the poverty of which contrasted

with the elegance of the ball dress. She felt this and wished to escape so as not to

be remarked by the other women, who were enveloping themselves in costly furs.
[This choice of words suggests that the weather outside is extremely cold--especially

at four o'clock in the morning. Madame Loisel was anxious to put on her wraps, and

she leaves in a hurry before the other women in their "costly furs" could see her in

"the modest wraps of common life" and possibly ridicule her for wearing such cheap

attire.]

Loisel held her back, saying: "Wait a bit. You will catch cold outside. I will call a cab."

But she did not listen to him and rapidly descended the stairs. When they reached

the street they could not find a carriage and began to look for one, shouting after the

cabmen passing at a distance.

They went toward the Seine in despair, shivering with cold. At last they found on the

quay one of those ancient night cabs which, as though they were ashamed to show

their shabbiness during the day, are never seen round Paris until after dark.

It took them to their dwelling in the Rue des Martyrs, and sadly they mounted the

stairs to their flat. All was ended for her. As to him, he reflected that he must be at

the ministry at ten o'clock that morning.

She removed her wraps before the glass so as to see herself once more in all her

glory. But suddenly she uttered a cry. She no longer had the necklace around her

neck!

"What is the matter with you?" demanded her husband, already half undressed.

She turned distractedly toward him.

"I have--I have--I've lost Madame Forestier's necklace," she cried.

He stood up, bewildered.

"What!--how? Impossible!"

They looked among the folds of her skirt, of her cloak, in her pockets, everywhere,

but did not find it.

"You're sure you had it on when you left the ball?" he asked.

"Yes, I felt it in the vestibule of the minister's house."

"But if you had lost it in the street we should have heard it fall. It must be in the cab."

"Yes, probably. Did you take his number?"

"No. And you--didn't you notice it?"

"No."

They looked, thunderstruck, at each other. At last Loisel put on his clothes. [Upon

realizing the necklace is missing, the Loisels stop talking and just stare at each

other. They both realize the trouble they are in, and they have no need to describe it

in words. Maupassant therefore does not try to describe their trouble in words, either.

The silence is more expressive. Losing a diamond necklace would not be

catastrophic to the real owner of the item, but the Loisels are not the owners and

their own economic situation is fairly modest.]

"I shall go back on foot," said he, "over the whole route, to see whether I can find it."

He went out. She sat waiting on a chair in her ball dress, without strength to go to

bed, overwhelmed, without any fire, without a thought.

Her husband returned about seven o'clock. He had found nothing.[Despite his not

finding anything, Monsieur Loisel still spend hours searching for the necklace while

Mathilde stayed home. He does this without question, and his actions reinforce the

contrast between his naturally generous and helpful demeanor and Mathilde's

selfishness]

He went to police headquarters, to the newspaper offices to offer a reward; he went

to the cab companies--everywhere, in fact, whither he was urged by the least spark

of hope.

She waited all day, in the same condition of mad fear before this terrible calamity.

Loisel returned at night with a hollow, pale face. He had discovered nothing.

"You must write to your friend," said he, "that you have broken the clasp of her

necklace and that you are having it mended. That will give us time to turn round." [It

is Monsieur Loisel who makes the decision to deceive Madame Forestier. He is

concerned about his position and his career with the Ministry of Public Instruction.

He realizes that some people may think he and his wife only pretended to lose the

necklace but had kept it with the intention of selling it at some later date. That could

jeopardize his reputation at the Ministry and prevent him from receiving future

promotions. His wife could not take the initiative in deceiving Madame Forestier
because Mathilde has no income and no power to borrow money to pay for a

replacement of the lost necklace.]

She wrote at his dictation. [This is a crucial point in the story. The husband and wife

make the decision not to admit that Mathilde has lost the borrowed necklace but to

instead try to replace it. Mathilde's desire to keep up appearances has put them in a

precarious situation. Now they must choose between risking social ruin by telling the

truth or ruining themselves financially in order to maintain those same appearances.

The Loisel's dishonesty ultimately sets off a chain of events that drastically alters

their lives.]

At the end of a week they had lost all hope. Loisel, who had aged five years,

declared:

"We must consider how to replace that ornament."

The next day they took the box that had contained it and went to the jeweler whose

name was found within. He consulted his books.

"It was not I, madame, who sold that necklace; I must simply have furnished the

case."
Then they went from jeweler to jeweler, searching for a necklace like the other, trying

to recall it, both sick with chagrin and grief. [The deep embarrassment they feel at

having failed provides insight into their rationale for not admitting that the necklace

was lost in the first place. Despite the friendship that Mathilde has with Madame

Forestier, it appears that social obligations and class divisions run so deep in society

that they would rather make themselves sick trying to solve the problem instead of

admitting their mistake.]

They found, in a shop at the Palais Royal, [The Palais Royal is located in the 1st

arrondissement of Paris. At the time this story was written, there was a covered

passageway that housed many kind of shops where fine goods could be bought.] a

string of diamonds that seemed to them exactly like the one they had lost. It was

worth forty thousand francs. They could have it for thirty-six.

So they begged the jeweler not to sell it for three days yet. And they made a bargain

that he should buy it back for thirty-four thousand francs, in case they should find the

lost necklace before the end of February.

Loisel possessed eighteen thousand francs which his father had left him. He would

borrow the rest.

He did borrow, asking a thousand francs of one, five hundred of another, five louis

[The 20-francs gold coin, a louis d'or, became known as Napoleon gold coins after
the change in monetary law at the beginning of the 19th century by Napoleon the

first.] here, three louis there. He gave notes, took up ruinous obligations, dealt with

usurers and all the race of lenders. He compromised all the rest of his life, risked

signing a note without even knowing whether he could meet it; and, frightened by the

trouble yet to come, by the black misery that was about to fall upon him, by the

prospect of all the physical privations and moral tortures that he was to suffer, he

went to get the new necklace, laying upon the jeweler's counter thirty-six thousand

francs.

When Madame Loisel took back the necklace Madame Forestier said to her with a

chilly manner:

"You should have returned it sooner; I might have needed it."

She did not open the case, as her friend had so much feared. If she had detected the

substitution, what would she have thought, what would she have said? Would she

not have taken Madame Loisel for a thief?

Thereafter Madame Loisel knew the horrible existence of the needy. She bore her

part, however, with sudden heroism. That dreadful debt must be paid. She would pay

it. They dismissed their servant; they changed their lodgings; they rented a garret

under the roof.[Garrets are small rooms in the roof of a building. Due to their being
small, and typically dingy, they were the cheapest rooms to rent and served as

homes for many of the poor.]

She came to know what heavy housework meant and the odious cares of the

kitchen. She washed the dishes, using her dainty fingers and rosy nails on greasy

pots and pans. She washed the soiled linen, the shirts and the dishcloths, which she

dried upon a line; she carried the slops down to the street every morning and carried

up the water, stopping for breath at every landing. And dressed like a woman of the

people, she went to the fruiterer, the grocer, the butcher, a basket on her arm,

bargaining, meeting with impertinence, defending her miserable money, sou by sou.

[Compared to a louis or a franc, the sou is the least valuable form of currency from

19th-century France. This means that she has become extremely aware of the value

and amount of money she has, and she does not want to spend anything

unnecessarily.]

Every month they had to meet some notes, renew others, obtain more time.

Her husband worked evenings, making up a tradesman's accounts, and late at night

he often copied manuscript for five sous a page.

This life lasted ten years.

At the end of ten years they had paid everything, everything, with the rates of usury

and the accumulations of the compound interest.

Madame Loisel looked old now. She had become the woman of impoverished

households--strong and hard and rough. With frowsy hair, skirts askew and red

hands, she talked loud while washing the floor with great swishes of water. But

sometimes, when her husband was at the office, she sat down near the window and

she thought of that gay evening of long ago, of that ball where she had been so

beautiful and so admired.

What would have happened if she had not lost that necklace? Who knows? who

knows? How strange and changeful is life! How small a thing is needed to make or

ruin us!

But one Sunday, having gone to take a walk in the Champs Elysees[The Avenue des

Champs-Élysées is a famous boulevard in Paris, known for its cafes, theaters, and

luxury shops. In the mid- to late-19th century, the gardens took on a more

picturesque, English style with flowerbeds, groves of trees, and footpaths.] to refresh

herself after the labors of the week, she suddenly perceived a woman who was

leading a child. It was Madame Forestier, still young, still beautiful, still charming.

Madame Loisel felt moved. Should she speak to her? Yes, certainly. And now that

she had paid, she would tell her all about it. Why not?
She went up.

"Good-day, Jeanne."

The other, astonished to be familiarly addressed by this plain good-wife, did not

recognize her at all and stammered:

"But--madame!--I do not know--You must have mistaken."

"No. I am Mathilde Loisel."

Her friend uttered a cry.

"Oh, my poor Mathilde! How you are changed!"

"Yes, I have had a pretty hard life, since I last saw you, and great poverty--and that

because of you!"

"Of me! How so?"

"Do you remember that diamond necklace you lent me to wear at the ministerial

ball?"

"Yes. Well?"

"Well, I lost it."

"What do you mean? You brought it back."

"I brought you back another exactly like it. And it has taken us ten years to pay for it.

You can understand that it was not easy for us, for us who had nothing. At last it is

ended, and I am very glad."

Madame Forestier had stopped.

"You say that you bought a necklace of diamonds to replace mine?"

"Yes. You never noticed it, then! They were very similar."
And she smiled with a joy that was at once proud and ingenuous.[In addition to being

stunned at the realization that she had sacrificed her youth and beauty, Mathilde

Loisel must have been mortified to realize, in retrospect, that some of the men who

danced with her, as well as some of the women who were watching her with envy,

knew that her diamond necklace was a fake.]

Madame Forestier, deeply moved, took her hands.

"Oh, my poor Mathilde! Why, my necklace was paste! It was worth at most only five

hundred francs!"[While readers will correctly understand that "paste" in this context

means a "fake," this is based on one of the additional meanings of the word "paste."

When used as a noun, "paste" can refer to a heavy, clear-flint glass that is used for

making imitation gems, such as diamonds. It seems odd that a wealthy woman like

Madame. Forestier would own a necklace made of paste--a phony necklace. There

is perhaps a suggestion of some secret guilt in her past. Perhaps this was a

common way for wealthy women to raise money without their husbands' knowledge.

Madame. Forestier would have had to keep the phony necklace and wear it

occasionally for her husband to see that she still had it.]

VIII. Theme and Moral Lesson

The main themes in "The Necklace" are greed, deceptive appearances, and

beauty and vanity.

Greed: Mathilde Loisel's overwhelming desire to live a life of luxury blinds her to the

comforts she already possesses and ultimately leads to her losing what wealth and

status she initially has.

Deceptive appearances: Mathilde is preoccupied with the appearance of wealth and

spends years working to replace a necklace that is eventually revealed to have been

a fake.

Beauty and vanity: While Mathilde's beauty allows her a fleeting moment of social

success at the ball, she has lost both beauty and vanity by the end of the story.

The moral lesson of The Necklace is a poignant one: be content with what you

have and honesty is always the best policy. Mathilde’s pride and dishonesty

about losing the necklace lead her to years of unnecessary hardship. Had she been

honest with Madame Forestier from the start, her life would not have been ruined.

The story teaches us that our desires for material possessions and appearances can

blind us to the real value of life, such as contentment, humility, and integrity.

Moreover, it underscores the idea that appearances can be deceiving, and the things

we often covet might not be as valuable as we think. short story represents a better

life for Mathilde and is a symbol of greed and false status. Embodying the message

of how selfish acts and materialism are destructive and can lead to a hard and

dissatisfying life.
Conclusion

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant is a timeless tale that offers valuable

insights into human nature, societal expectations, and the dangers of materialism.

The story's rich irony, well-developed characters, and moral lesson make it a

profound commentary on the pitfalls of vanity and the importance of honesty.

Through Mathilde’s tragic story, Maupassant reminds us that true happiness does

not come from wealth or social status, but from an honest and content heart. If

Mathilde hadn’t demanded more of her modest yet comfortable life, she would have

not yearned for more grandeur and luxury that had put her into years of blood and

sweat for returning the jewelry in floccinausinihilipilification.