The Necklace

By Guy De Maupassant

Guy de Maupassant was a 19th-century French writer, known for his mastery of the short story form. His works often explore themes of human nature, irony, and the harsh realities of life. “The Necklace” is his short story that is about Madame Mathilde Loisel, a woman who longs for a luxurious life. When she borrows a seemingly expensive necklace to wear to a fancy ball, she loses it, leading to years of hardship as she and her husband work to repay the debt for a replacement. In a twist ending, it is revealed that the original necklace was a cheap imitation.

Q: What kind of a person is Mme. Loisel. Why is she always unhappy?

Mme. Loisel is depicted as a beautiful woman who is dissatisfied with her middle-class life. She yearns for luxury, wealth, and social status, feeling she was born for a life of elegance and sophistication. Her constant unhappiness stems from her belief that she deserves more than what she has, which leads to her discontent and longing for a lavish lifestyle she cannot afford.

Q: What kind of a person is her husband?

Her husband, Monsieur Loisel, is a humble and content man who works as a clerk. He is considerate, and loving, and does his best to make his wife happy, even sacrificing his desires for her comfort. He seems satisfied with their modest life and is practical, unlike his wife who dreams of grandeur.

Q: What fresh problem now disturbs Mme. Loisel?

The fresh problem which is disturbing Mme. Loisel is that she does not have any suitable jewelry to wear with her new suit. She was so upset with it that she almost decided not to go to the party.

Q: How is the problem solved?

The problem is solved when Mme. Loisel discussed it with her husband. He gave her the idea to borrow some jewelry from her rich friend Madame Forestier.

Q: What do M. and Mme. Loisel do next after losing the necklace?

After losing the necklace, M. and Mme. Loisel decided to replace the necklace with the same design which cost them a fortune. They embarked on a difficult journey to repay the debt they incurred from purchasing the replacement.

Q: How do they replace the necklace?

They replace the necklace by borrowing a significant amount of money from various lenders, thus plunging themselves into a decade-long struggle of poverty and hard labour to repay the debt.

Q: The course of Loisel’s life changed due to the necklace. comment.

The course of Loisels’ life changed drastically due to the necklace. initially, living a modest but comfortable life, they end up in severe poverty and hardship due to the enormous debt incurred from replacing the lost necklace. Their life becomes one of relentless toil and sacrifice, transforming Mme. Loisel from a beautiful, discontented woman into a worn-out and aged person.

Q: What was the cause of Mathilde’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?

The cause of Mathilde’s ruin was her vanity and pride. She borrowed the necklace to appear wealthier than she was and did not confess the loss to her friend out of fear of embarrassment. She could have avoided her ruin by being honest with Madame Forestier about losing the necklace. had she done so, she would have discovered that the necklace was a fake and of little value, saving herself from the years of hardship.

Q: What would have happened to Mathilde if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?

If Mathilde had confessed to Madame Forestier that she had lost the necklace, Madame Forestier would have revealed that the necklace was a fake and worth very little. This confession would have spared Mathilde and her husband from years of debt and poverty.

Q: If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?

If I were caught in a situation like this, I would have chosen to be honest and confess to my friend about losing the necklace. Open communication and honesty can often prevent misunderstandings and unnecessary suffering. By being upfront, I would hope to find a solution that wouldn’t lead to long-term hardship.

Q: The characters in this story speak in English. Do you think this is their language? What clues are there in the story about the language its characters must be speaking in?

The characters in “The Necklace” are French, as indicated by their names (Mathilde, Loisel, Forestier) and the Parisian setting. The story is translated into English, but the original language and cultural context are French. Clues such as the setting, the social customs, mode of addressing, and the names of the characters suggest they are speaking in French in the original text.

Q: Honesty is the best policy. Comment with reference to the story.

This story illustrates that honesty is indeed the best policy. Had Mathilde been honest about losing the necklace, she would have avoided the years of unnecessary hardship. The moral is that deception and pride can lead to one’s downfall, while honesty can prevent further complications.

Q: We should be content with what life gives us. Comment.

“We should be content with what life gives us” is another key lesson from the story. Mathilde’s dissatisfaction with her life led her to borrow the necklace in an attempt to appear wealthier, which ultimately brought about her downfall. Being content with what we have can lead to a more peaceful and fulfilling life, free from the pursuit of superficial and materialistic desires.