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The Necklace

 

            The main character Mathilde Loisel in the short story, "The Necklace" has many character traits. Her character traits can be analyzed and conclusions can be drawn about her character. In Guy De Maupassant's short story "The Necklace" Mathilde is unhappy, selfish, and inconsiderate. .
             Mathilde's dreams of wealth and her fantasies make her unhappy. "She suffered constantly, feeling herself destined for all delicacies and luxuries" (page 5). Her dream life images of wealth are like her apartment because her apartment makes her unhappy. Details about her apartment show her unhappiness with her life. She dreams about life in a mansion with rooms being large, filled with expensive furniture and large drawing rooms draped in the most expensive silk. "She imagined large drawing rooms draped in the most expensive silk, with fine end tables on which were placed knickknacks of inestimable value" (page 5). She imagines having private rooms for big dinners and for intimate talks. With her dreaming about such a rich home, she feels unhappier with her apartment. She lives for her unrealistic dreams and her fantasies are increasing her unhappiness. "She had no decent dresses, no jewels, no nothing. And she loved nothing but these; she believed herself born only to these" (page 6). She lives for her unrealistic dreams and these increase her frustration and unhappiness. .
             Throughout the story Mathilde thinks only about herself. She acts selfish and doesn't think about anyone but herself. Her and her husband received an invitation to go to a dinner and she threw it on the table. She says, "What do you expect me to do with this?" Looking at her husband angrily, she says, "What do you want me to wear to go there" (page 6)? Instead of being excited that she got an invitation to go to a special occasion she acts selfish. She is thinking about herself and how she doesn't have anything nice to wear. She also shows her selfishness by complaining that she doesn't have any nice jewelry to wear.


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