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The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

            In "The Necklace," Maupassant introduces Mathilde as a charming young lady who yearns for the richness and social status of a high-class lady. She is unhappy with life and feels she is being kept out of the status that she craves. After receiving an invitation to the palace of the Ministry, she needed to attend wearing finer things than the rags on her back. She bought a fancy dress and her friend Mme. Forester lends her a diamond necklace. Later on the night she loses the necklace and buys a duplicate which will cost her 10 years of her life to pay off. At the end the original necklace was fake and all the hard work was for nothing. But is Mathilde a victim of fate or a victim of her own needs and desires?.
             Fate is defined as the moments in life that are predetermined which will lead to how life is going to be. In those times a woman who lives in poverty had to marry. Maupassant states "she was married by a man rich and distinguished; and she let them make a match for her " (par. 1). In this sentence he explains that Mathilde's marriage is arranged. She has no choice in whether she wants to marry someone in the same wealth or not. Her fate is predetermined by her parents and by marrying a clerk she knows her life isn't going to be the life she fantasizes. .
             At the moment Mathilde decides not to inform Mme. Forester that her necklace went missing her fate changes. But not informing her friend about the necklace was a blessing in disguise. Before, Mathilde was quiet, egocentric and selfish. Over the very long unpleasant 10 years of hardship, she became a woman of grace and beauty. Now imagine if she did inform Mme. Forester about the necklace, what kind of character would Mathilde be? Critics argue that Mathilde is a victim of her own needs and desires, as do I. Even though she was born into poverty, it doesn't excuse Mathilde's hunger for wealth and social status. You can be contempt with what you have and be grateful.


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1. The Necklace Evaluation

... Loisel ran into Mme. Forestier, and told Mme. Forestier what had happened to the original necklace. Mme. Forestier tells Mme. Loisel that the original necklace was a cheap imitation. Evaluation In "The Necklace" Guy de Maupassant seems to using a sympathetic tone; meanwhile at the same time a not so sympathetic tone. De Maupassant lets the reader fell sorry for Mme. Loisel at first "She was one of those pretty ... and charming girls who are sometimes, as if by mistake of destiny, born in a family of clerks" ... (60). Mme. Loisel seemed throughout the story not to ... ...

  • Word Count: 1130
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

2. The Necklace

... an Invitation In Guy de Maupassant's short story "The Necklace" a beautiful young woman, Madame Loisel, lives a simple life due to her unfortunate chance of being born into a family of poor clerks. She marries a clerk herself and is seemed destined to ... how beneath her. She was beautiful and clever and thought she deserved more. The invitation is the central symbol that gives Madame Loisel the temptation she needs to finally join the people she so much admires. The invitation provides temptation to buy new clothing and to borrow the necklace that ultimately becomes the downfall of th...

  • Word Count: 1448
  • Approx Pages: 6
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A human's want for materialistic items can be never ending, and the belief that these things are necessary to their lives can be devastating. The want for material items can overshadow priories and distort the perspective of reality, which can lead to demise. In the short story, "The Necklace", by Guy de Maupassant, the necklace symbolizes human greed and the want for power. Throughout the story, Maupassant shows that a person's need for material things can be toxic ... , and this want for more materialistic things can lead to ultimate downfall. The protagonist, Madame Loisel, spends her life ...

  • Word Count: 662
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4. The Necklace

In the short story The Necklace, Guy de Maupassant, the author and is generally considered the greatest French short story writer, uses several symbols and themes throughout the story to help give his readers their own analysis. The symbols and themes are also universal because they keep reoccurring throughout the story. Maupassant also used the archetype of a hero and the changes a person goes through to become one. In The Necklace, Mathilde Loisel, the main character, is symbolic for ... also only cares about others" feelings when they are directed towards her. And for the next ten years, ...

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5. The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

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  • Word Count: 626
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6. The Necklace

... life that they would hate. The short story "The Necklace", by Guy de Maupassant shows how the main character Mathilde wants to live the rich life. However, by the end of the story Mathilde is stuck with a life that she hated. By writing this story the narrator proves his point that everyone become what they hate the most if you don't appreciate what you have. The story begins with a description of ... what Mme. Loisel's (Mathilde) wants the most ... money for Mathilde to have a peasant do all the housework.This still wasn't enough for Mathilde. Guy de Maupassant in "The Necklace" writes...

  • Word Count: 1160
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

7. The Necklace

... prostrating herself while pleading for forgiveness, she takes the responsibility for her mistakes by replacing Mrs. Forrestier's necklace. De Maupassant shows her qualities in the introduction, the incident, and the poverty she endures. At the beginning of the story Mathlide pride is so strong that she does not want to face reality. Reality meaning the husband she has and the small household she resumes in. So in order ... by leading her to poverty. She sees her responsibility for losing the necklace, and she had enough sense of self- sacrifice to pay for restoring it. She sacrifices "w...

  • Word Count: 1247
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  • Word Count: 1465
  • Approx Pages: 6
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  • Grade Level: High School

9. The Necklace

The Necklace "The Necklace," by Guy de Maupassant, shows the importance of being an honest person. Even though the story was about a necklace, it showed the character of Mathilde. The story reflects on how dishonest she was not only to herself but to her friend and husband as well. From the beginning Mathilde was not straightforward with herself. She polluted her mind with lies of being rich. The author says, " ... She daydreamed of large, silent anterooms, decorated with oriental tapestries and lighted by high bronze floor lamps"(Maupassant ... was scheming and thought that telling him late...

  • Word Count: 791
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

10. The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant In the story of the necklace, the main character was named Mathilde. Mathilde was born at a time when women were not encouraged to have a career, and was respected based upon their station in life. This caused great distress among women who dreamt of more than their destiny allowed. They dreamt of the power that wealth and beauty would allow. Mathilde was ashamed of her station in ... . It is commendable that they were honorable enough to want to replace the missing necklace, but it would not have been necessary for three reasons. One reason being that Mathild...

  • Word Count: 394
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  • Grade Level: High School

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