Analysis Of The Necklace By Guy De Maupassant

Introduction

The Necklace is a short story by the French writer Guy de Maupassant. It was first published in 1884, in a local newspaper, and was later included in a collection of short stories called Tales of Day and Night. The story tells the tale of a woman who is unhappy with her life and decides to borrow a diamond necklace from her friend. However, when she loses the necklace, she is forced to spend years working to pay off the debt. The story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of vanity and greed.

The Dangers of Greed

Many people believe that greed is a dangerous emotion that can lead to ruin. This is certainly true in the case of Guy de Maupassant’s short story, “The Necklace.” In this tale, a woman named Mathilde Loisel is consumed by greed and her desire for a lifestyle that is beyond her means. As a result, she makes a series of poor choices that lead to her ruin.

Maupassant illustrates the dangers of greed through the character of Mathilde. From the beginning of the story, it is clear that Mathilde is not content with her lot in life. She constantly complains about her modest home and meager possessions. When she is given the opportunity to attend a high-society ball, she is thrilled at the chance to escape her mundane existence. However, she quickly becomes disappointed when she realizes that she does not have the right clothes or jewelry to fit in with the other guests.

Mathilde’s greed leads her to make a fateful decision. She borrows a diamond necklace from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier. Unfortunately, she loses the necklace at the ball and is unable to find it. In order to avoid being ridiculed by her friends, she takes out a loan and buys a replacement necklace. However, the replacement necklace ends up costing her ten times as much as the original. Over the next ten years, Mathilde works tirelessly to pay off the debt, while her husband grows increasingly resentful. In the end, Mathilde is forced to sell her possessions and take menial jobs just to make ends meet. She is left with nothing but regret for the choices she made out of greed.

Maupassant’s story serves as a warning about the dangers of greed. Greed can lead people to make poor decisions that have long-lasting consequences. It is important to be content with what one has and to be grateful for what one has been given. Otherwise, the greed may consume us and lead us down a path of ruin.

How Guy de Maupassant Teaches Us the Perils of Vanity

In the short story, “The Necklace,” by Guy de Maupassant, we are taught a lesson about the perils of vanity. The protagonist, Mathilde Loisel, is a young woman who is unhappy with her life. She feels that she is not pretty enough, her clothes are not nice enough, and she does not have enough money. All she wants is to be wealthy and beautiful.

One day, Mathilde’s husband comes home with an invitation to a ball at the Ministry of Education. Mathilde is thrilled, but she has nothing to wear. Her husband borrows a dress and a pair of diamond earrings from a friend, and Mathilde is able to attend the ball.

At the ball, Mathilde is the belle of the ball. She dances all night and is complimented by everyone. However, when she goes to retrieve her wrap, she realizes that the diamond earrings are gone. Mathilde and her husband search for the earrings, but they cannot find them.

The next day, Mathilde goes to a jeweler and discovers that the earrings are worth 40,000 francs. Her husband borrows the money from his friend to replace the earrings, and they spend the next ten years working to pay back the debt. In the end, Mathilde is left with nothing but a reminder of the perils of vanity.

Conclusion

The story of “The Necklace” is a cautionary tale that warns against the dangers of greed and envy. The protagonist, Mathilde Loisel, is a young woman who is dissatisfied with her life and longs for the luxury and wealth that she believes she deserves. When she is given the opportunity to attend a prestigious ball, she borrows a diamond necklace from her wealthy friend, only to lose it and be forced to replace it at a great cost. The story ends with Mathilde realizing that the life she thought she wanted was not worth the price she paid for it.

The theme of “The Necklace” is that greed and envy are destructive forces that can lead to ruin. Mathilde is a prime example of this, as her greed and envy lead her to borrow the necklace and then lose it, resulting in years of debt and hardship. This story serves as a warning to us all to be content with what we have, and not to strive for more than we can handle.