a thesis statement for the necklace

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Books — The Necklace

Essays on The Necklace

Prompt examples for "the necklace" essays, character analysis: mathilde loisel.

Examine the character of Mathilde Loisel in "The Necklace." Describe her personality, motivations, and the choices she makes throughout the story. How does her character change as the narrative unfolds?

Irony in "The Necklace"

Analyze the use of irony in the story. Explore both situational and dramatic irony in "The Necklace" and discuss how these elements contribute to the story's overall impact and message.

Social Class and Aspirations

Discuss the theme of social class and aspirations in the narrative. How does Mathilde's desire for a higher social status affect her decisions and relationships? What commentary does the story offer on the pursuit of wealth and status?

Symbols: The Necklace

Analyze the symbolism of the necklace in the story. What does it represent, and how does it change in significance as the plot unfolds? How does the necklace symbolize Mathilde's dreams and illusions?

The Consequences of Deception

Examine the consequences of Mathilde's deception regarding the lost necklace. How does her choice to replace it lead to a chain of events that change her life and her perception of happiness?

Character Foils: Mathilde and Madame Forestier

Compare and contrast the characters of Mathilde Loisel and Madame Forestier. How do their lives, values, and attitudes differ? How does their relationship exemplify the theme of appearance versus reality?

The Role of Fate

Discuss the role of fate or destiny in "The Necklace." Does the story suggest that Mathilde's misfortunes were predetermined, or were they a result of her choices? How does the concept of fate contribute to the story's message?

Moral Lessons and Themes

Explore the moral lessons and themes conveyed in the story. What messages does "The Necklace" offer about the consequences of dishonesty, the pursuit of materialism, and the value of self-awareness?

Narrative Structure

Examine the narrative structure of "The Necklace." How does the story's structure, including the use of flashback, contribute to the reader's understanding of Mathilde's character and the plot's development?

Modern Relevance

Consider the modern relevance of "The Necklace." How do the themes and moral dilemmas faced by Mathilde Loisel resonate with contemporary society? Are there parallels between her story and contemporary issues?

The Theme of Pride in "The Necklace"

The necklace by guy de maupassant, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

The Importance of The Class of an Individual in The Necklace, a Short Story by Guy De Maupassant

The setting and the characters' mental growth in the necklace and blue winds dancing, analysis of the necklace short story, greed and loss in the necklace and disabled, let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

A Theme of Perception in The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant

The moral lesson of "the necklace", a short story by guy maupassant, deception and irony in the necklace by guy de maupassant, short story review: the necklace, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

The Idea of Greed in The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant

Analysis of guy de maupassant’s the necklace through the feminist lens, finding joy in what we have: analysis of guy de maupassant's the necklace, thematic analysis of the necklace by guy de maupassant, poverty is a great enemy to human happiness, the representation of women in still i rise by maya angelou and the necklace by guy de maupassant, pride goes before the fall: analysis of a good man is hard to find and the necklace, comparison of characters from everyday use and the necklace, mankind's obsession with money in the queen of spades and the necklace, comparison between "the necklace" and "the story of an hour" stories, the universal idea of discovery through the concept of retrospect in "the necklace" and "away", emotional state of the main character in the necklace short story, what is the theme of "the necklace": slavery of material wealth, the necklace: a critical analysis.

February 17,1884

Guy de Maupassant

Short story

Mathilde Loisel, Madame Forestier, Monsieur Loisel

The necklace, coveting

Dichotomy between reality and appearance; the value of honesty.

" She dressed simply, being unable to afford anything better, but she was every whit as unhappy as any daughter of a grand family who has come down in the world. " "Ah, the good soup! I don't know anything better than that." "She would have given anything to be popular, envied, attractive, and in demand." Life is so strange, so fickle! How little is needed to make or break us. "Oh, my poor Mathilde! But it was only an imitation necklace. It couldn't have been worth much more than 500 francs!"

Relevant topics

• A Modest Proposal
• A Rose For Emily
• The Outsiders
• Things Fall Apart
• Between The World and Me
• A Farewell to Arms
• A Long Way Gone
• Ethan Frome
• The Myth of Sisyphus
• A Good Man Is Hard to Find

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

The Necklace

Guy de maupassant, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

“The Necklace” is, at its heart, a story about Mathilde ’s social ambition, which takes the form of a desire to acquire luxurious objects that she cannot afford. Through her ruin, Maupassant warns against the dangers of greed and criticizes those who ascribe too much value to wealth and material possessions.

Mathilde invests objects like the diamond necklace she borrows from Mme. Forestier with enormous significance, and her happiness is heavily dependent on her possession of the objects she desires. Mathilde’s distress at the beginning of the story is largely a result of her unfulfilled desire for material objects: “She had no wardrobe, no jewels, nothing.” This materialism is inextricable from her social ambition, as she fears that she will be rejected by the higher classes because she does not appear to be wealthy enough. Once Mathilde obtains the diamond necklace she wants and is able to wear it at the party, she quickly becomes “wild with joy.” However, as soon as the party is over Mathilde loses the necklace and is once again unhappy, suggesting that material possessions cannot guarantee long-lasting happiness, and that greed, in fact, can lead to ruin.

Mathilde’s desire for material possessions is doubly misguided because she has no concept of value beyond how much an object is worth. Throughout the story Maupassant assigns many objects a specific cash value, suggesting that an object’s value is synonymous with its price. However, Maupassant undermines the adequacy of the conflation of price with value when the Loisels have to choose whether to spend 400 francs on Mathilde’s evening dress or on the rifle for which her husband had long been saving. Despite the fact that these two objects have an equal cash value, the choice of how to spend the money reflects the spender’s moral and social values. The dress is a somewhat frivolous purchase that corresponds to Mathilde’s vanity and social ambition. Her “frugal” husband, on the other hand, asks that she buy a “suitable gown” that could be worn to other affairs. Meanwhile, the rifle (which would enable him to have a hobby that he shares with friends) seems like a much more reasonable, thought out, and class-appropriate purchase than Mathilde’s dress—one that will have a lasting value rather than a temporary, superficial value.

Moreover, Maupassant demonstrates that monetary value is somewhat arbitrary since even fashionable things can be had cheaply. Mathilde’s husband suggests that she wear roses costing 10 francs to the ball since “they’re very chic this season,” but Mathilde won’t hear of having ornaments that aren’t visibly expensive. Furthermore, Mathilde seems only to love Mme. Forestier’s necklace because she believes it is expensive, though the necklace is actually made of paste and not worth much at all. Mathilde’s inability to separate price from value, then, is what leads her to her ruin.

Taken together, Mathilde’s obsession with money and material possessions demonstrates the dangers of greed. Instead of enjoying the small comforts of life like her husband does—a servant to do the housework, the pleasure of warm soup—Mathilde is fixated on what she doesn’t have. She always wants more, and the objects she desires are far beyond her financial means. Mathilde’s greed drives her to pick the most expensive-looking necklace out of Mme. Forestier’s jewel box, and the huge debt she and her husband take on to replace the lost necklace can be seen as a natural consequence of her greediness.

While Maupassant certainly judges Mathilde for her greed and social ambition, he also mitigates the blame by showing that she is playing into the cultural norms of her time: in late-nineteenth century France, wealth was synonymous with social status, and both depended on the ownership of material goods. Maupassant is critical not simply of Mathilde, but also of the value system in which she lives. “The Necklace” therefore demonstrates how harmful materialistic social hierarchies can be to those who cannot afford to access the upper classes.

Ambition, Greed, and Material Possessions ThemeTracker

Ambition, Greed, and Material Possessions Quotes in The Necklace

Unable to adorn herself, she remained simple, but as miserable as if she’d come down in the world. For women have no caste or breed; their beauty, their grace, and their charm serve them in lieu of birth and family background. Their native finesse, their instinct for elegance, their versatile minds are their sole hierarchy, making shopgirls the equals of the grandest ladies.

She suffered endlessly, feeling that she was meant for all delicacies and all luxuries. She suffered from the poverty of her apartment, the dinginess of the walls, the shabbiness of the chairs, the ugliness of the fabrics. All these things, which wouldn’t have even been noticed by any other woman of her station, tortured her and infuriated her. The sight of the Breton girl who did her humble housework aroused woeful regrets in her and desperate dreams.

Whenever she sat down for supper at the circular table covered with the same tablecloth for three days, she faced her husband, who, removing the lid from the tureen, ecstatically declared: “Ah! A good stew! I don’t know of anything better!”

But she fantasized about elegant dinners, about shiny silverware, about tapestries filling the walls with ancient figures and exotic birds in the midst of a magic forest; she fantasized about exquisite courses served in wondrous vessels, about gallantries whispered and listened to with sphinxlike smiles, while the diners consumed the rosy flesh of a trout or the wings of a grouse.

The night of the ball was approaching, and Madame Loisel appeared sad, worried, anxious. Still, her gown was ready.

One evening, her husband said to her: “Listen, what’s wrong? You’ve been acting funny for three days now.”

And she replied: “I’m annoyed that I don’t have any jewelry—not a single gem, nothing to put on. I’ll look downright poverty-stricken. I’d almost rather not go to the ball.”

Madame Loisel looked first at some bracelets, then at a pearl necklace, then at a marvelously crafted Venetian cross made up of gold and precious stones. She tried the pieces on before the mirror, wavering, unsure whether to keep them or leave them. She kept asking: “Don’t you have anything else?”

“Of course. Keep searching. I can’t tell what you’ll like.”

All at once, in a black satin box, Madame Loisel unearthed a superb diamond necklace, and her heart began pounding with unrestrained desire. Her hands trembled when she picked up the necklace. She placed it on her throat, against her high-necked dress, and remained ecstatic in front of her reflection.

Monsieur Loisel, bringing the wraps for their exit, tossed them over her shoulders: they were the modest garments of ordinary life, their poverty clashing with the elegance of the ball gown. She sensed the discord and wanted to flee, to avoid being noticed by the other women, who were bundling up in expensive furs.

Madame Loisel now knew the horrible life of necessity….She performed the gross household tasks, the odious kitchen chores. She washed the dishes, wearing down her rosy nails on greasy pots and on the bottoms of pans. She washed the dirty linen, the shirts and the dishcloths, and let them dry on a line. She lugged the garbage down to the street every morning and hauled up the water, stopping at every landing to catch her breath. And dressed like a pauper, she went to the produce store, the grocer, the butcher, her basket on her arm, haggling, insulted, defending her miserable cash sou by sou.

“You say you bought a diamond necklace to replace mine?”

“Yes. You didn’t catch on, did you? They were fairly alike.”

And she smiled with proud and naïve joy.

Madame Forestier, deeply moved, took hold of Madame Loisel’s hands. “Oh, my poor Mathilde! My necklace was paste. It was worth at most five hundred francs!”

• Undergraduate
• High School
• Architecture
• American History
• Asian History
• Antique Literature
• American Literature
• Asian Literature
• Classic English Literature
• World Literature
• Creative Writing
• Linguistics
• Criminal Justice
• Legal Issues
• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Political Science
• World Affairs
• African-American Studies
• East European Studies
• Latin-American Studies
• Native-American Studies
• West European Studies
• Family and Consumer Science
• Social Issues
• Women and Gender Studies
• Social Work
• Natural Sciences
• Pharmacology
• Earth science
• Agriculture
• Agricultural Studies
• Computer Science
• IT Management
• Mathematics
• Investments
• Engineering and Technology
• Engineering
• Aeronautics
• Medicine and Health
• Alternative Medicine
• Communications and Media
• Advertising
• Communication Strategies
• Public Relations
• Educational Theories
• Teacher's Career
• Chicago/Turabian
• Company Analysis
• Education Theories
• Shakespeare
• Canadian Studies
• Food Safety
• Relation of Global Warming and Extreme Weather Condition
• Movie Review
• Admission Essay
• Annotated Bibliography
• Application Essay
• Article Critique
• Article Review
• Article Writing
• Book Review
• Business Plan
• Business Proposal
• Capstone Project
• Cover Letter
• Creative Essay
• Dissertation
• Dissertation - Abstract
• Dissertation - Conclusion
• Dissertation - Discussion
• Dissertation - Hypothesis
• Dissertation - Introduction
• Dissertation - Literature
• Dissertation - Methodology
• Dissertation - Results
• GCSE Coursework
• Grant Proposal
• Marketing Plan
• Multiple Choice Quiz
• Personal Statement
• Power Point Presentation
• Power Point Presentation With Speaker Notes
• Questionnaire
• Reaction Paper

Research Paper

• Research Proposal
• SWOT analysis
• Thesis Paper
• Online Quiz
• Literature Review
• Movie Analysis
• Statistics problem
• Math Problem
• All papers examples
• How It Works
• Money Back Policy
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• We Are Hiring

“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, Essay Example

Pages: 6

Words: 1703

Hire a Writer for Custom Essay

Use 10% Off Discount: "custom10" in 1 Click 👇

You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

Oppression plays a large role in the brilliant short story by Guy de Maupassant entitled “The Necklace”.  In it, a middle-class woman, Matilda Loisel, who dreams of a luxurious life, is able to have one, glorious night at a ball, wearing a borrowed necklace of diamonds from her childhood friend.  Sometime during the night of the ball, the necklace is lost.  She and her husband go into great debt to buy a replacement, living a life of great poverty for a decade to pay off the debt they incurred to do this.  Years later, the woman meets her old friend by chance in the park and brags of how much she and her husband went through to replace the necklace, only to be told that the necklace was made only costume jewelry and “were not worth five hundred francs”.

The oppression that de Maupassant writes about in this story is two-fold.  The first kind of oppression, in the first section of the short story, comes from within Matilda herself because of her unrealistic dreams and expectations for her life.  The second kind of oppression, more concrete, comes in the second part of the story, where Matilda and her husband both have to give up what comforts they had to begin with in order to pay off the debt that they owe for the necklace.  Both kinds of oppression take their toll are Matilda (though in different ways) and both will be analyzed at length in this paper.

Inner Oppression: The Burden of Fantasy

Guy de Maupassant begins to discuss the theme of Matilda’s inner oppression (or self-oppression) in the first paragraph of the story, introducing her as “one of those pretty, charming young ladies, born….into a family of clerks” (de Maupassant 31), showing the reader from the start that there is a huge divide between Matilda’s life as it is and Matilda’s life the way she wants it to be.  It is obvious that Matilda’s middle class life, married to a clerk from the Board of Education (a worthy but not perhaps very romantic job) is very distressing for her, and she is forever fantasizing unrealistically about what her life might have been like if she had married someone “either rich or distinguished” (31).  While she sits in her apartment of “the shabby walls, the worn chairs, the faded stuffs” (31), she dreams only of “large drawing-rooms, hung in old silks, of graceful pieces of furniture carrying bric-a-brac of inestimable value” (32).

These beginning paragraphs are important to the story because they show from the very first that Matilda is a woman whose oppression comes from within herself: she oppresses herself by longing for a life that she cannot have; she oppresses herself by being unhappy and discontented with the life that she does have.  The frustration that she feels with her life is palpable in the beginning of the story and it is important because it sets the stage for, and gives impetus to, what is going to happen: i.e. the fateful night of the ball, a night which is to forever change the course of Matilda’s life.

When Matilda’s husband comes home with an invitation for the ball at the home of the Minister of Public Instruction, it seems that Matilda’s fantasies might become reality for her, but instead of jumping at the chance to live the kind of life (if only for one evening) that she always dreamed of, she shrinks away at first, asking her husband irritably, “What do you suppose I have to wear to such a thing as that?” (33) and promptly bursts into tears; she is not so distraught, though, that she cannot make a quick and shrewd estimate of how much money she can get out of her husband for a new outfit: “She reflected for some seconds, making estimates and thinking of a sum that she could ask for without bringing with it an immediate refusal…from the economical clerk” (33).  And to make her fantasy life complete, she borrows what she thinks is a fabulous necklace from her childhood friend Mrs. Forestier.

Matilda is freed from her self-oppression for one night, the night of the ball, where she gets to live her fantasy in a way that she always wanted to, and de Maupassant notes that she “was a great success.  She was the prettiest of all, elegant, gracious, smiling, and full of joy” (34).  But at the end of the evening, reality comes back in full force, and Matilda feels oppressed once again when she and her husband wrap up in “modest garments of everyday wear, whose poverty clashed with the elegance of the ball costume” (34) and Matilda wishes to get away quickly, as she feels oppressed again by “the other women wrapping themselves in rich furs” (34). In her haste, she and her husband wind up on a bit of misadventure going home and when they arrive back at their apartment, they find that Matilda has lost the necklace.  De Maupassant is well aware of what is in store for Matilda when he writes that “she removed the wraps from her shoulders before the glass, for a final view of herself in her glory” This will, indeed, be the “final view” for Matilda, for a second later, she realizes that the necklace in missing, and with that missing necklace comes the second, outer form of oppression in this story: the oppression of poverty.

Outer Oppression: The Burden of Poverty

In the fall-out from the loss of the necklace, Mr. and Mrs. Loisel replace the piece of jewelry at a tremendous cost to their middle-class household: thirty-six thousand francs, which they beg and borrow and use up their inheritance to purchase.  Whether she realized it and appreciated it or not, Matilda’s life was one of middle-class comfort before, but all that is to change with the loss of the necklace.  And now the real, outer oppression, the oppression of poverty, takes hold of Matilda’s life. De Maupassant tells the reader that Matilda “now knew the horrible life of necessity” (36), and a lot of their modest middle-class trappings have to go: “they sent away the maid; they changed their lodgings; they rented some rooms under a mansard roof” (36).  So now, the poor life that Matilda has always imagined that she led has become a poor life indeed.  Without a maid to take care of these things for her, she is forced to shoulder, “the heavy cares of a household, the odious work of a kitchen” (36) but with great sacrifice, she and her husband pay off the debt that they incurred to replace the necklace, a debt which takes them a decade to pay off.

The oppression of poverty has a terrible affect upon Matilda.  De Maupassant describes her, after this decade of economic oppression, as “a strong, hard woman, the crude woman of a poor household. Her hair was badly dressed, her skirts awry, her hands red” (37).  This is no longer the bored middle class woman with a maid who fantasized about a life of wealth, although, even in the difficulty of her poverty, she “would seat herself before the window and think of that evening party of former times, of that ball when she had been so beautiful and so flattered” (37).  The fantasy seems different now: in the first part of the story, the fantasy is the vehicle of for Matilda’s self-oppression, the way in which she tortures herself for not having the kind of life she dreams of; by the end of the story, the fantasy has becomes a means of escape from the real, outer oppression of her poverty.  The image of Matilda, resting for a while from her work and thinking for a few minutes about the one night of her life when she was free from the oppressions of her discontent – the night of her life which was also her downfall and led to the oppression of her new life of poverty – is one of the most poignant scenes in the story.

If the story ended there, it would still be tragic, but De Maupassant is not yet done twisting his knife.  In the final scene of the story, the old, hard Matilda, walking in the Champs Elysee  “to rid herself of the cares of the week” (38), runs into her old friend Madame Forestier, “still young, still pretty, still attractive” (38), in contrast to Matilda herself.  Matilda cannot help but brag to Mrs. Forestier of the diamond necklace she replaced at such a tremendous cost, only to have Forestier exclaim that the necklace was cheap costume jewelry and that Matilda has ruined her life for nothing.

To conclude, this is a poignant story about the life of a woman who is at first oppressed by the unattainable fantasies that she has for herself, and then is oppressed by the poverty which results when she tries to make her fantasies into reality.  Both the oppression of her fantasies (the oppression that comes from within herself) and the oppression of poverty (the oppression that comes from the circumstance of her life) exact a toll on her.  De Maupassant, in this story, seems to be exploring the ways in which someone’s character flaws (in this case, Matilda’s unrealistic expectations for her life) can bring about a tragic end for them.  It is Matilda’s ravenous need to act out her fantasies that leads her to borrow the necklace to begin with, then hurry away from the party because she is ashamed of her wrap and lose the necklace in the process, and thus condemn herself to ten years of pointless poverty.  She is, truly, both a victim of her own oppression and of the oppression which life lays down upon her, and the second form of oppression is a direct result of the first. One reason why this story is such a classic, why it can be read even so long after it was written by people in a very different society, is because of De Maupassant’s understanding of the ways in which people do indeed oppress themselves and of the ways in which the circumstances of their life can oppress them as well.  Both are equally tragic and seem equally difficult to combat.

Stuck with your Essay?

Get in touch with one of our experts for instant help!

Samsung Supply Chain, Essay Example

Smokeless Tobacco, Research Proposal Example

Time is precious

don’t waste it!

Plagiarism-free guarantee

Privacy guarantee

Secure checkout

Money back guarantee

Related Essay Samples & Examples

Voting as a civic responsibility, essay example.

Pages: 1

Words: 287

Utilitarianism and Its Applications, Essay Example

Words: 356

The Age-Related Changes of the Older Person, Essay Example

Pages: 2

Words: 448

The Problems ESOL Teachers Face, Essay Example

Pages: 8

Words: 2293

Should English Be the Primary Language? Essay Example

Pages: 4

Words: 999

The Term “Social Construction of Reality”, Essay Example

Words: 371

The Necklace: Summary, Themes, and a Short Story Analysis

Tired of looking for an ultimate literature guide on Guy de Maupassant’s novella “ The Necklace ”? You have come to the right place! This article contains the Necklace analysis, summary, and plot diagram. Read till the end: we prepared a list of essay topic ideas and ready-to-use essay samples. Besides, our 100% free essays collection is always here for you!

Let’s start!

The Necklace: Summary

The necklace: plot, the necklace by guy de maupassant: analysis, the necklace: essay ideas.

Guy de Maupassant , an acceptable expert on human souls, wrote this novella at the end of the 19th century. “The Necklace” is a tragic and philosophical work.

The author tells the life story of an elegant and charming girl, Mathilde Loiselle. She is from a clerk’s middle-class family who could not afford a dowry. That is why she has no hopes of becoming a part of the upper class. In despair, she marries a petty official from the Ministry of Education.

Mathilde dreams about spacious salons, shining silver, fine dinners, and other ordinary things of the privileged. She dreams of being sought after. In reality, everything around brings her misery, starting with the poorness of her home, plain clothes, and food. Even the maid who runs their humble household evokes sadness for her unfulfilled desires.

Mathilde refuses to accept her life as it is. That is why she constantly cries in anguish and despair.

From time to time, she visits Jeanne Forestier, her wealthy friend. Every time she returns home, she swears she will never go there again.

One night her husband gives her a surprise. He gifts her a large envelope with an invitation to the ball. The entire higher officials, and the minister himself, are to attend that ball. M. Loisel got the invitation through a lot of effort. However, instead of getting excited, she grudgingly throws the invitation on the table.

The problem is she has nothing proper to wear. She is afraid of showing herself as a poor little slob. M. Loisel solves this challenge by giving her 400 francs he had set aside for the hunting gun.

She buys a pretty dress but still is unhappy. Now she complains she has no jewelry and looks meager and poor. M. Loisel once again comes up with a great solution. He advises her to borrow one from Mme. Forestier. She consents and goes to her friend’s house to borrow a piece of jewelry for the ball.

Mme. Forestier kindly agrees and lets her choose from a diverse collection. Mathilde spends a long time trying on each piece of jewelry until she finds the perfect one. She decides on a diamond necklace in a black satin case.

Admiring her look, she is finally happy and ready for a ball.

Her visit was a great success. Everyone was curious about her. Many of the men wanted to waltz together. The evening was unforgettable: there were no hassles and sad thoughts.

By the end of the night, she realizes it is all over for her. M. Loiselle, in turn, has to be back at his office at ten o’clock.

When they return home, she reveals her necklace is missing. Spouses start looking for it everywhere: in the folds of the dress, cloak, and pockets. But to no avail. Then the husband goes in search of the necklace on the way home. Unluckily, walking the entire route, he returns without it.

It is a big shame for her to admit the loss. So, they decide to replace the necklace with the similar one costing 40000 francs. M. Loisel takes 18000 francs inherited from his father. The spouses borrowed additional sums from friends, loan sharks, and moneylenders.

Having scraped together all the money, they buy a new necklace and give it back to Mme. Forestier.

Through ten difficult years, they manage to pay all debts. However, money is not everything they have paid. M. Loisel takes an additional night job of accounting and documents copying. Mathilde does heavy housework and losses her beauty and youthfulness. Everything she has is a warm memory of being admired in that one ball.

One day Mathilde suddenly bumps into still pretty-looking Mme. Forestier. Due to drastic changes, Jeanne hardly recognizes her charming old friend. Mathilde dares to tell her story of the life-changing debt. Being shocked, Mme. Forestier informs her that all the torment was for nothing. The original necklace was worth 500 francs at most.

Now let’s make a quick plot summary. Here are the main plot parts :

• Exposition. The Necklace exposition introduces the readers to the no-name protagonist. She is far from being a princess from a fairytale. She is just a daughter of middle-class parents, who cannot afford to let her enter higher society.
• Rising action. The Necklace rising action starts when M. Loisel brings an envelope with an invitation. He worked hard so the boss could host it to him. Hoping to cheer her up, he gives her a chance to attend a ball full of high society. However, Mathilde gets upset as she has nothing to wear. She borrows jewelry from Madame Forestier. After all, they’re getting ready to go to the ball.
• Climax. Mathilde gets what she needs: being beautiful, admired, and desired. Until she realizes she lost the borrowed “diamond” necklace. That is the climax of the story.
• Falling action. The story’s falling action is Loisels working hard to pay terrible debts taken out to replace the necklace for the next decade.
• Resolution. The Necklace resolution is Mathilde confessing the necklace loss and replacement to Madame Forestier. She realizes that the necklace was a fake and worth nothing.

Prepare for The Necklace analysis ! The upcoming sections will introduce the main characters’ traits, central themes, and setting.

Are you ready? Let’s go!

The Necklace: Main Characters

Here is the list of the Necklace characters and their brief description:

• Mathilde Loisel. Mme. Loisel comes from a family of clerks. Matilda has distinctive delicate and picturesque feminine beauty. As a vagrant, the girl has no chance of a lucrative marriage to find herself in a higher caste. Her delicate, fragile, subtle sense of wealth suffers outside the desired circle of high society. Mathilde eventually becomes strong and hardworking. Her former bashfulness is replaced by the simple, working-class honesty of paying their debts in full.
• M. Loiselle. M. Loiselle is a solid character from the story’s very beginning. Mr. Loiselle, unlike his wife, does not suffer from this kind of aristocratic mania. He is proud of his work. Loiselle loves his wife and is willing to give her everything he has. He happily eats the cabbage soup that disgusts Mathilde. M. Loiselle takes the loss of the necklace with due humility. Being the man of exceptional honesty, he solves the problem by giving up his inheritance and routine life in an apartment with servants for the momentary pleasure of the woman he loves.
• Jeanne Forestier. She is a better-off friend of Mathilde. They attended the same convent school. Mme. Forestier is a vividly bourgeois character: rich, indulgent, and unfailingly kind to Mathilde. She lets her borrow an expensive-looking necklace from the marvelous collection.

Finally, all her wealth turns out to be superficial: the necklace is made of fake diamonds. Jeanne is so used to this deception that she does not even think it is necessary to inform Mathilde about it.

The Necklace Themes

Now let’s look at the themes Guy de Maupassant uncovers in the story.

Guy de Maupassant begins the story by exposing the beauty and grace of the protagonist. The author questions the fundamental nature of beauty: is it something inherent or endowed with social status.

First, he examines the question through the example of Mathilde herself. She feels desired by many men at the ball. However, it is unclear: is it because of her stunning beauty or thanks to her expensive-looking necklace.

Then, Guy de Maupassant extrapolates the question on the example of the necklace. Even made of fake diamonds, it looks gorgeous as a proper attribute of the aristocracy.

As much gender played a significant role in the society of 19th century France, as it is one of the central themes in the Necklace. Mathilde is dissatisfied with her life and social status as a woman. At the same time, as a woman, she has nothing to do to change this.

The only possible option is to marry someone of the upper class. Mathilde’s beauty, intelligence, skills cannot help her. Lucrative marriage has been the only way for a better life for her and other women at that time.

Reality and Illusion

During the biggest part of the story, the author draws the protagonist’s difficulty distinguishing reality from illusion. She prefers to live in the elusive world of prosperity and banquets. On the contrary, her husband does not daydream. He enjoys his life and is grateful for life’s every single aspect.

The unexpected story’s final twist proves that appearances, especially the appearance of wealth, are often at odds with reality.

One more central idea of the Necklace is greed and its influence on one’s destiny. The author wants to tell the reader that one of the reasons for Mathilde’s ongoing anguish of a rich life is basic human greed.

Her life is not much unbearable or terrible. The problem is she can’t admit that anyone lives beyond her possibilities. That is perfectly illustrated by how desperate she is every time returning from her wealthy friend’s house.

Happiness has no deals with this short story at first sight. In reality, it is one of the story’s uplifting themes.

The initial unhappiness of Mathilde appears like her personal choice. She lives an enjoyable middle-class life. It is not that difficult to be content with it. Instead of focusing on the good things, she obsesses over what she doesn’t have, causing depressive thoughts.

Even a single moment of happiness at the ball is fleeting. The one happy night is the natural effect of a stunning look and diamond necklace rather than the real Mathilde experience.

However, once spouses have been paying debts for a decade, she seems content and nostalgic. She is happier than ever before. Having uncovered the truth about the lost necklace to Jeanne, she “smiled with a proud and simple joy.”

Let’s move on to the setting of the Necklace.

The Necklace Setting

Maupassant does not directly name the time or location. Although, he lefts many hints as to which city is the setting for The Necklace.

Using the currency, which is francs, titles “M.” and “Mme.”, naming the most famous street “Champs Élysées Avenue” let us quickly get the idea that the story’s location is in Paris, France. What’s more, the ball takes place in the heart of Paris — at the Ministry of Education.

Speaking of the time, we can draw a parallel between the ironic and pessimistic narrative tone and the realms of 19th century Paris life. The majority of middle-class families financially struggled then. The highlighting attribute is a marriage built on no more than financial benefit.

Literary Devices in The Necklace

Maupassant uses many literary devices in “The Necklace.” Once again, the story is written in an ironic, pessimistic, and tense tone. The author matches the bitter narrative with the emotional state of a protagonist.

✨ Symbolism. The most prominent literary device in the Necklace is symbolism. The Necklace is a symbol of wealth. The very Necklace represents desire and all the things she did not have in her life. Secondly, their apartment with frayed walls symbolizes her present or actual state of life and how miserable she feels.

✨ Methaphor . The Necklace metaphor is, again, the Necklace itself. It serves as a metaphor for Mathilde’s pride. Mathilde refused to go to the ball unless she had a necklace and dress worthy of her high opinion of herself. She compares herself to a beggar without a dress and a necklace.

✨ Irony . Another literary device is The Necklace situational irony . The fact that M. Loisel and her husband spend their entire life collecting money for a genuine necklace that replaces the fake one is ironic.

✨ Foreshadowing . Describing the Loisel family’s apartment, the author gives an excellent example of foreshadowing in The Necklace. Decrepit furniture, abraded chairs, curtains, worn walls disturb and torture Mathilde by being not appealing and cheap.

✨ Alliterations . Maupassant uses several alliterations in the Necklace. The phrases “humble housework,” “seductive and sought,” “dreadful debt,” and “stopped, stupefied” are examples of alliterations.

✨ Internal conflict .Internal conflict in The Necklace is that being beautiful and elegant is not a key to her happiness. She thinks happy life comes along with diamonds and luxurious halls. In reality, it’s far from that.

You’ve finally approached “ The Necklace ” essay ideas! Check them out to kickstart your paper.

Essay Topics

We gathered a list of extended essay topics and The Necklace questions to uncover in your paper.

• What kind of character is Mathilde Loisel in The Necklace? Examine the protagonist in various circumstances: turn her inner self inside out. Describe her traits and give examples of how they influence the character’s decisions and actions.
• What are the examples of symbolism in The Necklace ? What is a symbol in the novel? What is its role? List the symbolic elements used by Maupassant and give their detailed explanation.
• An overview of philosophical questions raised in The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant Reflect on such philosophical issues as appearance and reality, class conflict, greed, and sacrifice, illustrated in the story. How do The Necklace events reflect the reality of that time? Are they equitable as of today?
• What is the message delivered in The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant ? Formulate a message of the novel by explaining its significance, morals, author’s point of view, and appeal of The Necklace. Is there more than one thing the author wanted to tell? What did you learn from The Necklace short story?
• Literary devices used in The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant Are there any examples of figurative languages, like personification, symbolism, or similes in the novel? Make a listed overview of literary devices used in the story and give their examples. What is The Necklace’s tone?
• The historical context of The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant When and why was the story written? What influenced Maupassant to write The Necklace? How did that time influence the novel stylistically?
• What is The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant’s climax? Study the story’s plot diagram. That events do occur in the climax? How the author develops them?
• The actual root causes of Mathilde Loisel unhappiness in The Necklace Focus on why Mme. Loisel was unhappy and desperate about her life. Try to figure out whether it was modest living conditions or something more profound? Please share your opinion on whether you think she found her happiness.
• Should Mathilda have told Mme Forestier what happened? What would this change? Write an opinion essay on possible story outcomes.
• The transformation of Mathilde’s attitude to wealth through the story After losing the necklace, appearance and social status seem less critical to Matilda? Why/why not? Write a detailed explanation in your essay.

20 Essay Samples

We gathered the best essay samples to inspire you to write a brilliant paper. Take a look!

More samples you may find in our rich knowledge base with various topic-related essays. Feel free to use them!

We appreciate you reading our literary analysis of The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant. Hope, you find it valuable. If so, please, save this article and use it to generate your essay or share it with a friend.

❓ What Are the Internal and External Conflicts in The Necklace?

The internal conflict in The Necklace is that her poverty and middle-classness saddens elegant and beautiful Mathilde. The external conflict — searching for a proper way to replace the lost fake necklace.

❓ What Is the Author’s Message in The Necklace?

The Necklace tells a story of a woman who longs for more in life and the mistake that leads to a terrible price she must pay for her dreams to come true. The author tried to question the truth about human values by telling it. His message is clear: one should be content in life with whatever they have.

❓ What Does the Necklace Symbolize?

The necklace is a symbolic element reflecting the fake perception of wealth. The old saying “all that glitters is not gold” is an excellent example of that symbol of nature.

❓ Why the Necklace Is a Good Story?

The Maupassant’s The Necklace carries a solid moral. It shows that appreciating the reality you live in is an outstanding personal trait, opposed to greed and jealousy. Life isn’t about social status or how rich you are. It is about what kind of person you are.

• The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
• Guy de Maupassant | Biography, Short Stories, Novels, Death — Britannica
• Narrative Elements Explained — Lewis University
• Literary Analysis Sample Paper — Germanna Community College
• What is a Theme in Literature? — College of Liberal Arts
• Setting — Purdue University Online Writing Lab
• Literary Devices — Techniques and Elements — Pittsford Schools
• What is Irony? | Definition & Examples — Oregon State University
• What is Foreshadowing? — Oregon State Guide to Literary Terms
• Literary Techniques: Metaphor — Matrix Education
• Symbolism — Del Mar College
• Conflict in Literature — Madison County Schools
• Primer: Literary Purpose — Austin Community College
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter X
• Share to LinkedIn

You might also like

105 literature review topics + how-to guide [2024], literature review: outline, strategies, and examples [2024], the things they carried 101: literary analysis.

A thesis statement for the necklace?

The thesis statement is to just tell the truth and not lie because you could be stuck working to pay of the lie for the rest of your life.

"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant explores the themes of appearance versus reality, the danger of materialism, and the consequences of pride. Through the story of Madame Loisel's desire for wealth and social status, the author conveys the message that true happiness cannot be found in material possessions.

"The Necklace" being a short story about the woman who works for years to pay off her friend's lost necklace that turned out to be fake.

not really a good thesis statemnet

"No.....There's nothing more humiliating than to look poor among alot of rich women ."

Add your answer:

What is the thesis statement for The Necklace?

The thesis statement for "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant could be: "Through the character of Mathilde Loisel, the author explores the themes of the pursuit of wealth and social status, the consequences of vanity and greed, and the idea that true happiness comes from within, rather than external appearances."

The is where the writer explains to the reader what the essay will be about?

the introduction paragraph and mainly the thesis statement.

How is persuasive thesis statement different from a descriptive thesis statement?

A persuasive thesis statement argues the author's opinion on a topic; a descriptive thesis statement does not.

How is a persuasive thesis statement different from a descriptive thesis statement?

A persuasive thesis statement presents an argument or opinion that requires proof or justification, aiming to persuade the reader to agree with a particular viewpoint. In contrast, a descriptive thesis statement simply describes a topic or issue without taking a stance or attempting to persuade the reader.

How is a persuasive thesis statement different from an explanatory thesis statement?

A persuasive thesis statement aims to convince the reader of a specific viewpoint or argument, presenting a clear stance that the writer will defend throughout the essay. In contrast, an explanatory thesis statement simply explains a topic or issue without taking a side or making an argument. The persuasive thesis statement typically includes a call to action or a proposed solution, whereas the explanatory thesis statement mainly provides information.

Is there a hook in a thesis statement?

Yes, a hook in a thesis statement is a sentence that grabs the reader's attention and makes them want to read more. It usually comes at the beginning of the thesis statement to spark interest in the topic being discussed.

What does the thesis statement do?

The thesis statement presents the main idea or argument of the essay. It helps guide the reader and the writer by establishing the focus and direction of the paper.

How is a persuasive thesis statement different from an explanatory thesis?

A persuasive thesis statement contains the author's opinion on a topic, whereas an explanatory thesis statement does not.

Can a question statement be a thesis statement?

No you may not ask any questions in your thesis statement, because the thesis statement basically states your answer to whatever you are doing.

Can you write a question in the thesis statement?

Can using technology enhance student learning outcomes in the classroom?

What part of speech is thesis statement?

Thesis statement is a noun phrase, consisting of the main noun statement and the noun adjunct thesis.

What is the thesis statement to a walk to remember?

The thesis statement of "A Walk to Remember" could be: Through the story of Landon and Jamie, "A Walk to Remember" explores themes of love, faith, forgiveness, and redemption, demonstrating how unexpected relationships can change us for the better.

Top Categories