Lecture: "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant

Introduction

• Author: Guy de Maupassant
• Source: Horror Masters, 2006
• Theme: The story explores themes of vanity, deception, and the consequences of pride.

Characters

• Mathilde Loisel: Pretty and charming, feels she was born for a luxurious life but is married to a poor clerk.
• Monsieur Loisel: Mathilde's supportive husband, a clerk in the Ministry of Public Instruction.
• Madame Forestier: Mathilde's wealthy friend who lends her a necklace.

Plot Summary

Exposition

• Mathilde, unhappy with her modest lifestyle, desires luxury and wealth.
• She is married to Monsieur Loisel, a minor clerk.

Inciting Incident

• Monsieur Loisel acquires an invitation to a prestigious ball.
• Mathilde is upset because she lacks a suitable dress and jewels.

Rising Action

• Mathilde's husband sacrifices his savings for her to buy a dress.
• Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace from Madame Forestier to wear to the ball.
• At the ball, Mathilde is admired for her beauty and elegance.

Climax

• Mathilde discovers that she has lost the borrowed necklace after the ball.
• The Loisels cannot find it and decide to replace it.

Falling Action

• They find a similar necklace worth 36,000 francs.
• The couple borrows money and buys the replacement, leading to ten years of poverty and hard work to repay the debt.

Resolution

• After ten years, the debt is repaid.
• Mathilde encounters Madame Forestier and confesses the truth.
• Madame Forestier reveals the original necklace was fake, worth only 500 francs.

Themes and Analysis

• Vanity and Pride: Mathilde’s desire to appear wealthier than she is leads to her downfall.
• Irony: The expensive replacement was unnecessary as the original was a fake, highlighting the futility of Mathilde’s sacrifices.
• Social Class and Materialism: The story critiques the obsession with wealth and social status.
• Reality vs. Illusion: The revelation about the necklace serves as a metaphor for the illusions people create about their lives.

Moral and Lessons

• Be content with what you have; chasing appearances can lead to ruin.
• Honest communication could prevent misjudgments and unnecessary hardships.
• The story highlights the randomness of fate and the small events that can drastically alter one's life trajectory.