Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace"
This story is not only extremely ironic but it also has so much depth and symbolism involved. “The Necklace” begins by focusing on a woman that has no ability to accept her situation. She is overly materialistic to a point that is almost annoying. “She suffered constantly, feeling herself destined for all delicacies and luxuries”. At first she even seems like a spoiled women who is downright unrealistic. Guy De’ Maupassant is very clear in expressing how dissatisfied she is with her existing life, and how she believes that she is practically royalty yet unfortunately dealt the wrong hand. “She was one of those pretty and charming women, born, as if by an error of destiny into a family of clerks and copyists”. At first, the opinion of her is casted in a negative light. However, it is not until reading the entire story that we realize that Mathilde Loisel is in fact just like any other woman today. By the end of the story we realize that not only the moral of her character increases but so does her strength. In the beginning of the story, Maupaussant focuses tremendously on painting a perfect picture of exactly how upset Mathilde is with her life. He also focuses on the fact that Mathilde is not content with her husband at all. The way she speaks to him comes off very distasteful and leaves a sour feeling. Yet, not until we analyze further do we realize that her husband is as just as weak a character as herself. When he brings home the invitation to the ball her reaction is heart wrenching; “She looked at him angrily and stated impatiently, what do you want me to wear to go there?” Here we see what’s important to her. Not the kind thought and invitation to the ball, but how she’s going to appear to the others there and what she’s going to wear. This, in my opinion is the first clue to how selfish this character truly initially is. Eventually we see the story unfold as we learn after her husband gives her all of his savings for a dress, she is still not satisfied and