THE NECKLACE

THE NECKLACE

“The Necklace” is a story about vanity, materialism and the danger of judging life by appearances, ending with a powerful irony that a seemingly valuable necklace was actually fake.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Guy de Maupassant (1850–1893) was a celebrated French writer and a master of the modern short story. Born in Normandy, he was mentored by Gustave Flaubert. He wrote nearly 300 short stories and several novels, including Bel-Ami and Une Vie. His works reflected Realism and Naturalism and often explored vanity, social pretension and irony. His famous story The Necklace (La Parure, 1884) presents a woman’s desire for luxury and its consequences. His style is concise, realistic and marked by surprise endings.

Word Meaning

1.         distinguished -          successful and respected

2.         petty               -           small; of little importance

3.         incessantly     -           continuously; without stopping

4.         delicacies        -           special or expensive foods

5.         luxuries          -           expensive things that are not necessary

6.         shabby            -           old and in poor condition

7.         tureen -           a covered dish used for serving soup

8.         exquisite         -           extremely beautiful or finely made

9.         marvellous     -           wonderful; excellent

10.       frocks              -           dresses

11.       despair           -           complete loss of hope

12.       elated              -           extremely happy

13.       spitefully        -           in a way intended to hurt or annoy someone

14.       stupefied        -           extremely shocked or surprised

15.       dismay            -           sudden feeling of worry or distress

16.       vexation          -           annoyance or irritation

17.       costume          -           clothes worn for a particular occasion

18.       economical     -           careful about spending money

19.       poverty-stricken        -           extremely poor

20.       adorn              -           to decorate or make more attractive

21.       distress           -           great worry, sadness or suffering

22.       ecstatic           -           extremely happy

23.       intoxicated     -           strong feeling of excitement or pleasure

24.       modest            -           simple and not expensive

25.       hopeless         -           without hope

26.       bewilderment-           confusion

27.       frightful          -           very frightening or terrible

28.       clasp               -           a fastening device used to hold something together

29.       chaplet            -           a small wreath or garland

30.       ruinous           -           causing great loss or damage

31.       usurers           -           people who lend money at very high interest

32.       odious             -           extremely unpleasant or hateful

33.       haggling          -           arguing about the price of something

34.       sou                  -           a former french coin of very small value

35.       crude              -           rough; lacking refinement

36.       awry               -           not straight or in the proper position

37.       perceived       -           noticed or became aware of

38.       personage      -           an important or notable person

39.       astonished      -           extremely surprised

40.       frantically       -           in a wild, hurried or uncontrolled manner

41.       substitution    -           replacement of one thing with another

 

READ AND FIND OUT (PAGE – 39) READ FOR SELF

1. What kind of a person is Mme Loisel—why is she always unhappy?

Mme Loisel is a beautiful but dissatisfied woman. She belongs to a family of clerks but dreams of wealth, luxury and social status. She feels that she was born for delicacies and luxuries. Her shabby surroundings, worn chairs and limited means make her unhappy because they do not match her dreams.

2. What kind of a person is her husband?

M. Loisel is a simple, caring and contented man. He works as a clerk in the office of the Board of Education. He is economical and is satisfied with his ordinary life. He loves his wife and willingly sacrifices his own wishes to make her happy, showing that he is a devoted husband.

 

READ AND FIND OUT (PAGE – 41) READ FOR SELF

1. What fresh problem now disturbs Mme Loisel?

After getting the dress, Mme Loisel is disturbed because she has no jewellery to adorn herself with. She fears that she will look poor among the rich women at the ball. She feels that going without jewels would be humiliating. Therefore, she asks her husband to suggest a solution.

 

2. How is the problem solved?

M. Loisel first suggests that Matilda should wear some natural flowers. She refuses the idea because she wants to look rich and elegant. He then reminds her of Mme Forestier, her wealthy friend. Matilda visits her friend and borrows a beautiful diamond necklace, solving her problem for the ball.

 

READ AND FIND OUT (PAGE – 42) READ FOR SELF

1. What do M. and Mme Loisel do next?

After discovering that the necklace was missing, the Loisels searched everywhere. M. Loisel retraced their route and searched the streets. He went to the police, the cab offices and the newspapers. They even offered a reward for information. However, despite all their efforts, they could not find the necklace.

 

2. How do they replace the necklace?

The Loisels decide to replace the lost necklace with an identical one. They find a similar necklace costing thirty-six thousand francs. M. Loisel uses eighteen thousand francs from his inheritance and borrows the remaining amount. They buy the necklace and return it to Mme Forestier.

 

THINK ABOUT IT (PAGE – 46) WRITE IN NOTEBOOK

1. The course of the Loisels’ life changed due to the necklace. Comment.

The loss of the necklace completely changed the Loisels’ lives. They borrowed a huge amount of money to replace it and spent ten years repaying the debt. They moved to a cheaper place and dismissed their servant. Matilda did all the household work, while M. Loisel worked extra hours. Their comfortable life became one of poverty and hardship.

 

2. What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?

Matilda’s dissatisfaction, vanity and desire for wealth and social status were the main causes of her ruin. She wanted to appear rich and elegant. She could have avoided her suffering by being content with her simple life. More importantly, she should have honestly told Mme Forestier that the necklace was lost instead of secretly replacing it.

 

3. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?

If Matilda had confessed to Mme Forestier, she would probably have learnt that the necklace was an imitation. She would not have needed to borrow thirty-six thousand francs to replace it. The Loisels would have been saved from ten years of poverty, hard work and debt. Thus, one honest confession could have prevented their suffering.

 

4. If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?

If I were in Matilda’s situation, I would remain calm and honestly tell my friend that I had lost the necklace. I would accept responsibility for my mistake and try to find a suitable solution. I would not hide the truth out of fear or embarrassment. Honesty and clear communication could prevent the problem from becoming worse.

TALK ABOUT IT (PAGE – 46) WRITE IN NOTEBOOK

1. The characters in this story speak in English. Do you think this is their language? What clues are there in the story about the language its characters must be speaking in?

The characters probably do not speak English. The story is set in France and was originally written in French by Guy de Maupassant. It was later translated into English for readers.

There are several clues about their language and background. The characters are addressed as Monsieur and Mme, which are French forms of address. The names of places such as Palais-Royal and Champs-Élysées also point to France.

The use of French currency such as franc and sou is another important clue. Therefore, although the characters speak English in the translated story, they would most probably have been speaking French in the original setting.

2. Honesty is the best policy.

Honesty is one of the most important qualities in life. A truthful person may face difficulties for a short time, but honesty helps a person maintain peace of mind and the trust of others.

In The Necklace, Matilda could have told Mme Forestier immediately that she had lost the necklace. Instead, she and her husband secretly replaced it by borrowing a huge amount of money. This decision brought ten years of poverty and hard work.

The story clearly shows that hiding the truth can make a small problem much bigger. If Matilda had been honest, she could have avoided years of suffering. Therefore, we should always speak the truth and face problems honestly rather than allowing fear or pride to control our decisions.

 

3. We should be content with what life gives us.

We should learn to be content with what we have because excessive desire can make us unhappy. Everyone has different circumstances, and constantly comparing ourselves with others can take away our peace.

Matilda was unhappy because she wanted a luxurious life that was beyond her means. She disliked her simple home and ordinary possessions. Her desire to appear wealthy led her to borrow a necklace, and its loss brought great suffering to her and her husband.

This does not mean that we should never try to improve our lives. We should work hard and achieve our goals honestly, but we should also appreciate what we already have. Contentment gives us peace, while unnecessary greed and dissatisfaction can lead to serious problems.

 

QUESTIONS FOR SELF-PRACTICE

A. 3 MARK QUESTIONS

Q1. Suppose Matilda had told Mme Forestier about the loss of the necklace immediately instead of concealing it. Evaluate how this single decision could have altered the Loisels’ subsequent life. Give reasons based on Matilda’s circumstances and the eventual revelation about the necklace.

Q2. Imagine that you were M. Loisel when Matilda informed you that the necklace had been lost. Would you prioritise protecting Matilda from embarrassment or revealing the truth to Mme Forestier? Justify your choice with reference to the values and consequences presented in the story.

Q3. Matilda’s character is revealed not only through what she says but also through the choices she makes when confronted with adversity. Analyse how her response to the loss of the necklace reveals both her weaknesses and her capacity for endurance.

 

Q4. M. Loisel’s actions after the loss of the necklace contrast sharply with Matilda’s earlier dissatisfaction with their modest life. Examine how his sacrifices and conduct contribute to the reader’s understanding of his character.

Q5. “Matilda was punished less for losing the necklace than for her obsession with appearances.” Evaluate the statement with close reference to the events of the story.

Q6. The final revelation that the original necklace was an imitation transforms the reader’s understanding of the entire story. Do you consider the ending an example of irony of fate or a consequence of human error? Justify your view.

B. 6 MARK QUESTIONS

Q1. Matilda’s tragedy develops through a chain of psychological and practical decisions rather than through a single unfortunate incident. Analyse the progression from dissatisfaction → desire for social recognition → concealment of the truth → prolonged suffering → final revelation.

How does Maupassant use this progression to expose the dangers of vanity and materialistic aspirations?

 

Q2. The necklace functions as more than a physical object in the story. It becomes associated with social status, illusion, deception, suffering and irony. Examine how the significance of the necklace changes at different stages of the narrative and how this contributes to the impact of the ending.

 

Q3. Matilda Loisel and Valli (Madam Rides the Bus) are both dissatisfied with the limitations of their ordinary lives and seek an experience beyond their immediate surroundings. Compare their motivations, attitudes and emotional responses.

How does the contrast between their experiences reveal the difference between materialistic aspiration and a desire for independence or experience?

 

Q4. Matilda Loisel (The Necklace) and Horace Danby (A Question of Trust) both allow their desires to influence their decisions and eventually face unexpected consequences. Compare the two characters with reference to their motivations, moral choices and emotional responses when their plans go wrong.

How do the two stories create different moods while conveying a similar warning about the consequences of deceptive choices?

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