The Necklace
- Guy De Maupassant
SUMMARY OF THE STORY
The story ‘The Necklace’ was written seven hundred years ago by Guy De Maupassant in France. Matilda Loisel lived in a small flat with her husband who worked as a clerk for the Ministry of Information. Matilda was a very pretty young lady. Neither did they live a luxurious life nor were they poor. Matilda was very unhappy because she always thought that she was born for all luxuries in the world but she had to live a petty and simple life.
Her husband brought an invitation to a dinner party organized by his office. He thought his wife would be excited but instead, she was upset. She complained that she had nothing suitable to wear to such a great occasion. Her husband generously agreed to give her four hundred francs that he had saved to buy a new rifle to get herself a dress. Matilda became anxious in the week of the party. On asking her she told her husband that she had no jewellery policy with her gown. He suggested that perhaps she could borrow something from her friend Jeanne Forestier. Jeanne heard her story of distress and she generously opened her box of jewels. Matilda borrowed a sparkling diamond necklace.
Matilda and her husband attended the gala and had a great time. Matilda looked very pretty, elegant, and graceful. Everyone at the party noticed her and they all wanted to be introduced to her. She was so glorified by her beauty that she became very careless. They arrived home in the early hours of the morning. When Matilda viewed her glory in the mirror, she realized the necklace was missing. They searched for it everywhere in the house. They wondered if it fell in the cab that brought them home but neither of them noticed the number. Matilda’s husband went out to search the streets but returned empty-handed. He also went to the policeman and to the cab offices to raise a complaint. He advertised in the newspaper and offered a reward. To buy some time from Jeanne, Matilda wrote a letter that she broke the clasp of the necklace and so she sent it for repair. In the meantime, they found a similar kind of necklace. The cost of the necklace was thirty-six thousand francs. Her husband inherited eighteen thousand francs from his father and he borrowed the rest of the amount from the moneylenders. Finally, they purchased the necklace and Matilda gave it to Jeanne who did not care to look at it.
Matilda’s life changed dramatically in the next ten years. They moved to a much smaller apartment where she cooked and cleaned herself. Her husband did multiple jobs and she also did other work to pay all the money they had borrowed. After ten years, they were able to pay all the money back but by then Matilda had aged a lot. One day, Matilda met Jeanne Forestier. She decided to confess the truth about the necklace. Jeanne was surprised to see Matilda’s state. Matilda told her that she had lost the necklace that she borrowed from her and had to pay a huge amount for the replacement. Jeanne was shocked to hear the entire story behind the necklace and she confessed that the necklace Matilda borrowed was a fake, which was not more than worth five hundred francs.
GENERAL ANSWER
Narrate the story ‘The Necklace’ in your own words.
Introduction:
Guy De Maupassant was a great French writer. He was one of the best short story writers in the world. He was a representative of the naturalist school of writers. He depicted human lives often in pessimistic terms. He wrote more than three hundred stories. He also wrote novels, travel books, and poetry. The story ‘The Necklace’ was written seven hundred years ago by Guy De Maupassant in France.
Beginning of the story:
Matilda Loisel lived in a small flat with her husband who worked as a clerk for the Minister of Education. Matilda was a very pretty young lady. Neither did they live a luxurious life nor were they poor. Matilda was very unhappy because she always thought that she was born for all luxuries in the world but she had to live a petty and simple life.
Invitation to Dinner Party:
Her husband brought an invitation to a dinner party organized by his office. He thought his wife would be excited but instead, she was upset. She complained that she had nothing suitable to wear to such a great occasion. Her husband generously agreed to give her four hundred francs that he had saved to buy a new rifle to get herself a dress. Matilda became anxious in
the week of the party. On asking her she told her husband that she had no jewellery policy with her gown.
Borrowing Necklace:
He suggested that perhaps she could borrow something from her friend Jeanne Forestier. Jeanne heard her story of distress and she generously opened her box of jewels. Matilda borrowed a sparkling diamond necklace. Matilda and her husband attended the gala and had a great time. Matilda looked very pretty, elegant, and graceful. Everyone at the party noticed her and they all wanted to be introduced to her. She was so glorified by her beauty that she became very careless.
The Necklace goes Missing:
They arrived home in the early hours of the morning. When Matilda viewed her glory in the mirror, she realized the necklace was missing. They searched for it everywhere in the house. They wondered if it fell in the cab that brought them home but neither of them noticed the number. Matilda’s husband went out to search the streets but returned empty-handed. He also went to the policeman and to the cab offices to raise a complaint. He advertised in the newspaper and offered a reward.
Matilda buys New Necklace with Borrowed Money:
To buy some time from Jeanne, Matilda wrote a letter that she broke the clasp of the necklace and so she sent it for repair. In the meantime, they found a similar kind of necklace. The cost of the necklace was thirty-six thousand francs. Her husband inherited eighteen thousand francs from his father and he borrowed the rest of the amount from the moneylenders. Finally, they purchased the necklace and Matilda gave it to Jeanne who did not care to look at it.
The Couple Suffers from Hardship due to Debts:
Matilda’s life changed dramatically in the next ten years. They moved to a much smaller apartment where she cooked and cleaned herself. Her husband did multiple jobs and she also did other work to pay all the money they had borrowed. After ten years, they were able to pay all the money back but by then Matilda had aged a lot.
Matilda’s Fake Necklace:
One day, Matilda met Jeanne Forestier. She decided to confess the truth about the necklace. Jeanne was surprised to see Matilda’s state. Matilda told her that she had lost the necklace that she borrowed from her and had to pay a huge amount for the replacement. Jeanne was shocked to hear the entire story behind the necklace and she confessed that the necklace Matilda borrowed was a fake, which was not more than worth five hundred francs.
Conclusion
The lesson of the story is ‘Honesty is the best policy. If Matilda honestly told her friend the truth about the necklace, she would have learned that the necklace wasn’t made of real diamonds and that would have saved her from living a miserable life for ten years. It is a fact that many times people either hide the truth or they just simply lie so that they can get saved from punishment or the anger of their loved ones. However, it should always be kept in mind that the ones close to us will never hold us responsible for little follies, only if we tell the truth and accept our mistakes.
The story of ‘The Necklace’ is a satire that gives a strong message on human values. The very first thing that this lesson teaches us is that everyone should be content in life with whatever little that he has. One should live within one’s means or else he invites unnecessary problems, anxieties, and confusion in life. The most important message of the story is that we should be what we are.
COMPREHENSION
Answer the following questions in 30-40 words.
1. Why was Mathilde not happy with her marriage?
Mathilde was unhappy with her marriage because she was married to a minor official at the Ministry of Education who cannot provide her life full of comforts. She cannot fulfil her desires.
2. What kind of life did Mathilde want?
Mathilde dreamed of silent antechambers hung with Oriental tapestries. She wanted to have vast living rooms furnished in rare old silks, elegant furniture loaded with priceless ornaments. She dreamed of fine dinners. She dreamed of delicious dishes served on wonderful plates.
3. What invitation does her husband bring home?
Her husband brings the invitation to the party to be held at the Education Ministry.
4. Why was Mathilde not happy with the invitation?
Mathilde was not happy with the invitation because she had no dress to wear for the party. Therefore, she suggests her husband that he should give this invitation card to his friend whose wife has better clothes to wear.
5. What did Madame Loisel discover when she arrived home after the ball?
When she arrived home after the ball, Madame Loisel discovered that she no longer had the necklace round her neck. She lost it somewhere.
Additional Questions:
1. Why was Mathilde unhappy with her life?
Mathilde was very unhappy with her low birth and poor economic condition. She always thinks that she is a beautiful who is meant for all the comforts of life. She dreams of places, servants, perfumes, parties, friendship with rich people etc. which makes her unhappy.
2. Who was Mathilde’s Husband?
Mr. Loisel was Mathilde’s husband. He was a clerk of the ministry of the Public Instruction.
3. Why did Mathilde refuse to visit her friend?
Mathilde refused to visit her friend because her friend wad very rich and she did not have a good dress to wear.
4. What reaction did Mathilde give reading the invitation card?
Reading the invitation, Mathilde became sad. She said to her husband that he should give this invitation card to his friend who has good clothes to wear.
5. What led Mathilde and her husband to miserable life?
Mathilde’s desire for living a life like a rich people led to the miserable condition of the couple. Mathilde borrowed a necklace from her friend to wear in party which lost
somewhere. Therefore, the couple had to buy a new necklace for returning to her friend thinking that it was a gold necklace.
