3. PLOT
Mathilde Loisel, a young woman married to a
clerk, longs for the luxuries of aristocratic life. She is
not satisfied with her conditions and feels that she
deserves greater things because of her beauty and
charm. One day, Monsieur Loisel brings her an
invitation to a party given by the minister of
education, but Mathilde is not happy because she
does not have an appropriate dress to wear. Her
husband agrees to give her 400 franks to buy a dress.
Mathilde, however, is still unhappy because she does
not have any jewelry. Her husband advises her to
borrow a piece of jewelry from her rich friend Mme
Forestier. Matilde borrows a diamond necklace.
After a delightful party, she loses the necklace.
4. The Loisels have to replace the necklace, so they
buy another one that costs them thirty-six thousand
francs and return it to the friend. They have then to
spend ten years in poverty, trying to pay back the
money they have borrowed. They dismiss the maid,
move to a cheap apartment, and take extra jobs to
repay the debt. Hardships make Mathilde stronger
and tougher.
After ten years of difficult life, the debt is finally
paid. When Mathilde sees her friend, who is still
young and pretty, she tells her how their life has
become very miserable since she took the necklace
from her. Mme Forestier is very astonished and
reveals to Mme Loisel that the original necklace was
actually fake.
5. POINT OF VIEW
The story is told from the third-person
point of view.
6. SETTING
The story is set in Paris during the
nineteenth century.
7. THEME
Deceptiveness of Appearances:
Mathilde is not content with her life and
wants to appear rich and high class. During
the party she succeeds in convincing people of
this and she is happy. The deceptiveness of
appearances is highlighted the necklace,
which appears to be very expensive but is
actually nothing more than costume jewelry.
8. IRONY
Monsieur and Mme Loisel waste ten years
of their life to repay their debts. They do not
know that the necklace is actually fake and
not worth all the trouble and suffering it has
caused them.
9. SYMBOLISM
The necklace:
The necklace appears expensive but it is
false. It is a symbol of the deceptiveness of
appearances. Mathilde is as fake as the
necklace because she wants to appear rich
although she is not.
