The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
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Questions and Answers

Why does Mathilde behave oddly as the day of the party approaches?

  • She is anxious about meeting Madame Forestier
  • She is worried about Monsieur Loisel's behavior
  • She lacks jewels to wear (correct)
  • She is worried about her dress

    • What does Monsieur Loisel suggest Mathilde do when she refuses to wear flowers?

  • Visit Madame Forestier to borrow jewels (correct)
  • Wear a scarf to hide her bare neck
  • Visit a jeweler to buy her own necklace
  • Attend the party without jewelry

    • What is Mathilde's reaction when she visits Madame Forestier and borrows a diamond necklace?

  • She is annoyed at Madame Forestier's generosity
  • She is hesitant and unsure
  • She is overcome with gratitude (correct)
  • She is suspicious of Madame Forestier's intentions

    • What happens when Mathilde removes her wrap at home after the party?

    <p>She discovers her necklace is missing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do the Loisels eventually replace the necklace?

    <p>They buy a similar necklace from a jeweler</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the price of the new necklace that the Loisels purchase?

    <p>36,000 francs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the outcome of the Loisels' financial struggles?

    <p>They live a life of poverty for ten years</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Madame Forestier react when Mathilde explains the story of the necklace?

    <p>She reveals that the original necklace was costume jewelry</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the eventual outcome of Mathilde's beauty?

    <p>Her beauty is now gone, and she looks like the other women of poor households</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How long does it take the Loisels to repay their debts?

    <p>10 years</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main reason Mathilde is unhappy with her life?

    <p>She feels she has been born into a family of unfavorable economic status</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between Mathilde's lifestyle and the one she dreams of?

    <p>Mathilde's lifestyle is modest, but she dreams of an extravagant one</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Mathilde's husband bring home one night?

    <p>An invitation to a formal party</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does Mathilde refuse to visit Madame Forestier?

    <p>Because visiting Madame Forestier brings her heartbreak</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the amount of money Mathilde's husband agrees to give her for a new dress?

    <p>400 francs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main reason Mathilde's husband is upset?

    <p>Because Mathilde cries when he brings home the invitation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Mathilde's attitude towards her husband's modest lifestyle?

    <p>She regrets it</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Mathilde imagine in her daydreams?

    <p>A life of extravagance and luxury</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the profession of Mathilde's husband?

    <p>A clerk in the Ministry of Education</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of Mathilde's husband that is mentioned in the passage?

    <p>He is quiet and understanding</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the reality of Mathilde's situation?

    <p>She is neither wealthy nor part of the social class she feels she deserves.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is the party a triumph for Mathilde?

    <p>Because for the first time, her appearance matched the reality of her life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of Madame Forestier's necklace?

    <p>It highlights the deceptiveness of appearances.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the struggle that Mathilde faces?

    <p>She struggles to reconcile her ideal life with her actual life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the truth about Mathilde's appearance?

    <p>Her appearance took a great deal of scheming and work.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the illusion that Mathilde creates?

    <p>That she is wealthy and part of a higher social class.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main theme of the passage?

    <p>The deceptiveness of appearances.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of Mathilde's effort to create an illusion?

    <p>She deceives other people easily.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Mathilde's attitude towards her life?

    <p>She is unhappy with her life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of Mathilde's beauty?

    <p>It is a source of her self-worth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the fact that the diamonds in the necklace are fake?

    <p>It highlights theTheme of deception and appearances in the story.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main characteristic of Mathilde's perception of herself?

    <p>She is a martyr and deserves a better life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the outcome of Mathilde's belief in the power of objects to change her life?

    <p>She becomes more materialistic and obsessed with wealth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the Loisels living on the Rue des Martyrs?

    <p>It symbolizes Mathilde's perception of herself as a martyr.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Mathilde's perception of herself change after she loses the necklace?

    <p>Her perception of herself as a martyr intensifies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of Monsieur Loisel's sacrifices in the story?

    <p>It reveals Monsieur Loisel's true character as a martyr.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the outcome of Mathilde's obsession with the trappings of the wealthy?

    <p>She becomes more materialistic and obsessed with wealth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the fact that Madame Forestier does not reveal the truth about the necklace?

    <p>It emphasizes the importance of deception and appearances in the story.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the ultimate outcome of Mathilde's actions and decisions?

    <p>She loses her beauty and her life becomes worse.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the theme of the story that is highlighted by Mathilde's behavior and decisions?

    <p>The danger of martyrdom and deception.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between Madame Forestier's and Mathilde's attitudes towards objects?

    <p>Madame Forestier values objects based on their perceived power, while Mathilde values them based on their monetary worth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Madame Forestier's ownership of fake jewels suggest about her perspective?

    <p>She understands that objects are only as powerful as people perceive them to be.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is implied about Madame Forestier's wealth?

    <p>She has the means to purchase what she likes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Madame Forestier's reaction when Mathilde tells her the necklace is extremely valuable?

    <p>She is more concerned about Mathilde's unnecessary sacrifice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of Madame Forestier's agreement to lend Mathilde her diamond necklace?

    <p>It demonstrates her carelessness with her possessions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key difference between Madame Forestier and Mathilde?

    <p>Madame Forestier values objects for their perceived power, while Mathilde values them for their monetary worth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Madame Forestier's attitude towards objects suggest about her character?

    <p>She is wise and grounded.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of Madame Forestier's fake jewels in the context of the story?

    <p>They highlight her understanding of the perceived power of objects.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can be inferred about Madame Forestier's relationship with Mathilde?

    <p>They have a casual and cordial relationship.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the underlying theme of the passage in regards to Madame Forestier and Mathilde?

    <p>The power of perception in shaping our values and attitudes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Mathilde Loisel's Life and Discontent

    • Mathilde Loisel feels trapped in a life of poverty and resents her husband's humble circumstances.
    • She dreams of a more extravagant existence, imagining elaborate feasts, fancy china, and wealthy friends.
    • Her beauty and charm are the only things that make her feel desirable, but she has no fancy jewels or clothing.

    The Party Invitation and the Necklace

    • Mathilde's husband, Monsieur Loisel, brings home an invitation to a formal party hosted by the Ministry of Education.
    • Mathilde is angry and upset, crying because she has nothing to wear, and asks her husband to give the invitation to one of his friends whose wife can afford better clothing.
    • Her husband agrees to give her 400 francs to buy a dress, and she decides to borrow a diamond necklace from Madame Forestier, a wealthy friend.

    The Night of the Party

    • Mathilde attends the party, wearing the borrowed necklace, and becomes the most beautiful woman in attendance, admired by everyone.
    • She feels intoxicated by the attention and has an overwhelming sense of self-satisfaction.
    • However, when the night ends, Mathilde realizes she has lost the necklace.

    The Consequences of Losing the Necklace

    • Monsieur Loisel and Mathilde search for the necklace, but it is nowhere to be found.
    • They scrape together 36,000 francs to replace the necklace, mortgaging their future and dismissing their servant.
    • The Loisels live in poverty for ten years, working multiple jobs to repay the debt.

    The Truth About the Necklace

    • Mathilde finally pays off the debt and tells Madame Forestier about the necklace, only to discover that it was costume jewelry, worthless and fake.
    • Mathilde realizes that her sacrifices were for nothing, and her beauty and charm are gone, withered by her years of hardship.

    Themes

    • The deceptiveness of appearances, as highlighted by the fake necklace and Mathilde's illusions about her life.
    • The danger of martyrdom, as Mathilde perceives herself as a victim, but is actually responsible for her own fate.
    • The perceived power of objects, as Mathilde believes that possessions can change her life, but ultimately, her happiness depends on herself.

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    Description

    Explore the life of Mathilde Loisel, a young woman frustrated with her economic status, as she struggles to come to terms with her humble circumstances. Delve into her feelings of discontent and her fantasies of a more luxurious existence.

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