The Necklace Literary Analysis PDF

The Diamond Necklace A Short Literary Analysis by Guy de Maupassant Short Information  “The Necklace” by Guy De Maupassant "The Necklace" is a well-known short story by French author Guy de Maupassant. The story describes a young wife in Paris, living in the late 1800s,...

The Diamond Necklace A Short Literary Analysis by Guy de Maupassant Short Information  “The Necklace” by Guy De Maupassant "The Necklace" is a well-known short story by French author Guy de Maupassant. The story describes a young wife in Paris, living in the late 1800s, who has a middle class lifestyle but, at the same time, craves wealth and status. The story has a surprise ending which is a trademark of Maupassant's fiction. "The Necklace" has become a must-read in many high school and college curricula for its use of symbolism, The Author Guy de Maupassant French author and playwright Guy de Maupassant is regarded as the best French writer of short stories. His 300 stories were written in the naturalist style and often described the life of the lower and middle classes. “Boule de suif” (“Ball of Fat”) is regarded as his best story, while the best known is “La Parure” (“The Necklace”). The Characters  Mathilde Loisel The protagonist of the story. Mathilde has been blessed with physical beauty but not with the affluent lifestyle she yearns for, and she feels deeply discontented with her lot in life. When she prepares to attend a fancy party, she borrows a diamond necklace from her friend Madame Forestier, then loses the necklace and must work for ten years to pay off a replacement. Her one night of radiance cost her and Monsieur Loisel any chance for future happiness.  Monsieur Loisel Mathilde’s husband. Monsieur Loisel is content with the small pleasures of his life but does his best to appease Mathilde’s demands and assuage her complaints. He loves Mathilde immensely but does not truly understand her, and he seems to underestimate the depth of her unhappiness. When Mathilde loses the necklace, Monsieur Loisel sacrifices his own future to help her repay the debt. He pays dearly for something he had Madame Forestier Mathilde’s wealthy friend. Madame Forestier treats Mathilde kindly, but Mathilde is bitterly jealous of Madame Forestier’s wealth, and the kindness pains her. Madame Forestier lends Mathilde the necklace for the party and does not inspect it when Mathilde returns it. She is horrified to realize that Mathilde has wasted her life trying to pay for a replacement necklace, when the original necklace had actually been worth nothing. The Settings “The Necklace” takes place in Paris, France, at the end of the 19th century. During the late 19th century, about the time Guy de Maupassant wrote “The Necklace,” Paris experienced a period of social, economic, and technological change. Paris morphed from a medieval city into a modern one with the improvement of France's transportation infrastructure, the rise of new industries, a boom in population, and an increase in Sometimes referred to as the “Belle Époque,” meaning the “Lovely Age.” This peaceful time of technological innovation birthed a period of immense wealth, posh fashion, and a focus on material goods Point of View ''The Necklace,'' is written from third person omniscient. We only see the thoughts of Mathilde and her husband. Third person omniscient is a point of view where the narrator knows all the thoughts, actions, and The Summary The Theme Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace" surfaces many important themes people during his time would have related to. As the public became more and more literate, fiction was geared more toward the middle class. The stories featured issues of social status and struggle the lower and middle classes could  Greed and Vanity Appearance vs. Reality Pride GREED Greed and Vanity Mathilde and her husband live a comfortable life. They have a modest home, but she “felt herself born for every delicacy and luxury.” Mathilde is beautiful but detests her social status and wants more than her station can provide. She is overly concerned with her outward appearance, fearful of what others will think of her simple clothing. Although she has youth, beauty, and a loving husband, Mathilde's obsession with material APPEARANC E Appearance vs. She appears beautiful, youthful, and charming. Reality But, being from a family of “artisans,” she has limited marriage prospects and is married to a clerk who is devoted to her. Under the beauty, Mathilde is unhappy, critical of her own social and financial status, and always yearns for more. She is blind to the wealth of love, youth, and beauty she has, constantly searching for material wealth. Appearance vs. Mathilde is jealous of her school friend, Reality not realizing what others have may be simple imitations. The borrowed necklace itself is a fake, although it appears real. As Mathilde dons her fancy clothing and borrowed necklace for a night, she too becomes fake, an imitation of what she thinks others want and admire. PRIDE Pride Madame and Monsieur Loisel exemplify how pride can be destructive to the individual and society. Not satisfied with living within her means, Mathilde strove to appear wealthier than her social and economic status allowed. Despite deep suffering, the two characters accept their fate and the responsibility to replace the Pride The sacrifice Monsieur Loisel makes in the name of love and to stand by his wife, whether it be depriving himself of a rifle or his own inheritance, is heroic. Mathilde accepts her fate as a worthwhile price to pay for a valuable piece of  The Necklace Literary Devices The Necklace Symbolism Definition A symbol in literature is often an object, person, or situation that represents or suggests other more abstract meanings  The primary symbol in “The Necklace” is the piece of jewelry itself. For Mathilde, the necklace she borrows from her school friend, Madame Forestier, is significant because it represents a promise of a better life, a life she feels she deserves. But like many modern and material goods, the  The Necklace Overall Analysis In ‘The Necklace’, Guy de Maupassant explores the relationship between appearance and reality. The necklace, of course, is the most explicit example of this: it looks like a genuine diamond necklace but is actually an imitation or fake. And this final twist in the tale leads us to think more carefully about the other details of the But ‘The Necklace’ is more specifically about the dangers of not being happy with what one has, and always wanting more. The nineteenth century saw a rise in the prevalance of consumerism, with many middle-class people seeking to improve their lot and keep up with their friends and neighbours in terms of their possessions, The Necklace - Key takeaways  “The Necklace” is an example of French naturalism , published in 1884.  The short story “The Necklace” is written by Guy de Maupassant.  The necklace in the short story represents a better life for Mathilde and is a symbol of greed and false status.  The main message of “The Necklace” is how selfish acts and materialism are destructive and can lead to a hard and dissatisfying life.  Two central themes in “The Necklace” are greed and vanity and appearance versus reality.  Thank you!