Themes And Symbols In The Necklace By Guy Maupassant

The short story written by Guy Maupassant titled “The Necklace” is a story based in France in the later 1800’s about a women Mathilde Loisel whom feels she deserves better, and daydreams of a rich life often. She married a little clerk of the Ministry of Public Instruction instead of rich and distinguished man, cause of family names and birth rights she had no choice they did not go on beauty, grace, or charm. Mathilde said “she was unhappy as if she had really fallen from a higher station: since with women there is no caste or rank.”(Maupassant, p.1) The Writer did a great job with using dynamic characters, figurative language, and making it a parable which included the consequences they dealt with during their lives.

When writing a short

(Writing a literary analysis, 2016) Reading the story when Madame Loisel tore open the invitation she was upset instead of pleased, in hopes of pleasing his wife Mr. Loisel sat down at the round table for dinner; as she sat opposite of her husband at the table he handed her a large envelope. Pleased with himself he watched as she tore the paper and took out the printed card which read “The Minister of Public Instruction and Madame Georges Ramponneau request the honor of M. and Madame Loisel’s company at the palace of the Ministry on Monday evening, January 18th.” Instead of being pleased she threw the invitation down crossly. (Maupassant, p.2) the reaction is not of course what her husband had expected. I do believe at this point the author is portraying her unhappiness about being poor. Using metaphors like “what shall I wear on my back?”(Maupassant, p.2) He then turned to her and ask her “Come let us see, Mathilde how much would it cost, a suitable gown which you could use on other occasions-something very simple?” They agreed on four hundred francs, then again three days before the ball she was depressed again Mr. Loisel says “what is the matter? Come, you have seemed very queer these last three days.”

I feel Mr. Maupassant wrote a parable inside this story whether he meant to at the beginning, we will never know. When the night of the ball came at the palace Mr. and Madame Loisel, dressed elegantly in her new gown and the borrowed diamond necklace from Madame Forestier. She was described to be the prettier than any other woman present, elegant, graceful, smiling and wild with joy.(Mauspassant,p.4) She was remarked by the minister himself.(Maupassant,p.5) About four o’clock in the morning she left the ball, her husband had been sleeping since midnight in a little deserted anteroom with three of the gentlemen whose wives were enjoying the ball.(Maupassant,p5)They caught a cab home she wanted so badly for the night to continue, she didn’t even want her cloak put on her to ruin her look, even though it was freezing outside. As soon as they returned to their dwelling she wanted one last look at herself in the glass to see herself in her glory, she suddenly utter a cry. She no longer had the necklace around her neck. (Maupassant, p.5)She then cried to her husband, I have lost Madame Forestier’s necklace. He stood up in disbelief and immediately went back out to look for it, retracing all their steps home the cab, the palace sidewalks, and then to the police station to offer a reward for the necklace’s return.