Jealousy In Ray Bradbury's Short Stories

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Have you ever been jealous of someone? Maybe because they got something you wanted? Well, some of the characters in these short stories become jealous, and we can see it in different ways. In the short story “All Summer In a Day” by Ray Bradbury, there is a group of schoolchildren on Venus. On Venus, the sun only comes out every seven years. Margot, one of the schoolchildren, remembers the last time the sun came out, unlike the rest. The other schoolchildren get jealous of her and lock her in a closet on the day that the sun comes out so that she can’t see it again. Similarly, in the story “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, there is a woman in France who yearns to be of a higher social class. She is jealous of Madame Forestier and borrows …show more content…

She has to find another real necklace to return to Madame Forestier, which costs an enormous amount of money. She had to pay off all the debts for 10 years just to find out that the necklace she borrowed was an imitation. So, a common theme in both texts is that you can’t always get what other people have. The theme of ‘You can’t always get what other people have’ is demonstrated clearly in Ray Bradbury’s short story. The text states, “And they, they had been on Venus all their lives, and they had been only two years old when the sun last came out and had long since forgotten the color and heat of it and the way it was. But Margot remembered.” This demonstrates how Margot remembers the sun, while the rest of the schoolchildren do not. The rest of the schoolchildren are jealous of her remembering the sun, and they wish they remembered it. It is stated in the story, “‘All a joke!‘ said the boy, and seized her roughly. ‘Hey, everyone, let's put her in a closet before the teacher comes!’ ” As it is seen in the text, the schoolchildren get very jealous of Margot’s experience with the …show more content…

They heard her muffled cries. Then, smiling, they turned and went out and back down the tunnel, just as the teacher arrived.” Furthermore, the schoolchildren were happy when they heard Margot cry out from inside the closet. They made her unhappy to make themselves feel better because of their jealousy. Jealousy is shown in “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant through the symbolism of the necklace. It shows how Madame Loisel is jealous of the rich women and endures hardship because of it. For instance, “Suddenly she discovered, in a black satin case, a superb diamond necklace; her heart began to beat covetously. Her hands trembled as she lifted it. She fastened it round her neck, upon her high dress, and remained in ecstasy at sight of herself.” The text displays the necklace lifting Madame Loisel’s mood after she puts it on. Before, she was jealous of Madame Forestier and embarrassed to not look as good as them. Now, she is no longer jealous after being given a necklace from Madame Forestier. The author explains, " ‘You remember the diamond necklace you lent me for the ball at the Ministry?’.‘I brought you another one just like

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