Foreshadowing In The Necklace By Guy De Maupassant
The Necklace, written by Guy De Maupassant, is a short story that revolves around the life of a young woman named Mathilde Loisel. The story is set in the 19th century and depicts the life of the lower middle class. The author uses various literary devices to convey the story's theme, and one of them is foreshadowing. In this article, we will explore the use of foreshadowing in The Necklace and how it helps in creating suspense and tension in the story.
What is Foreshadowing?
Foreshadowing is a literary device that is used to give the reader a hint of what is to come in the story. It is a way of preparing the reader for what is about to happen by giving them clues or hints. The author can use different techniques to foreshadow, such as dialogue, setting, character's behavior, or even symbolism.
The Necklace: A Story of Foreshadowing
The Necklace is a story about Mathilde Loisel, who is unhappy with her life and dreams of a luxurious lifestyle. She gets a chance to attend a high-class party, but she has nothing to wear. Her husband manages to get her an invitation to the party, and she borrows a diamond necklace from her friend Madame Forestier. After the party, Mathilde discovers that she has lost the necklace and spends the next ten years of her life working hard to repay the debt to buy a new one. When she finally meets Madame Forestier, she finds out that the original necklace was a fake and was not worth much.
The Use of Foreshadowing in The Necklace
The author uses foreshadowing in The Necklace to create suspense and tension in the story. The story starts with the description of Mathilde's dissatisfaction with her life, which foreshadows that she will face some challenges in the future. The author also uses the setting to foreshadow the events. For example, the description of the shabby apartment where Mathilde and her husband live foreshadows the financial struggles they will face later in the story.
Another example of foreshadowing is the diamond necklace. The necklace is a symbol of wealth and luxury, which foreshadows the events that follow. Mathilde's desire to wear the necklace to the party foreshadows that she will lose it. The fact that the necklace is borrowed from Madame Forestier also foreshadows that Mathilde will have to repay a debt.
The Impact of Foreshadowing in The Necklace
The use of foreshadowing in The Necklace creates suspense and tension in the story. The reader is aware that something bad is going to happen, but they do not know what it is. This creates anticipation and keeps the reader engaged in the story. The foreshadowing also adds depth to the story and helps in conveying the theme.
The Necklace is a perfect example of how an author can use foreshadowing to create suspense and tension in the story. The use of different techniques, such as setting, character's behavior, and symbolism, helps in conveying the story's theme. The story shows that sometimes, the things we desire may not be worth the price we have to pay for them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, foreshadowing is a powerful literary device that authors use to create suspense and tension in their stories. The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant is an excellent example of how an author can use foreshadowing to convey the story's theme. The author uses different techniques such as setting, character's behavior, and symbolism to foreshadow the events that follow. The story shows that sometimes, the things we desire may not be worth the price we have to pay for them.
