2 Examples Of Personification In The Necklace
The Necklace, a short story by Guy de Maupassant, is a classic example of literary work that uses personification to convey its message. Personification is a literary device that gives human attributes to non-human objects or animals. In The Necklace, the author uses personification to create a vivid and emotional description of the story's objects, which adds depth and meaning to the story. Here are two examples of personification in The Necklace:
The Necklace
The Necklace itself is a prime example of personification in the story. The author describes it as if it were a living being, with emotions and desires. The necklace represents Madame Loisel's desire for wealth and status, and it takes on a life of its own in the story. When Madame Loisel borrows the necklace from her friend, she sees it as a symbol of her newfound social status.
"She was the prettiest woman present, elegant, graceful, smiling, and wild with joy. All the men were looking at her, inquiring her name, wishing to be introduced. All the attachés of the Cabinet were dancing with her. The Minister noticed her."
However, when the necklace is lost, it becomes a source of misery and pain for Madame Loisel. The author describes the necklace as if it were mocking her, reminding her of her foolishness and greed.
"She danced madly, wildly, drunk with pleasure, with no thought for anything, in the triumph of her beauty, in the glory of her success, in a sort of cloud of happiness made up of all this homage, admiration, these awakened desires and of that sense of triumph which is so sweet to a woman's heart. She left about four in the morning. Her husband had been sleeping since midnight in a little deserted room with three other gentlemen whose wives were enjoying the ball."
The Forest
The forest is another example of personification in The Necklace. It represents the unknown and the dangerous, and it is described as if it were a living being, with power and influence. When Madame Loisel and her husband have to walk through the forest to get home after the ball, the author uses personification to create a sense of foreboding and fear.
"Around her floated a warm perfume of rose, which seemed to envelop her, to lull her to sleep. She was thinking of tall drawing-rooms, of fine antechambers hung with Oriental tapestry, of light, perfumed reception-rooms opening on to balconies, and of the great reception-halls, where the guests, chatting and drinking, made a constant, joyous noise."
The forest becomes a symbol of Madame Loisel's lost dreams and aspirations. It represents the harsh reality of her life and the consequences of her actions.
"He sought to calm her: 'Come, now, you must be sensible. Look, here's what you should do. You must write to your friend that you have broken the clasp of her necklace and that you are having it mended. That will give us time to turn round.'"
