Book Review Of The Necklace By Guy De Maupassant
Introduction
The Necklace, written by French author Guy de Maupassant, is a short story that was first published in the French newspaper Le Gaulois in 1884. It is a story about a woman named Mathilde Loisel who is unhappy with her life and dreams of a better one. When her husband gets an invitation to a fancy ball, Mathilde borrows a beautiful necklace from a friend to wear to the event. However, things don't go as planned and the necklace is lost, leading Mathilde and her husband into a spiral of debt and poverty.
The Author
Guy de Maupassant was a French writer who is considered to be one of the fathers of the modern short story. He was born in 1850 in Normandy, France, and grew up in a wealthy family. He worked as a civil servant and a journalist before devoting himself to writing full-time. Maupassant's stories often deal with themes of betrayal, deception, and the human condition. He is best known for his short stories, but he also wrote novels, plays, and poetry. Maupassant died in 1893 at the age of 42 from syphilis.
The Plot
The Necklace is a story that explores the theme of the dangers of pride and the desire for material possessions. Mathilde Loisel is a beautiful and charming woman, but she is unhappy with her life because she feels that she deserves more than what she has. When her husband gets an invitation to a fancy ball, Mathilde borrows a beautiful necklace from her friend Madame Forestier to wear to the event. Mathilde feels that she finally looks the way she should and is the belle of the ball. However, when they return home, Mathilde realizes that she has lost the necklace.
Mathilde and her husband are devastated by the loss of the necklace and are forced to replace it. They take on debt and live in poverty for years to pay off the debt. Mathilde then runs into Madame Forestier and tells her the story of the lost necklace. Madame Forestier reveals that the necklace was actually a fake and was not worth much. Mathilde and her husband had sacrificed everything for a necklace that was not even real.
Themes
The Necklace is a story that explores several themes including the dangers of pride, the desire for material possessions, and the importance of honesty. Mathilde Loisel is a woman who is consumed by her desire for material possessions and her pride. She feels that she deserves more than what she has and is willing to go to great lengths to obtain it. This ultimately leads to her downfall and the downfall of her husband.
The story also highlights the importance of honesty. Mathilde and her husband could have avoided years of poverty and hardship if they had been honest about the loss of the necklace. Instead, they chose to replace it, leading to a lifetime of debt and struggle. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride and the importance of honesty.
Characters
The Necklace has several main characters, including Mathilde Loisel, her husband, and Madame Forestier. Mathilde is the protagonist of the story and is a beautiful and charming woman who is unhappy with her life. Her husband is a clerk who works hard to provide for his wife and is content with his life. Madame Forestier is a wealthy friend of Mathilde's who lends her the necklace for the ball.
The characters in the story are well-developed and serve to highlight the themes of the story. Mathilde's pride and desire for material possessions ultimately lead to her downfall, while her husband's honesty and hard work serve as a contrast to her character. Madame Forestier's revelation about the necklace serves as a twist ending that highlights the importance of honesty and the dangers of pride and materialism.
Conclusion
The Necklace is a classic short story that explores several important themes, including the dangers of pride and the desire for material possessions. The story is well-written and the characters are well-developed, making it a timeless piece of literature. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of honesty and the dangers of pride and materialism.
