The Necklace By Guy De Maupassant Short Summary
Introduction
The Necklace is a short story written by Guy De Maupassant in the late 19th century. The story revolves around the life of a young woman named Mathilde Loisel, who is unhappy with her simple life and dreams of a more luxurious one. Her desire for wealth and status leads her down a path of deceit and regret.
The Plot
The story begins with Mathilde Loisel, a beautiful and charming woman, who is unhappy with her lower-middle-class lifestyle. She longs for a more luxurious life and desires to be wealthy and respected by society. One day, her husband brings home an invitation to a high-class party. Mathilde is elated at the thought of attending such an event, but her excitement is short-lived when she realizes that she has nothing to wear.
Mathilde's husband suggests that she borrow jewelry from her friend Madame Forestier. Mathilde chooses a stunning diamond necklace that she believes will make her the envy of all the other women at the party. Mathilde is a hit at the party and enjoys herself immensely, but her happiness is short-lived when she realizes that she has lost the necklace on her way home.
Mathilde and her husband search frantically for the necklace but are unable to find it. Mathilde knows that she cannot afford to replace the necklace and decides to keep quiet about losing it. She and her husband take out loans and work hard for ten years to pay off the debt incurred by buying a replacement necklace.
One day, Mathilde runs into Madame Forestier and tells her the entire story of losing the necklace and the hardship that she and her husband had faced in the past ten years. Madame Forestier is shocked and tells Mathilde that the necklace she had borrowed was actually a fake and worth very little. Mathilde realizes that her desire for wealth and status had led her down a path of deceit and regret.
Themes
The Necklace is a story that explores the themes of materialism, social class, and the consequences of deceit. Mathilde's desire for wealth and status leads her down a path of deceit and regret. Her obsession with material possessions causes her to lose sight of what is truly important in life.
Conclusion
The Necklace is a cautionary tale that warns against the dangers of materialism and the consequences of deceit. Mathilde's desire for wealth and status leads her down a path of deceit and regret. She learns a valuable lesson about the importance of honesty and the dangers of living a life fueled by material possessions.
