The Necklace By Guy De Maupassant Character Analysis
"The Necklace" is a short story by Guy de Maupassant that revolves around the idea of materialism and how it affects the lives of people. The story is set in the 19th century in France and follows the life of a young woman named Mathilde Loisel.
The Protagonist - Mathilde Loisel
Mathilde is the protagonist of the story and is a beautiful, charming, and ambitious woman. She is from a poor family and is married to a clerk named M. Loisel. Mathilde is unhappy with her mundane life and is constantly yearning for a more luxurious and extravagant lifestyle.
Mathilde has a vivid imagination and often daydreams about living a life of luxury and elegance. She is discontent with her social status and longs to be a part of the upper class. Mathilde's materialistic desires lead her to borrow a necklace from her wealthy friend Madame Forestier to wear to a ball.
Madame Forestier - The Wealthy Friend
Madame Forestier is Mathilde's wealthy friend who lends her the necklace. She is a kind-hearted woman who shows sympathy towards Mathilde's plight. Madame Forestier is unaware of the financial burden that the necklace would cause Mathilde and her husband.
M. Loisel - The Husband
M. Loisel is Mathilde's husband and is a clerk at the Ministry of Education. He is content with his simple way of life and is devoted to his wife. M. Loisel loves Mathilde and is willing to do anything to make her happy, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness.
The Necklace - A Symbol of Materialism
The necklace in the story is a symbol of materialism and the desire for a luxurious lifestyle. Mathilde's desire to wear the necklace to the ball is driven by her need to impress her peers and be seen as a wealthy and sophisticated woman.
The necklace represents the dangers of materialism and how it can lead people to make irrational decisions. Mathilde's desire for material wealth leads her to borrow the necklace and eventually lose it, causing her to live a life of poverty and misery for ten years.
The Consequences of Materialism
The story highlights the consequences of materialism and how it can lead to misery and despair. Mathilde's desire for a luxurious lifestyle leads her to borrow the necklace, which eventually leads to her downfall.
The story shows that material possessions are not everything and that happiness and contentment cannot be bought with money. Mathilde's life is a testament to this, as she spends ten years living a life of poverty and misery after losing the necklace.
The Importance of Honesty
The story also emphasizes the importance of honesty and truthfulness. Mathilde's dishonesty towards Madame Forestier about losing the necklace leads to her and her husband's financial ruin. If Mathilde had been honest with Madame Forestier about losing the necklace, she may have been able to replace it and avoid the financial burden that it caused.
The story teaches us that honesty is always the best policy and that deceit and dishonesty can lead to disastrous consequences.
The Lesson Learnt
"The Necklace" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of materialism and the importance of honesty. The story shows how material possessions can lead people to make irrational decisions and how honesty and truthfulness are essential virtues that should be practiced at all times.
The story is a reminder that happiness and contentment cannot be bought with money and that true happiness lies in the simple pleasures of life.
Conclusion
"The Necklace" is a timeless classic that continues to resonate with readers around the world. The story's themes of materialism, honesty, and the pursuit of happiness are universal and relevant even today.
The story teaches us valuable lessons about life and the importance of being content with what we have. It reminds us that true happiness lies in the simple pleasures of life and that material possessions are not everything.
