Extracts from this document...

Introduction

THE NECKLACE BY GUY DE MAUPASSANT JOSH GOLDBERG Mathilde de loisel is pretty but poor and has no chance in life unless she marries. Without connections or money she has no entry into high society and marries an insignificant clerk. She is very unhappy. She suffers because of her cheap belongings, wanting expensive things. She dreams of wealth and of how other women would envy her if she could display finery. But such luxuries are unrealistic and unattainable for her. Her husband's taste is for plain things, while she dreams of expensive gourmet food. She lives for her unrealistic dreams, and these increase her frustration. "She has no decent dresses, no jewels, nothing. And she lives for nothing but these." She even thinks of giving up a rich friend because she is so depressed after seeing her. "She had a rich friend from convent days, whom she didn't want to see anymore because she suffered so much when she returned home." ...read more.

Middle

At the party Mathilde is a great success. Everyone wants to dance with her. The other women are jealous of her. She has a wonderful time while her husband sleeps in the back room. This is the night she had always been waiting for. When it's time to leave, Mr. Loisel puts Mathilde's shawl on her shoulders and she is ashamed of it. She rushes away to avoid being seen. Her evening is over. They take a rickety old cab that is so wretched that it doesn't come out in the day because it is ashamed of the way it looks. When they get home, Mathilde takes one last look in the mirror to see herself once more in her glory and discovers that the necklace was gone!! Loisel retraces all their steps trying to find the necklace but to no avail. It is lost and they must buy a new one. ...read more.

Conclusion

Finally, after ten years, the Loisels successfully pay back the loans. Mrs. Loisel is roughened and aged by the work, but she has behaved heroically and shown her mettle. Now for the first time in ten years Mathilde sees Mrs. Forrestier. Mathilde approaches Mrs.Forrestier, but she does not recognize her after her hardships had changed her. Mathilde tells her everything now that there is no shame since they are no longer in debt. Mrs. Forrestier tells Mathilde that the diamond necklace that she borrowed was not, in fact, made of real diamonds at all: It was costume jewelry and worth only a fraction of the price that the Loisels had paid for its replacement. In fact, it had been worth a mere 500 francs. If only mathilde could have overcome her embarrassment right in the beginning then she wouldn't have had to put up with those years of torture to begin with ?? ?? ?? ?? Josh Goldberg ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our AS and A Level Composition section.