Have you ever wanted more and more? The story,”The Necklace” by Guy De Maupassant, is about a selfish, ungrateful, poor women that wants everything and anything. This affects her future in a terrible way. Madame Loisel learns that she needs to appreciate what she has, to be honest, and to take responsibility for her actions.
In the beginning of the story, the character is a selfish, unhappy, poor woman. Madame Loisel is invited to a ball but doesn’t want to go because she has nothing elegant to wear. For example, Guy De Maupassant writes, “She depressed plainly because she could not afford fine clothes, but was as unhappy as a women who has come down in the world; for women have no family rank of social class” (Maupassant 1). This shows that she can’t afford fancy clothes and isn’t happy with what she can afford. Instead, she wants everything and anything. According to the text, Maupassant wrote, “She would dream of great reception halls hung with old silk, of fine furniture with priceless curios, and of small, stylish, scented sitting rooms just right for the four o’clock chat with some intimate friends, with distinguished and sought after men whose attention every women eves and loungers to attract” (1). This also demonstrates that she wants to have a lot more then what she already has. As a result, of her wanting everything she ends up being a very selfish character.
In the middle of the story, she attends the ball because her friend, Madame Forestier, lends her a necklace. As a result, she is happy. At first she didn’t want to go because she didn’t have anything “nice” to wear but after she complains to her husband, he gives into her and gives her his saved money to buy a dress. At the ball she dances like no one is watching and assumes people like her because she looks wealthy. For example, Maupassant wrote, “She danced madly, wildly, drink with pleasure, giving no thought to anything in the triumph of her beauty” (4). This illustrates that she’s having a wonderful time and is enjoying the party, only because she has “nice” things on. This behavior shows how superficial she is.
In the end of the story Madame Loisel loses Madame Forestier’s necklace but doesn’t tell her the truth about. Instead she decides to ask her neighbors to lend her money. For example, Maupassant writes, “Loisel had eighteen thousand francs he had inherited from his father. He would borrow the rest,” (6). This proves that they had to borrow money to pay of the 36 thousand dollar diamond necklace, instead of just being honest.
Later in the story, Madame Losiel is old, baggy and tired because she had to pay off everything she had borrowed for the necklace she had lost. According to the text, Maupassant wrote, ” She learned to perform the hateful duties, of cooking. She washed dishes wearing out her shell pink nails…” (Maupassant 6). This proves she had to work really hard to pay off the loan. It is ironic because she had gone though so much trouble to pay for a necklace that was fake and was only worth 500 francs.
In conclusion, Madame Loisel learns that she should appreciate what she has. She should have just told her friend, Madame Forestier, the truth about the necklace. If Madame Loisel appreciated what she had, was honest, took responsibility for her action then she wouldn’t have had to work so much to pay for something the was worthless.
