She was one of those pretty, charming young women who are born, as if by an error of destiny, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no expectations, no means of being known, understood, loved, wedded by any rich and distinguished man; and she let herself be married to a little clerk at the Ministry of Public Instruction.
Analysis
Summary
Mathilde Loisel, a middle-class woman who dreams of wealth and luxury, borrows a diamond necklace from a wealthy friend for an elegant ball. She loses the necklace and, rather than confessing, she and her husband secretly replace it with an identical one, going deeply into debt. After ten years of grueling labor to repay the debt, Mathilde encounters her friend who reveals the original necklace was paste - worth almost nothing.
Plot Structure
expositionMathilde Loisel dreams of luxury but lives a modest life with her clerk husband.
rising ActionInvited to a ball, she borrows a necklace from her friend Madame Forestier.
climaxAfter a triumphant evening, Mathilde discovers the necklace is lost.
falling ActionThe couple secretly replaces the necklace, plunging into decade-long debt.
resolutionMathilde meets her friend who reveals the original was a worthless imitation.
Themes
Vanity & Materialism
Mathilde's dissatisfaction with her comfortable life and obsession with appearances leads to her downfall.
Appearance vs. Reality
The fake necklace that appears real parallels Mathilde's own pretense at the ball - surfaces deceive.
The Price of Pride
Rather than admit the truth, the Loisels sacrifice ten years of their lives to maintain a facade of honesty.
Techniques
Dramatic Irony
The devastating final revelation reframes the entire story, revealing that all the suffering was unnecessary.
"Mine was paste. It was worth at most five hundred francs!"
Social Commentary
Maupassant uses Mathilde's story to critique class obsession and the emptiness of material desire.
Time Compression
Ten years of hardship are summarized in a few paragraphs, emphasizing the grinding monotony of poverty.
She came to know the heavy work of the house... She washed the dishes... She carried the garbage down to the street.
Discussion Questions
- Is Mathilde a sympathetic character? Why or why not?
- How does the twist ending change your interpretation of the entire story?
- What commentary is Maupassant making about social class and aspiration?
- Could Mathilde have avoided her fate? At what points could she have made different choices?
- How does the necklace itself function as a symbol throughout the story?