Zhang Jiahe
1409853Z-B111-0013
Department of General Education
GLL026
Introduction:
Guy de Maupassant is considered one of the fathers of the modern short story, and his novel “The False Gems” told the story of the twisted human nature under the money enticement. However, there are some arguments that Monsieur Lantin would prefer false gems and a true wife, or real gems and a dishonest wife. In my opinion, he wanted a true wife and false gems. Through close reading, and careful analyze the novel “The False Gems”, the article attempts to reach the conclusion that he truly loved his wife and always wanted a true wife to build a complete, comfortable and happy family throughout his whole marriage and life, even though …show more content…
Especially, he had fallen in love with her at first sight in the house of the second head of his department. After marriage, he cheerfully believes her lies that the gems are false because he trusted her completely during their marriage. As Joyce Brothers says, ‘The best proof of love is trust’. After his wife passed away, “Monsieur Lantin’s despair was so great that his hair became white in one month. He wept unceasingly; his heart was broken as he remembered her smile, her voice, every charm of his dead wife”. He missed her so much that he almost died along with her too, and his days were filled with sadness and tears. These behaviors reflect his true love for her, and in his heart, he truly believed the gems were …show more content…
“She governed his household with such clever economy that they seemed to live in luxury. She lavished the most delicate attentions on her husband, coaxed and fondled him.” He couldn’t earn much money, but he felt much more warmer and happiness to live in this life that her wife built. Even his wife cheated on him and got variety of jewelry and valuables that he could not afford the whole life, she still loved him and tried her best to building the happy family for him. “Look! Are they not lovely? One would swear they were real” She lies to him, she careful maintain this lie and family in front of him. And Monsieur Lantin very enjoyed and wanted to remain this life, this home, though she was already dead “Everything in his wife’s room remained as it was during her lifetime; all her furniture, even her clothing, being left as it was on the day of her death”. And because of keeping this high lift style his dead wife built, he everywhere to borrow money to sustain this way of life and he can’t afford it any more. It shows that he had been very fond of this kind of life, which is a comfortable and happy