Guy de Maupassant 's short story “The Necklace” is a perfect example that telling the truth is always best. The main character Mathilde Loisel is an attractive young woman of modest means., who feels fate has dealt her an unfair hand. She longs for the finer things in life and believes she was born to be among the social elites. Her desire to be wealthy and socially acceptable leads to a life of unhappiness, deception and years of misery. Mathilda Loisel 's unhappiness appears to have begun long before she became a wife. She was not born into wealth, so her chances of marrying a wealthy husband were slim to none. Therefore, she settles for life with Monsieur Loisel, a simple man who is devoted to his wife 's happiness almost to a fault.
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Loisel obtains a rare invitation to an upcoming ball to be given by his employers. Mr. Loisel returned home one evening excitedly gives Mathilda an invitation to the ball. She glances at it, then throws it down in front of him. He is confused by this reaction, believing she would be thrilled to attend such an event. She first complains she doesn 't have anything to wear to such a fine party. Wanting, more than anything, to please his wife, Mr. Loisel asks how much it cost to get a fitting dress. He reluctantly gives her the money to get an appropriate dress. The beautiful of the dress still didn 't satisfy Mathilda. She then complains, “I don 't have any jewels to wear, not a single gem...I 'd almost rather not go to the party”(Maupassant 55). Mr. Loisel suggested she see her old friend Mrs. Forrestier and ask to borrow some jewelry. She thinks this is a splendid idea; she has no problem going to see her wealthy friend as long as she in benefiting from the visit. Mathilde chooses an exquisite diamond necklace. Wearing it would definitely make her look the part of a grand lady. The ball is everything she dreamed it could be. She was the bell of the ball; everyone 's eyes were on her. She was happier than ever before. Returning home, Mathilda wants one more indulgent look at her beauty. When she removes her wrap, she finds that the necklace was gone. But, she doesn 't make any attempt to go looking for it, she sends …show more content…
Beginning the ten-year journey of misery that lies ahead. Forced to move to a smaller home, Mr. Loisel takes on a second and third job in an attempt to make as much as possible. No longer able to pay the girl that helped with the housework, Mathilde is left to scrub the dishes, clothes, and floors, the very tasks she has detested her entire existence. Throughout these long and miserable years, Mathilda becomes a tired, disheveled old woman. All the beauty of her former life is gone, only the memory of that fantastic night long ago remains. After the debts are paid off, Mathilde sees her friend in the park, looking as lovely as ever. She approaches her friend and isn 't recognized at all. She identifies herself and tells her friend what took place on the night of the dance and about the switching of the necklace. Mathilde then gets the shock of her life, “Oh, my poor Mathilde!.. mine was only costume jewelry...only worth five hundred francs!” (Maupassant 60). In conclusion, the Loisel 's paid a high price for deceiving Mathilde 's friend. They lied, when telling the truth would have saved them from financial ruin. More than that, the physical and mental toll that living out the consequences that resulted from the lie took way any opportunity that Mr. Loisel and Mathilde might have experienced. And yet it seems rather than Mathilde learning to be grateful for whatever she has in life she wonders,
Loisel obtains a rare invitation to an upcoming ball to be given by his employers. Mr. Loisel returned home one evening excitedly gives Mathilda an invitation to the ball. She glances at it, then throws it down in front of him. He is confused by this reaction, believing she would be thrilled to attend such an event. She first complains she doesn 't have anything to wear to such a fine party. Wanting, more than anything, to please his wife, Mr. Loisel asks how much it cost to get a fitting dress. He reluctantly gives her the money to get an appropriate dress. The beautiful of the dress still didn 't satisfy Mathilda. She then complains, “I don 't have any jewels to wear, not a single gem...I 'd almost rather not go to the party”(Maupassant 55). Mr. Loisel suggested she see her old friend Mrs. Forrestier and ask to borrow some jewelry. She thinks this is a splendid idea; she has no problem going to see her wealthy friend as long as she in benefiting from the visit. Mathilde chooses an exquisite diamond necklace. Wearing it would definitely make her look the part of a grand lady. The ball is everything she dreamed it could be. She was the bell of the ball; everyone 's eyes were on her. She was happier than ever before. Returning home, Mathilda wants one more indulgent look at her beauty. When she removes her wrap, she finds that the necklace was gone. But, she doesn 't make any attempt to go looking for it, she sends …show more content…
Beginning the ten-year journey of misery that lies ahead. Forced to move to a smaller home, Mr. Loisel takes on a second and third job in an attempt to make as much as possible. No longer able to pay the girl that helped with the housework, Mathilde is left to scrub the dishes, clothes, and floors, the very tasks she has detested her entire existence. Throughout these long and miserable years, Mathilda becomes a tired, disheveled old woman. All the beauty of her former life is gone, only the memory of that fantastic night long ago remains. After the debts are paid off, Mathilde sees her friend in the park, looking as lovely as ever. She approaches her friend and isn 't recognized at all. She identifies herself and tells her friend what took place on the night of the dance and about the switching of the necklace. Mathilde then gets the shock of her life, “Oh, my poor Mathilde!.. mine was only costume jewelry...only worth five hundred francs!” (Maupassant 60). In conclusion, the Loisel 's paid a high price for deceiving Mathilde 's friend. They lied, when telling the truth would have saved them from financial ruin. More than that, the physical and mental toll that living out the consequences that resulted from the lie took way any opportunity that Mr. Loisel and Mathilde might have experienced. And yet it seems rather than Mathilde learning to be grateful for whatever she has in life she wonders,