Pride In Guy De Maupassant's The Necklace

In Guy de Maupassant’s short story, “The Necklace,” Mathilde Loisel disdains what she had- a cozy home life, a bowl of hot soup, a loving husband- and seek for possessions that exhibit wealth. Because of her greed, Mathilde lost ten years of youth, leaving everything behind, and is forced to reside as a ragged housewife. De Maupassant informed the reader of Madame Loisel’s longing for wealth and her ungratefulness for what she has, through his use of anaphora. Therefore, Mathilde is a character that best represent the theme, excessive pride can lead to an individual’s downfall, by de Maupassant’s usage of symbolism and foreshadowing. De Maupassant began his story with Mathilde's laundry list of empty dreams. The absence of possessions that are present in other women’s homes made Madame Loisel swell with envy. Her narcissism blinded her and the obsession with nonexistent objects leads Mathilde to her perpetual discontent. Mathilde toss her husband aside, hiding her …show more content…
She stand on top of her husband in every way possible, making herself look pitiful and small. But in truth, her delicate features hid her overwhelming pride. When an invitation to a grand ball came, Mathilde sobbed uncontrollably. Her pride made Mathilde troubled by her lack of elegant dresses and jewelries. She disliked the thought of being inferior, surrounded by well-groomed ladies. Being sympathetic, her husband threw his savings on the table, assuring her that she will get her dress. However, Mathilde was still not satisfied. “I’m utterly miserable at not having any jewels, not a single stone, to wear,” she said. Fortunately, Mathilde had a wealthy friend, so she is able to obtain what she had imagined. Arriving at the ball, Mathilde was envied. While having such a wonderful time, it was known later that the borrowed diamond was missing. The Loisels were flabbergasted, searching everywhere. Because of Mathilde’s pride, she refused to confess to her friend, fearing being scolded