Guy de Maupassant

relationship, or maybe some women are born with the desire to be showered in lavish clothing and jewelry. In “The Diamond Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, this is true for the main character Mathilde. She finds herself in a life that she feels wasn’t meant for her, with a man who isn’t enough. Her raging desire for more out of life will lead to her own social demise. Guy de Maupassant uses character development, setting, and secondary characters to convey the importance of appreciation and to not…

In "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant, Madame Loisel lets her pride control her actions. This story tells about a woman who is invited to a large party but has nothing to wear, and when she loses a borrowed necklace her life is changed forever. Initially in the exposition, Madame Loisel states how she believes she was born for every luxury and this belief is a factor in her later decisions. For example, when Madame Loisel is invited to the party with her husband she shows her pride when she…

How fast can characters change based on their circumstances? When Mathilde of “The Necklace”, by Guy de Maupassant, loses her friend’s seemingly priceless treasure, she has two choices. She can either tell the truth, or she can hide it. Her choice has a very obvious effect on her character. Mathilde is a dynamic character that starts depressed and poor, to joyous, then, worn down, yet proud. Madame Loisel starts off miserable, and feels cheated out of a good life. Although quite beautiful,…

Guy De Maupassant’s short story,”The Necklace” portrays Mathilda, a French middle-class woman, as someone who is very unhappy with her life. Throughout the story, the protagonist’s actions and Maupassant’s direct characterization demonstrate Madame Loisel’s transformation from a shallow and insecure girl, to a matured self-accepting woman. The theme, pride can be a personal obstacle, is reflected throughout Mathilda’s journey into becoming a strong, and changed woman. Initially, Mathilda is…

Have you ever thought about where power comes from? Often times, the more money you have the more powerful you are. I have come to this conclusion by using Social Power Theory to understand the short story, The Necklace, by Guy De Maupassant. In the story the main character, Mathilde, is depressed because she doesn't have the same influence on people that a person with expensive things would. To cheer her up, her husband buys her a dress and takes her to a fancy ball. She decides she needs an…

Sacrifice in “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Necklace” In “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry and in “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant the characters face poverty. “The Gift of the Magi” Della and Jim want to get each other something special for Christmas. They both sacrifice their most valuable possessions for each other. “The Necklace” Mathilde asks her husband for money because they are going to the Minister of Education, and she says that her clothes will make her look poor; she gets a…

Greed is a powerful trait that humans have passed down throughout history. From biblical days, until today, greed has destroyed people’s lives. Guy de Maupassant and D. H. Lawrence wrote about how powerful greed is. Maupassant wrote “The Necklace,” which is about a young lady who wanted more than what she already had in her life and Lawrence wrote “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” which describes the life of a young boy trying to please his greedy mother. In both Maupassant’s “The Necklace”…

characterization. In the story, the writer introduces unique characters with recurrent conflicts and different mindsets. The underlying theme in the story is the relationship that is best demonstrated by the grandmother. On the other hand, the works of Guy de Maupassant, “The Necklace” explores the theme of greed and envy that result to self-destruction. A major character in the story is Matilda Loisel, who an envious wife is longing for a better life. In “The Necklace” the narrator notes that…

writing. While there are many literary devices that augment short stories, situational irony, symbolism and the conflict of Man vs. Society are the foundation to the three short stories: “The Necklace”, “The Story of an Hour”, and “The Lottery”. In Guy de Maupassant’s short story, “The Necklace”, situational irony, which is an outcome that is contrary to what was expected, emphasizes…

Mathilde, the main character from The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant, is a character I can relate to in some aspects, but not others. For example, while Mathilde is shown to be a greedy person, I am content with what I have. When Mathilde was looking through Madame Forestier’s jewelry, she picked the most luxurious one despite all the other options, symbolizing greed. Though Mathilde wants expensive items, I am fine with simple things and do not want any more than I have. Additionally, Mathilde…