The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant

The Necklace is a short story by Guy de Maupassant. He believed that fiction should convey reality much as possible. In The Necklace, rather than trying to examine Mathilde's yearning for wealth and unhappiness with her life, he just tells the reader about her desires. He tells events as they happen rather than giving an explanations.

In The Necklace Mathilde is married to a clerck in the Ministry of education. She was very unhappy because she was not wealthy. She wanted to be wealthy and belong that class. She wanted to have many clothes and jewelry. She regretted her life and spent endless hours imagining more extravagant existence. She feels that without jewley and fancy clothes she is not desirable. Madame Forestier is her wealthy friend but she can not visit her because she feels heartbroken that she is not just as wealthy. She feels that her birth into the poor family was a destiny's mistake.

One day her husband brings an invitation to a formal party from the Ministry of Education. Instead of being happy she feels angry and starts crying. She tells her husband that he should just give the invitation to his friend because she can not go. When he asks her why, she says she does not new fancy clothes to wear, and it would cost 400 francs to get new dress. Her husband reluctutly gives her the money. As the day of the party gets closer she starts behaving oddly. She says that she is behaving this way because she does not have jewlry to wear. Her husband convinces her to go to her friend and ask her to borrow a necklace. Mathilde goes to her friend and gets the diamond necklace. She wears the necklace to the party and she is at the center of attention. When she comes home she realizes that the necklace is not in her neck. Her husband goes to look for the necklace, retracing their steps, but he can not find it. He comes home and tells her to tell her friend that she broke the claps to the necklace and is getting fixed. They go out to find