The necklace

The Neckalce Analyze the symbolic implication of the necklace in the novel The story “ The Necklace” by Guy Maupassant tells a tale about woman who lives in an illusionary world and end up in a debt due to her greed for jewelry and wealth. The necklace in the story has a symbolic meaning of deception. In the story, Mathilde a poor women was given a diamond necklace by a wealthy friend Madame Forestier. However, the necklace gets lost from Mathilde and in giving the necklace back to her friend she falls in debt. But in the end, she realizes that the necklace was fake and just costume jewelry. Mathilde hard worked many years to pay back her friend only to know that she have been deceived. The entire story is a symbol of amoral materialism and pettiness among the French bourgeois of 19th century. The necklace itself is a symbol of extravagance. The story tells the struggle of Mathilde to pay back for the necklace and the ten years spend by her for a necklace that is worth nothing
2. What is the moral of the story?
The story has a moral which is that one should not desire for things which one cannot afford. In this story, Mathilde comes from a poor background. She is not satisfied with what she possesses. She in greed borrows diamond necklace from Madame Forestier and loses it and had to repay her
a large amount. However the necklace was fake and Mathilde loses both money and peace in life. So greediness is an evil and people should be happy with what they have. The story teaches us not to borrow things or money unnecessarily. It is also not good to live a pretentious life. If we borrow things unnecessarily we may end up in trouble. Mathilde did not have the need to borrow necklace from her friend. She did because of her greed for wealth and attention. However she ends up in trouble for nothing. In an effort to impress others she and her family end up in problem. There is also a moral that pride goes before a fall.
3. Does this story have a happy ending?
The story does not have a happy ending. In the end, when Mathilde realizes that the diamond necklace was fake, she feels that she lost everything because of her greed. She lost her money, house, and youth in greed of a necklace which was fake. She felt as if was she was deceived by her obsession for jewelry and wealth. She had a normal life before her debt but when she desired for the necklace she was putting herself in trouble. After she loses necklace she falls in debt of paying a huge amount to her friend. In the end she is only left with shame and regret. She is ashamed of getting cheated by her friend, ego and pride. The regrets for sacrificing her life in paying debt. In the end she is left with nothing but shame and regret