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One Necklace, 10 Years of Suffering

In Guy de Maupassant “The Necklace” a French woman named Mathilde gets invited to a ball, then declines the offer. She insists that she has the most extravagant dress and necklace. Later that night at the ball she loses the necklace, they then spend the rest of the night searching for it. They can not find the necklace so they buy a new one. It cost a lot of money, and they spent the next ten years paying off the debt. When she gives the necklace back to Madame Forestier, Mathilde realizes that the one she borrowed was a fake. Mathilde reveals her true character when she chooses to try to fit in no matter the consequences. This impacts her whole life and her husband to go through the trouble of paying off the debt.

The need for Mathilde to fit in leads her to make a dreadful decision which comes when she refuses to attend the ball without what she considers suitable attire. When her husband got her a hard to get an invitation to the ball she rejects it and then complains about not having accouter. Guy de Maupassant emphasizes her character when he states, “Instead of being delighted, as her husband hoped, she threw the invitation on the table with disdain, murmuring: ‘What do you want me to do with that?’ She looked at him with an irritated eye, and she said, impatiently: ‘And what do you want me to put on my back?’ He had not thought of that; he stammered: ‘Why the dress you go to the theater in. It looks very well, to me.’ He stopped, distracted, seeing that his wife was crying” (Maupassant 10). This supports that she makes the bad decision to go to the ball without having extravagant dresses and jewels. Mathilde could have gone to the ball by wearing just a dress she wore to the theater but when her husband suggests it, she cries so her husband will feel pity for her and buy her a new dress. Her crying getting her unnecessary condolence and taking advantage of her husband shows more of her character.

Mathilde spends her time imagining herself in her dream world instead of improving her real one. This comes into most detail when Maupassant describes all the lavish things that she desires. “She let her mind dwell on the quiet vestibules, hung with Oriental tapestries, lighted by tall lamps of bronze, and on the two tall footmen in knee breeches who dozed in the large armchairs, made drowsy by the heat of the furnace. She let her mind dwell on the large parlors, decked with old silk, with their delicate furniture, supporting precious bric-a-brac, and on the coquettish little rooms, perfumed, prepared for the five o’clock chat with the most intimate friends, men well known and sought after, whose attentions all women envied and desired” (Maupassant 2). This proves that her character is living in her own fantasy and is ungrateful for what she has. She even says that she wants fancy things just to attract men, even though she is already married. Her desiring gaudy items just to impress others shows more of how Mathilde chooses to fit in no matter the cost.

When Mathilde chooses to not tell her friend about the fact that lost the necklace more of her character. She loses the necklace and does not want to tell her friend, or she will be embarrassed. After they confirmed that there was no chance of them finding the necklace they realize instead of telling Madame Forestier they must replace it. “‘ You must write to your friend,’ said he, ‘that you have broken the clasp of her necklace and that you are having it mended. That will give us time to turn round.’ She wrote at his dictation. At the end of a week they had lost all hope. And Loisel, who had aged five years, declared: ‘We must consider how to replace that ornament.’”(Maupassant 74-79)This quote is important because instead of just simply admitting to what she did wrong, she lied about it. If she had confessed to it immediately she would have known it was a fake. The only reason she lied about it was that she was scared of what people think of her. This relates back to Mathilde trying to fit in and worrying about what other people think about her.

Mathilde worrying what others think of her and her trying to fit in leaves her in trouble. When she chooses to not attend the ball unless she is wearing lavish apparel, envy’s other items, and men, and not telling Madame Forestier of her mistake all to support her trying to fit in and worrying what others think about her. Thinking too much about what other people think about you is not good, though it may not result in as big as a problem as Mathilde, why would you take the chance?