Short Story: Summary of 'The Necklace' By Guy Maupassant

The Necklace, a classic short story by Guy Maupassant, captivates readers with its unexpected and powerful ending. This story follows the protagonist Mathilde Loisel, a young woman who dreams of a life of luxury that she can never quite attain. After being loaned an expensive necklace for a ball, Mathilde experiences a rollercoaster ride of emotions as she desperately tries to replace the necklace after it is lost. The surprising conclusion of this story is sure to leave readers with a lasting impression.

A Young Woman's Husband Borrows A Diamond Necklace From A Wealthy Friend To Wear To A Ball

In Guy Maupassant's short story "The Necklace", a young woman's husband borrows a diamond necklace from a wealthy friend for her to wear to a ball. This small detail has huge implications for the rest of the story and speaks to one of its central themes: the perils of appearances. By having the young woman wear a borrowed necklace, Maupassant highlights the importance of material possessions in creating an impression and the consequences that come when one doesn't have them. The power of appearances is further reinforced by the fact that the necklace is borrowed from a wealthy friend, a reminder of the couple's inability to afford their own.

The Young Woman Loses The Necklace At The Ball, And Her Husband Cannot Afford To Replace It

In the renowned short story, “The Necklace” by Guy Maupassant, a young woman’s life is changed after a night of socializing. The young woman's husband borrows a diamond necklace from a wealthy friend to wear to a ball, but unfortunately, during the evening, she loses it and her husband is unable to replace it. This particular event has a huge impact on the couple's lives. This illustrates one of the themes of the story which is the power of materialism and how it can lead to unexpected consequences. It is an illustration of the power of money and status in our society and how these can change a person’s life drastically and forever. The story shows that even though the necklace was fake, its loss still had a profound effect on the young couple and it is this element that captivates readers and surprises them with the story’s ending.

The Young Woman And Her Husband Spend Ten Years Working To Repay The Debt Incurred From Replacing The Necklace

The theme of sacrifice is heavily explored throughout Guy de Maupassant’s short story “The Necklace.” The couple in the story sacrifice their entire lives to pay off a debt that never should have been theirs in the first place. After losing a borrowed necklace at a ball, the young woman and her husband must spend the next ten years working hard and scrimping every penny to pay for its replacement. This selfless act of devotion serves as a testament to the power of love and how far people will go to protect those they care about. Through this scene, Maupassant speaks to the idea that some sacrifices are worth making, even if they seem too heavy to bear.

At The End Of The Ten Years, The Young Woman Discovers That The Original Necklace Was A Fake

This shocking revelation serves as a poignant reminder of the themes that are found throughout Guy Maupassant's short story, 'The Necklace'. Themes such as vanity, materialism and the repercussions of our choices are all explored in this story. 

The young woman's obsession with wanting to be a part of the upper classes and her husband's willingness to borrow a necklace to help her fit in symbolizes the vanity and materialism that exist in society. This causes her to embark on a journey of debt repayment that lasts for ten years, an arduous task that eventually proves to be for naught. 

The surprise ending of 'The Necklace' serves as an important reminder to readers about the consequences of our choices and the importance of making decisions based on sound judgment rather than fleeting desires. It also speaks to the idea that wealth and status are not always what they appear to be, something that is made clear when the necklace turns out to be fake. 

The message at the heart of 'The Necklace' is one that should be remembered by all; appearances can be deceiving and it pays to think carefully before taking action.

The Necklace PDF By Guy Maupassant

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