Skip to main content

What does Madam Forestier lend Mathilde to wear to the party in "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant?

Madame Forestier lends Mathilde a necklace that Mathilde thinks is made of real diamonds but turns out to be costume jewelry.

Mathilde Loisel is upset when her husband says he has an invitation to a fancy ball. She always wishes she had more money and prestige than she does, so he thinks it is a big score. He expects her to be thrilled, but she is upset because she doesn’t think she has the right clothes for the occasion.



She had no clothes, no jewels, nothing. And these were the only things she loved; she felt that she was made for them. She had longed so eagerly to charm, to be desired, to be wildly attractive and sought after.



Her husband gives Mathilde the money he has been saving up to buy a new gun for hunting so she can buy a dress, but she is still unhappy because she doesn’t have a jewel. Her husband suggests flowers are in fashion, but she is not satisfied. He then reminds her that she has a rich friend, Madame Forestier. Mathilde likes this suggestion.


Madame Forestier is willing to lend Mathilde anything she wants. She makes some suggestions, but Mathilde chooses what she thinks is the flashiest and most expensive jewel.  It looks like a diamond.



Suddenly she discovered, in a black satin case, a superb diamond necklace; her heart began to beat covetously. Her hands trembled as she lifted it. She fastened it round her neck, upon her high dress, and remained in ecstasy at sight of herself.



Her friend has no problem lending her the jewel, and is nowhere near as excited about it as Mathilde. Mathilde is the delight of the ball. Everyone looks at her, just as she hoped.  Unfortunately, Mathilde loses the jewel. She and her husband are horrified because they think it is very expensive.


Mathilde and her husband go to a jeweler, who says he did not sell the necklace. After negotiating, they buy a replacement and give it to Madame Forestier without telling her about losing the first one. It takes them years to pay it off. Just when they pay it off, Mathilde learns the necklace she lost was fake.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more