“The Necklace” Unit Lessons

Journal Topic Status is defined as the standing a person has in a group to which he or she belongs. What are some things that give a person status? How can you tell that a person has status? What are some benefits of status? What are some possible harmful effects of concern about status?

VOCABULARY Rueful-(adj) feeling, showing, or expressing sorrow or pity; Disheveled-(adj) untidy; disarranged Aghast- (adj) horrified Adulation-(n) excessive praise Pauper- (n) a very poor person Chic- (adj) stylish Dowry- (n) the property or money that a bride brings to her husband at marriage Usurer- (n) a person who lends money with extremely high interest rates

VOCABULARY Vexation- (n) irritation; annoyance Caste- (n) a rigid system of social divisions Suppleness- (n) the gracefulness of a person or animal that is flexible Coquettish- (adj) flirty Disdain- (n) to treat with contempt, mockery, or disgust Homage – (n) respect; honor Chagrin- (n) embarrassment; humiliation Privation- (n) hardship

VOCABULARY Odious- (adj) hateful Impoverished-(adj) poor Frowsy-(adj) dirty; untidy Askew- (adj) crooked

BUILDING BACKGROUND “The Necklace” takes place in Paris in the second half of the 19th century. The life of a typical French woman was dictated by the income of her father or husband. Wealthy women were upper class and lived a life of luxury. Middle-class women took care of family and home. Lower-class women lived a life of poverty and hard work. A woman could improve her status by marrying someone of a higher class, however a woman needed a dowry to give to her new husband.

DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION The writer makes direct statements about a character's personality and tells what the character is like. Example #1: Ed Johnson scratched his head in confusion as the sales rep explained Dralco’s newest engine performance diagnostic computer. The old mechanic hated modern electronics, preferring the old days when all he needed was a stack of manuals and a good set of tools. Example #2: Julie held up six different outfits in front of the mirror and pondered which would go best with her navy blue shoes, pastel eye shadow and the diamond earrings she’d already procured from her overflowing vanity. After ninety minutes of mixing and matching, and cell-phoning her sister three times for advice, Julie finally made up her mind. She’d give the navy blue skirt and white sweater a try, hoping Trent would love it.

INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION The writer reveals information about a character and his personality through that character's thoughts, words, and actions, along with how other characters respond to that character, including what they think and say about him. Example #1: “That Ed Johnson,” said Anderson, watching the old mechanic scratch his head in confusion as the sales rep explained Dralco’s newest engine performance diagnostic computer. “He hasn’t got a clue about modern electronics. Give him a good set of tools and a stack of yellowing manuals with a carburetor needing repair, and he’d be happy as a hungry frog in a fly-field.”

POINT OF VIEW First Person Point of View In the first person point of view, the narrator does participate in the action of the story. When reading stories in the first person, we need to realize that what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. We should question the trustworthiness of the accounting.

POINT OF VIEW Third Person Point of View Here the narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters, but lets us know exactly how the characters feel. We learn about the characters through this outside voice.

POINT OF VIEW Omniscient and Limited Omniscient Points of View A narrator who knows everything about all the characters is all knowing, or omniscient. A narrator whose knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor, has a limited omniscient point of view.