1. The Necklace

2. Guy De Maupassant Author Published 1884
Maupassant was extremely successful during his lifetime and “The Necklace” was an instant success
Author
Don’t mess with the ‘Stache

3. Madame Mathilde and her husband are not well off financially
The Necklace
Overview
Madame Mathilde and her husband are not well off financially
She has always dreamed of being rich.

4. Overview, Con’t:
When the couple is invited to a ball, Madame Loisel must find jewelry and fine clothing so she can attend the event.
The trouble begins when her jewelry is lost.

5. Literary Focus Themes Appearance vs. Reality Rich vs. Poor
Generosity vs. Greed
Madame Loisel is pretty and charming, but she is also unhappy with her lot in life and believes that she deserves more.
Madame Loisel’s belief that beautiful things and luxury are essential to her happiness is the untruth that scars her physical beauty.
Madame Loisel’s greed stands in marked contrast to the generosity of her husband and Madame Forestier.

6. The necklace is the central symbol of the story.
‘‘The Necklace’’ is told by an omniscient third-person narrator. The narrator does have access to the characters‘ thoughts.
The necklace is the central symbol of the story.
The necklace comes to represents Madame Loisel's greed and also her artificiality.
Literary Focus
Point of View
Symbolism

7. Literary Focus, Con’t:
Irony
In a society that so highly values appearance, it is ironic that the beautiful Madame Loisel is excluded from society because of her class standing.
The greatest irony of all, however, comes during the story’s surprise ending.

8. Beautiful woman on the outside but has a superficial personality
Believes that she is meant for better things than the middle-class
Infatuated with superficial things:
a ball gown
better furniture
fancy jewelry
Characters
Madame Mathilde Loisel

9. Content with social situation
Attentive to his wife's desires,
Acts in stark contrast to his wife: generous, hard working, selfless
Characters
Monsieur Loisel