Date post: | 16-Nov-2014 |
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• Author • Guy De Maupassant
• Published 1884
• Maupassant was extremely successful during his lifetime and “The Necklace” was an instant success
• The Necklace– Overview
• Madame Mathilde and her husband are not well off financially
• She has always dreamed of being rich.
• 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.
• 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.
• Literary Focus– Point of View
– Symbolism
• ‘‘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, 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.
• Characters– Madame Mathilde
Loisel
• 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– Monsieur Loisel
• Content with social situation
• Attentive to his wife's desires,
• Acts in stark contrast to his wife: generous, hard working, selfless