The Necklace

1) What kind of person was Mme Loisel and why was she always unhappy?
Matilda was a pretty young lady. She felt that she was born to enjoy all luxuries and delicacies in life. But
she was unhappy with life as she belonged to a poor family. Her apartment was very shabby and she found
it difficult to live within the limited means provided by her husband, who was a petty clerk.
2) What was Matilda’s reaction to the invitation to the ball?
Matilda was very unhappy to see the invitation to the Minister’s party. She was not pleased about the
party because she had nothing suitable to wear. She was worried that absence of an appropriate dress
would reveal her poor status and cause embarrassment. So she refused to go to the party and asked her
husband to give away the invitation to someone else.
3) Matilda was a great success at the party. Comment.
Matilda was the center of attraction at the ball. She looked the prettiest of all in the new dress and the
diamond necklace. Her beauty, grace, joy and smile attracted everyone. All men noticed her and she was
sought after by everyone.
4) Why did Matild leave the ball in a hurry?
Matilda left the ball in a hurry because she did not want to be seen with an ordinary wrap that she had
carried. She felt that the poor looks of the wrap clashed with the new dress and diamond necklace.
5) How did Mme Loisel now know the life of poverty?
Mme Loisel now knew the life of necessity when she had to live a life of poverty to pay off the debt, they
had taken to return the necklace. They sent off their maid and shifted into an attic in a poor
neighbourhood. Matilda had to cook, clean, wash and bring water and bargain with the butcher as well as
the grocer. While husband work all day, evening and night to earn as much money as he could.
6) Why do you thing M Loisel was caring husband?
M Loisel was a loving husband as he tried to fulfil all the requirement of his wife. He bought her a new
dress with the money he had saved for a gun. When his wife wanted jewellery to go with the dress, he
suggested her to borrow it from her friend Madam Forestier. When she lost the necklace, he tried his best
to find it. He did not blame her or scold her. Later he offered to take a big loan and return a similar
diamond necklace to madam Forestier.
7) Matilda wanted to live a life above her status. How did this desire of her’s lead to her suffering?
Matilda was born in a poor family but she believed that she was born for better luxuries and delicacies in
life. When she was invited to Manister’s ball, she initially refused because she did not have anything to
wear. But later, she ended up buying a new dress and borrowed a diamond necklace from her friend. She
lost the necklace and had to pay a lot of money to buy another one to replace the lost necklace. Later she
and her husband spent ten years of their life working vey hard to repay the loans.