The Necklace - Q&A

Read and Find Out (Page 39)

1. What kind of a person is Mme Loisel — why is she always unhappy?

Mme Loisel is a pretty young woman who feels she was born for all the delicacies and luxuries of life. However, she is married to a petty clerk and lives a simple, poor life. She is always unhappy because she is dissatisfied with her apartment, her clothes, and her lack of wealth. She constantly dreams of elegant dinners and rich jewels, which she cannot afford.

2. What kind of a person is her husband?

Her husband is a simple, loving, and contented man. Unlike his wife, he appreciates the simple things in life, like a good potpie. He is very caring and sacrifices his own savings (kept for buying a gun) to buy a dress for his wife so she can be happy. He stands by her during the crisis and works hard for ten years to pay off the debt.

Think about it (Page 46)

1. The course of the Loisels' life changed due to the necklace. Comment.

Yes, the necklace completely changed the course of the Loisels' life. To replace the lost necklace, they had to borrow a huge amount of money (18,000 francs) at high interest rates. They had to move to a cheap attic, dismiss their maid, and do all the household work themselves. Mr. Loisel worked double shifts, and Matilda did the heavy chores of a poor woman. This life of extreme poverty and hard labour lasted for ten years, costing them their youth and peace of mind.

2. What was the cause of Matilda's ruin? How could she have avoided it?

The main cause of Matilda's ruin was her dissatisfaction with her life and her desire for luxury and false vanity. She borrowed the necklace to show off at the party. She could have avoided the ruin if she had been content with her life or if she had simply told the truth to her friend, Mme Forestier, about losing the necklace. A confession would have revealed that the necklace was fake and worth very little.

3. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?

If Matilda had confessed to her friend, Mme Forestier would have likely told her that the necklace was made of paste (fake diamonds) and was worth at most five hundred francs. Matilda and her husband would not have had to borrow a fortune or spend ten years in misery paying off a debt for a real diamond necklace.

4. If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?

(Model Answer) If I were caught in such a situation, I would have chosen to be honest. I would have immediately informed the owner about the loss. While it would be a difficult conversation, hiding the truth usually leads to bigger problems. As seen in the story, honesty would have saved the couple from a decade of unnecessary suffering.

Talk about it (Page 46)

1. The characters in this story speak in English. Do you think this is their language? What clues are there in the story about the language its characters must be speaking in?

No, the characters do not speak English; they speak French. The story is set in Paris, France. The clues in the story include:
- The titles used: "Mme" (Madame) and "M." (Monsieur).
- The currency mentioned: "francs" and "sous".
- The names of the characters: Loisel, Forestier.
- The locations mentioned: The Ministry of Public Instruction, the Seine, the Palais Royal.

2. Honesty is the best policy.

(Discussion Point) This story serves as a powerful example of why honesty is the best policy. Matilda's fear of admitting the truth led to her destruction. Had she been honest with Mme Forestier, she would have learned the true value of the necklace and avoided the tragedy. Lies may seem like an easy escape in the short term, but they often lead to severe long-term consequences.

3. We should be content with what life gives us.

(Discussion Point) Matilda's tragedy was rooted in her lack of contentment. She had a comfortable home and a loving husband, but she made herself miserable by craving things she couldn't have. Her greed for luxury blinded her to the happiness she already possessed. The story teaches us that happiness comes from appreciating what we have, rather than chasing after what we don't.