The Necklace (Maupassant)

her own. . .

. . .which includes just about everybody on the planet.

Poor Mathilde can’t catch a break. When she finally does get the chance to hang

out with the rich and famous. . .

. . .she loses a borrowed necklace. . .

. . .which makes her life more miserable than ever.

It sure looks like our author is trying to tell us something. . .

. . .but what?

What’s the moral of The Necklace? Is he suggesting that we should be happy with

what we’ve got? Mathilde didn’t appreciate what she had.

. .

. . .and that led to a whole bunch of trouble.

Is DeMaupassant<<not totally sure on pronunciation – does Deb know?>> saying we should stop

wanting what we don’t have?

Or is he just encouraging us to be ourselves? If Mathilde had just slapped on a dress from

her closet. . .

. . .and skipped the fancy jewelry. . .

. . .well, we would have had a different story. Another possible moral to the story. . .

. . .could be the importance of telling the truth.

If Mathilde had just told Madame Forestier she had lost the necklace. . .

. . .she might have lost a friend. . .

. . .but could have kept her maid. . .

. . .and a few francs in the bank. So, what do you think is the moral of The

Necklace? Is it:

Be happy with what you’ve got. . .

Don’t try to be anyone but yourself. . .

or… Tell the truth, even when it’s really, really hard?

Shmoop amongst yourselves.