The Necklace

3 Pages 641 Words



Irony Isolates Character
In “The Necklace,” Guy de Maupassant deliberately attempts not to show the
significance of the diamond necklace to express irony through out the story. He uses irony to
isolate the main character, Mathilde Loisel. By isolating the main character from the other
characters, Maupassant will illustrate certain flaws in Mathilde life. Maupassant ironic twist of
fate demonstrates a life lesson for Mathilde. The lesson in the story puts Mathilde on the right
path of understanding her true identity. Maupassant uses various situations through the story to
reflect the changes of what Mathilde Loisel goes through concerning her attitudes, desires, and
self-acceptance related towards her formal and new life.
Mathilde Loisel attitude towards her social ranking makes her feel cheated in life.
Mathilde wants to be equal to the highest rank of women. She feels her beauty should put her in
that ranking. Details about the apartment show Mathilde frustrations of her home. The apartment
seems to be finely kept considering the fact she has a peasant who does all her tedious
housework, but Mathilde looks beyond the acceptable apartment. Instead she dreads the look of
her old furniture, the plain curtains and the wretchard look of the walls. The husband also
encounters Mathilde attitude by the fact that she throws the joyous news her husband brings her
on the three day old cloth covering the table. Ironically, her actions, overlooked how good she
had it in life and her husbands intentions by bring home the invitation. Mathilde attitude is
fueled by her desires in life. These desires takes Mathilde out of the real world into her own
world.
Mathilde desire of a luxurious life sets the tone of the story. Mathilde inability to face the
real w...