The Necklace by Guy DeMaupassant

This classic short story, written by French author, Guy De Maupassant in 1884, is an example of a twist (or surprise) ending. The author leads the reader, step by descriptive step, to the painful, ironic conclusion, leaving in the wake of shock and dismay -- a thoroughly good lesson against vanity and envy. This story has been described as "Cinderella Gone Wrong."

Rabbit Trails

* It might be interesting to discuss this story amongst boys and girls to discover the differences in their reactions. Do young men glean a different lesson from the story than young women? Are they more or less annoyed at Mathilde? Why do they think this is?

* Was the final outcome an inevitable punishment? Though envy and vanity certainly instigated the tragic accident (the loss of the necklace), was it pride that caused the couple's ultimate societal downfall? What could they have done in humility that would have prevented the whole thing? Or... do the students think the couple's reaction to the loss of the necklace was actually an act of honor and integrity? Do the students think that it's possible the couple may have ended up the better, spiritually, by the lesson learned?  (There is no definitive answer, but it's an interesting discussion!)

Printables

Text here.

Study Guide here.