Madame Loisel
What social class does Madame Loisel belong to?
Middle class
Madame Loisel struggles with who she is versus who she wishes she were. What type of conflict is this?
Internal conflict (character vs. self)
What is the setting of the story?
1880's France
The narrator writes, "The next day she paid her friend a visit and told her of her predicament." What does the word "predicament" mean?
A difficult or challenging situation.
Approximately how long did it take the Loisels to repay the debt for the replacement necklace?
10 years
Madame Loisel's husband is caring and giving. What are two character traits that could be used to describe Madame Loisel?
Materialistic, dissatisfied, ungrateful, envious, self-centered, etc.
What is one central idea of "The Necklace"?
Answers will vary. Example: People should appreciate what they have instead of focusing on what they lack.
In general, what are the five components of the "plot triangle"?
Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution
In the beginning of the story, the narrator writes, "The sight of the Breton girl who did her humble housework roused in her disconsolate regrets and wild daydreams." Who is the Breton girl?
The Loisel family's maid
Madame Loisel receives a lot of __________ at the party.
attention
What is Madame Loisel's central conflict?
She desires a luxurious life, but is unable to have one.
What is one example of irony in "The Necklace"?
Answers will vary. Example: Madame Loisel longs to be rich and admired, but her desire for wealth ultimately causes her to live in poverty for ten years.
What is the climax of the story?
When Madame Loisel realizes that she has lost the necklace she borrowed from Madame Forestier.
Madame Loisel experienced great anguish after borrowing the necklace. What does "anguish" mean?
A feeling of great sadness, worry, or emotional pain.
Who does Madame Loisel blame for her years of suffering?
Madame Forestier
Why does Madame Loisel initially tell her husband that she does not want to attend the party for which he brought her an invitation?
Because she feels she has nothing suitable to wear and is afraid that she will look poor.
What is one example of foreshadowing in "The Necklace"?
Answers will vary. Example: When the jeweler says he only supplied the case for the necklace, which hints that the necklace may not be as valuable as Madame Loisel believes.
What is the resolution of the story?
When Madame Loisel learns that the necklace she lost was fake, and worth much less than the expensive necklace she and her husband spent ten years paying to replace.
What does the term "living quarters" mean, and how does Madame Loisel feel about her living quarters at the beginning of the story?
Living quarters are the rooms or space where someone lives, and at the beginning of the story, Madame Loisel is unhappy with her living quarters because she believes they are plain and not luxurious enough.
Why did Madame Loisel borrow the diamond necklace from Madame Forestier?
Because she wanted to impress others and appear wealthy at the party.
Based on what you know about Madame Loisel, infer how she would react to Madame Forestier's exclamation at the end of the story.
Answers will vary. Example: She might blame Madame Forestier for not telling her that the necklace was not real, rather than taking responsibility for her own choices.
How does the symbolism of the necklace change from the beginning to the end of the story?
The necklace initially symbolizes wealth and the luxurious life Madame Loisel longs for, but by the end of the story, it symbolizes the years of hardship and sacrifice she endures after losing it.
The author writes, "She threw her arms around her friend, kissed her warmly, and fled with her treasure." Which part of the plot triangle does this event belong to?
Rising action
Madame Loisel had to marry a clerk because she had no dowry. What does the term "dowry" mean?
Money, property, or wealth that a woman brings with her when she gets married.
How did Madame Loisel's life change after losing the necklace? Name one specific change.
Answers will vary. Example: She had to work hard and live like the poor. She spent her days doing housework, such as cooking, cleaning, and washing clothes.