Symbols and Themes
What is the irony?
the necklace was fake
Why is Mathilde unhappy?
She feels like she was deserving of luxuries.
Who is the main character?
Mathilde Loisel
Who was the author?
Guy de Maussepant
dowry
money given to a groom by the wife's family
What is the theme?
greed and its consequences
How long did it take to repay the debt?
10 years
What was the husband's name?
Monsiuer Loisel
Where was the setting?
Paris
gallantries
polite attention or respect given to women by men
What is the necklace a symbol of?
Mathilde's desire for wealth
What does Mathilde's husband offer to do when she says she has nothing to wear?
To buy her a gown.
What was the husband's job?
clerk
What are the 3 divisions of socioeconomic class?
upper, middle and lower
quay
a platform for unloading ships
What is the author's tone?
pessimistic
What does Madame Forestier say the necklace was made of at the end?
paste
Who did Mathilde borrow the necklace from?
Madame Forestier
What money does France use in today's times?
the euro
usurers
people who lend money at a high rate of interest
What did Mathilde tell her friend to "buy more time" to look for the necklace?
the clasp broke
What does Mathilde's husband tell her to wear to the ball?
flowers
Who was hosting the party?
What year was The Necklace written?
1884
privations
essential for human well-being