The Necklace

Henri Rene Albert Guy de Maupassant

About the Author: 

Henri Rene Albert Guy de Maupassant

Henri Rene Albert Guy de Maupassant (5 August 1850 - 6 July 1893) was a popular 19th-century French writer, and considered as one of the fathers of the modern short story.

A protege of Gustave Flaubert, Maupassant's stories are characterized by their economy of style and their efficient, effortless denouement. Many of the stories are set during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s and several of them describe the futility of war and the innocent civilians who, caught in the conflict, emerge changed. He also wrote six short novels. In 1880, he published what is considered his first masterpiece, Boude Suif, and was followed by short stories such as Deux Amis, Mother Savage, and Mademoiselle Fifi. In 1881, he published his first volume of short stories under the title of La Maison Tellier, in 1883, he finished his first novel, Une Vie. His second novel Bel-Ami, came out in 1885.

About the Story: "The Necklace" is a short story by French writer Guy de Maupassant. It is known for its twist ending, which was a hallmark of de Maupassant's style. Matilda is unhappy because she has been living a poor life. She has big dreams but no means to realize those dreams, which is the cause of her unhappiness. One day she borrows a necklace to attend a party but losses it. This changes her life.

Exercise

Glossary

Word	Meaning	Urdu meaning
Incessantly	Continuously, especially in an annoying or unpleasant way	مسلسل، خاص طور پر پریشان کن یا ناخوشگوار طریقے سے
Delicacies	Things, especially, rare or expensive that are good to eat	چیزیں، خاص طور پر، نایاب یا مہنگی جو کھانے میں اچھی ہیں۔
Tureen	A large bowl, usually with a lid, from which soup or vegetables are served	ایک بڑا پیالہ، عام طور پر ڈھکن کے ساتھ، جس سے سوپ یا سبزیاں پیش کی جاتی ہیں۔
Exquisite	Very beautiful; delicate	بہت خوبصورت؛ نازک
Elated	Extremely happy and excited	انتہائی خوش اور پرجوش
M.	Abbreviation for 'Monsieur' (form of address for a man in French)	'Monsieur' کا مخفف (فرانسیسی میں ایک آدمی کے لیے پتے کی شکل)
Mme	Abbreviation for 'Madame' (form of address for a women in French)	'میڈم' کا مخفف (فرانسیسی میں خواتین کے لیے خطاب کی شکل)
Spiteful	Full with feeling of anger	غصے کے احساس سے بھرا ہوا ہے۔
Dearie	(exclamation) used in expressions of annoyance, disappointment, sadness or surprise	(فجائیہ) ناراضگی، مایوسی، اداسی یا حیرت کے اظہار میں استعمال ہوتا ہے۔
Stammer	To speak or say something with unusual pause or repeated sounds	غیر معمولی توقف یا بار بار آواز کے ساتھ کچھ بولنا یا کہنا
Stupefy	To make someone tired and unable to think clearly	کسی کو تھکاوٹ اور واضح طور پر سوچنے سے قاصر بنانا
Dismay	A feeling of sadness	اداسی کا احساس
Vexation	Worry or annoyance	پریشانی یا پریشانی
Franc	Currency/ money used in France	فرانس میں استعمال ہونے والی کرنسی/پیسہ
Lark	A skylark; a small brown bird known for its singing	ایک چھوٹا بھورا پرندہ جو گانے کے لیے جانا جاتا ہے۔
Chic	Stylish and fashionable	سجیلا
Closet	A cupboard or a small room with a door, used for storing things, especially cloth.	ایک الماری یا ایک چھوٹا سا کمرہ جس کا دروازہ ہوتا ہے، جو چیزوں کو ذخیرہ کرنے کے لیے استعمال ہوتا ہے، خاص طور پر کپڑے۔
Salons	Shops were one can obtain particular services, espicially connected with beauty or fashon	دکانیں ایسی جہاں خاص طور پر خوبصورتی یا فیشن سے جڑی ہوئی خدمات حاصل کر سکتی ہیں۔
Wraps	Coverings	غلاف
Cab	A taxi	ایک ٹیکسی
Ruinous	Causing great harm and destruction	بڑا نقصان اور تباہی پھیلانا
Usurers	Money lenders	پیسے دینے والے
Odious	Extremely unpleasant	انتہائی ناگوار
Huggle	To attempt to decide on a price or condition which are acceptable to the seller as well as the buyer	ایسی قیمت یا شرط پر فیصلہ کرنے کی کوشش کرنا جو بیچنے والے اور خریدار کے لیے قابل قبول ہو۔
Sou	A very small amount of money	بہت کم رقم
Awary	Not in the intended way; twisted	مطلوبہ طریقے سے نہیں ہونا ؛ مڑا ہوا
Pail	A bucket	ایک بالٹی

Thinking about the Text

1. The course of the Loisels’ life changed due to the necklace. Comment.

Answer: The Loisels’ life took a major turn due to the necklace. It took them ten years to repay the loan that they had borrowed to buy the necklace. Their life turned upside down and everything changed for them. To repay the debt, they changed their lodgings, sent away the maid and rented some rooms in an attic. Matilda did all the tedious work of the kitchen, washed the dirty linen, and bargained with the grocer and butcher to save every single sou for mere survival. Her husband worked until late evenings and took up odd jobs to repay their debt. The couple led a miserable life to sustain themselves and repay the frightful debt incurred for buying the jewel.
2. What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?

Answer: Matilda’s materialistic aspirations and dissatisfaction were the ultimate cause of her ruin. She was always unhappy about her financial status and wished to be born in the midst of riches and luxuries of life. She could have easily avoided her ruin by accepting her current situation and being content with her simple life with her loving husband.
3. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?

Answer: If Matilda had courageously confessed to her friend, Mme Forestier, about the loss of the necklace, she could have saved herself from her doom. Her friend would have certainly got angry about the loss, but at least she would have come to know that it was a fake necklace that cost five hundred francs only. Had she known the real value of the necklace before, she would not have spent her husband’s entire inheritance and borrowed eighteen thousand francs to buy a replacement for the lost necklace. Besides, she could have saved herself and her husband from ten long years of suffering, misery, crushing poverty and all the trouble that they had to face to repay the frightful debt.
4. If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?

Answer: If I had been caught in a similar situation, I would have tried my best not to become a victim of greed and unrealistic aspirations. Had I lost a friend’s necklace, I would have revealed the truth about the loss and been ready to face the consequences. I would have been honest about it, and that would have definitely paved the way out for me.
5. Draw the character sketch of Matilda.
Answer: Mrs. Loisel, or Matilda, was the protagonist of the story. "The necklace". She was a beautiful young woman who, unfortunately, came from a lower-middle-class family of clerks. Because of her family's financial circumstances, she never had the opportunity to live a luxury lifestyle. She had never met or married a wealthy person; at last, she was married to a clerk. Her husband was also a clerk working in the Board of Education's office. However, her financial situation following her marriage was not poor but sufficient. Despite this, she never seemed to have a happy life. Her desire to live a luxurious life eventually cost her financially and mentally. Matilda's character is supposed to teach us a moral that we should be honest, not greedy, and content with what we have.

Writing Work

1. What are the things that are important to you to make you happy in life?

Answer: In my opinion the most important thing to live a happy life is honest. Honesty is indeed the best policy. We all know that hypocrisy and pride seem very rewarding and attractive initially. But, a person who follows the path of falsehood is likely to lead a life of misery, suffering and utter gloom. On the contrary, an honest person might face difficulties in life at the beginning, but it ultimately gives him/her all the happiness that he/she rightfully deserves. Therefore, honesty is the ultimate choice to lead a life of contentment, harmony and eternal happiness.

2. Write a short paragraph on 'We Should Be Content With What Life Gives Us'. You may write for or against the given topic.
Answer: Yes, we should be at peace and content with what life gives us. Every person in this world is born in different conditions, and their entire life is a great mystery. Some people are born with all riches, luxury, name and fame. On the other hand, some are born in suffering and crushing poverty which make it difficult for them to survive. Hence, there is a famous adage which says, “Cut your coat according to your cloth”. This means that one must learn to live within one’s capacity and be content with what one has. People can try to improve their financial position through honest means and eventually be happy with how they manage their life peacefully.