The Necklace Theme Analysis
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The Necklace Theme Analysis
The Necklace: an original retelling
Mathilde Loisel believed she had been born for a life of luxury. Instead, she lived in a small flat in Paris with her husband, a clerk who was content with their simple home. When he brought her an invitation to a grand reception, he expected her to be pleased. Mathilde wept: she had no elegant dress to wear. Her husband gave her the money he had saved for a new hunting rifle so she could buy one. Still dissatisfied, she borrowed a glittering diamond necklace from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier. At the reception, Mathilde felt admired. She danced and enjoyed being treated as someone important. For a few hours, her appearance seemed to match the life she had imagined. But when she returned home, the necklace was gone. She and her husband searched everywhere, then decided not to tell Madame Forestier. They borrowed money and bought a replacement necklace that looked the same. For ten years, the Loisels worked to repay their debts. They dismissed their servant, moved to a smaller home and took on exhausting work. Mathilde did the heavy household tasks herself. Her hands grew rough and her clothes became plain. One day, she met Madame Forestier and told her the truth about the lost necklace and the replacement. Madame Forestier was shocked: the original necklace had been imitation jewellery, worth very little. The Loisels had sacrificed ten years to replace something that was not valuable.
Read closely
Use evidence from the retelling to explore how character, contrast and the necklace itself develop the story’s themes.
- The pursuit of appearances and status can have serious consequences.
- Friendship always prevents people from making mistakes.
- Hard work guarantees social success.
- Wealth is less important than education.
- Mathilde borrows a necklace for the reception
- The Loisels hide the loss and buy a replacement
- The original necklace is revealed to be imitation
- Appearance is not the same as reality
- A desire to appear wealthy
- The consequences of a choice and their silence
- Mathilde’s husband gives up his savings for her dress.
- Mathilde enjoys dancing at the reception.
- The necklace they replace is revealed to have been imitation jewellery.
- The Loisels move to a smaller home.
3 printable pages
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
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