Symbolism of Ya Ya Essay

Submitted By brookebrous
Words: 831
Pages: 4

Mathilde Loisel In “The Necklace”
In the short story, “The Necklace”, by Guy de Maupassant, the main character, Mathilde Loisel, is constantly battling her position in life; claiming it to be a fault in destiny. She was blessed with good looks, however little wealth. She was born knowing that she had, “no dowry, no expectations [and] no means of being known, understood, [or] loved” (187). She dreamed of a life filled with glamour, and luxuries. Her inability to obtain wealth and riches allows Mathilde to be understood as greedy, selfish, envious, and ashamed throughout the entire story. Mathilde’s desire for better clothes, jewelry, and wealth establishes one of her most prominent characteristics, greed. She claims to, “suffer intensely” from the lack of luxury present in her life (187). She has all the essential necessities but is uniformly dreaming of something much more. When being served dinner with her husband, Mathilde fantasizes about, “exquisite dishes, served in marvelous platters” (188). Mathilde is trapped in her envision of a more glamorous life that she cannot rid herself of greed, even when performing a simple daily task such as eating dinner. Mathilde’s reaction to her husband’s surprise displays her selfish ways. When Monsieur Loisel handed her the invitation to the ball, “she threw the invitation on the table with annoyance “ (188). Her husband was not expecting this kind of reaction; it was an honor and rare occurrence for a clerk to receive the invitation in the first place. He assumed she would enjoy being around the higher class, those whom she has always wished to be. Instead of being thankful that her husband went out of his way to make her happy, she is displeased and distraught because she feels she does not have the delicacies needed to attend the ball. Her husband then offers her 400 francs to buy a brand new extravagant dress. She is only satisfied with this proposal until she is reminded that she does not have any jewelry to go with the dress. After she gets her dress, she complains to her husband that, “it annoys [her] not to have a jewel, not a single stone, to put on” (189). Monsieur Loisel’s feelings are of no importance to Mathilde. She is only concerned with her feelings, instead of being grateful and appreciative; proving her to be selfish. She is never satisfied with the gifts of today, only the wants of tomorrow. Mathilde envies those around her whom possesses more things or has more fortune. “She had a rich friend, a comrade of her convent days, whom she did not want to go and see anymore, so much did she suffer as she came away” (Page 189). She valued wealth so much that even her friendships were hindered. Her envious ways cause her to be flooded with disappointment, due to her friend’s prosperity being something she could only dream about. Mathilde is ashamed of her place in society. “She had no dresses, no jewelry, nothing. And she loved nothing else; she felt herself made for that only” (188). Mathilde has obsessed for