"The Necklace"
...s not the type of man she had wished to marry. “She finally settled for a marriage with a minor clerk in the Ministry of Education” (4). By saying that she settled for him the author gives the impression that Mrs. Loisel thinks she could do better. All she wants out of life is to be envied and sought after by the wealthy men of her dreams. Materialism is another characteristic that Madame Loisel possesses. The author states that she suffers because she is supposed to have nice things but instead has a dark apartment with bare walls, worn furniture, and ugly curtains. Her tablecloth has not been washed in three days. If she were a rich woman, she would have a new cloth for every day. Madame Loisel has a rich friend, but Mrs. Loisel won’t go to Madame Forrestier’s house because when Mrs. Loisel returns home she would cry for an entire day and would feel sorrow because she did not have the things her friend did. Mrs. Loisel also doesn’t think that any of her dresses would be suitable for the party that she and her husband were invited to. Nor does she have any jewels to wear and would feel shabby in the company of rich women. “[…] and she fears that without them she will look just as poor as she is” (O’Faolain 1). Her materialism is shown again when she and her husband are leaving the party. Mathilde does not want to be seen wearing the everyday shawl she has brought with her even if it means being cold. All the other women have furs and Mathilde does not want to be reminded of her poverty. “By means of the necklace there is personified all the greed, all the shallow love of costly ornaments, all the striving of so many people to impress others by appearance” (Bement 5). This materialism she has ties into the fact that she is manipulative. She tells her husband that she has nothing to wear and can’t go to the party. Mr. Loisel begins to feel sorry for his wife and offers her money to buy a suitable dress. It’s funny that she seems to know exactly how much money he has saved. Her failed attempt at trying for more money for jewels has her visiting her rich friend, Madame Forrestier. While there, Mrs. Loisel looks through all the jewelry, constantly asking if there is anything else. Her manipulations pay off because she is the belle of the ball, especially with Madame Forrestiers’ diamond necklace. When Mrs. Loisel loses the necklace Mr. Loisel goes out to search for it. Although this may...