The Necklace A Closer Look at Character Essay Example For Students

The Necklace: A Closer Look at Character Essay The Necklace: A Closer Look at Character Essay English 102 P Buss Essay 1 In any literay work, it is absolutely essential to have characters, whether major or minor. It is also necessary to develop these characters through out the story. Character development gives the reader insight to the more important meanings or lessons of the story. These lessons are usually brought out by the events that take place within the story. Looking at Guy De Maupassants piece The Necklace, we see a very clear development of the main character Mathidle. In the story, we see a change in her attitude about life. This change come about when she has to learn one of lifes little lessons the hard way. She and her husband are forced to live a life of hard work and struggle because of her own selfish desires. Mathilde changes from a woman who spends her time dreaming of all the riches and glory she doesnt have, to realizing that she over looked all the riches she did have. The story opens with the description of how miserable Mathilde is. Maupassant describes her as suffering constantly, feeling herself destined for all delicacies and luxeries. (Pg 4) She sits dreaming of silent rooms nicely decorated and her own private room, scented with perfume to have intimate tete- a-tetes with her closest friends. Then she is awakened, only to realize that she is in her own grim apartment. In her eyes, she lives a tortured and unfair life. Mathidle has a husband named Losiel. He is much the opposite of his wife. He is completely content with his lifestyle. He seems to be a very passive person, who doesnt let status or riches effect him. Of course, if he had the chance to be rich he would, but he doesnt dwell on the fact that he is part of the middle class. He seems ot be a hard worker and does his best to provide for his wife. He demonstrates is simplicity the one night at dinner Losiel and Mathilde sit down to eat. Mathidle is dreaming of fancy four course meals, while he is ecstatic because they are eating boiled beef. Losiel is aware that his wife has not yet adjusted to her status. One night, he had come home from work very excited. He had worked extra hard to get he and his wife invited to one of the biggest parties ever. Losiel thought this would be please his wife, when in fact it only made her upset. Here was Losiel trying to please his wife and she just started to cry. This just goes to show how ungreatful she really is. When Losiel had inquired about why she was upset, she had said it was because she had nothing to wear. She was hinting to her husband that she needed a dress. Then Losiel, because he wanted his wife to be happy had willingly given up his vacation money so his wife could have a dress to wear. Still, that wasnt good enough for her. Mathilde wanted more. Luckily, Mathilde had a friend in the upper class. She had gone to her friend and had asked to borrow jewlery for the occasion. This just helped to prove her need to have more. When she arrived at her friends house she had many things to choose from. Mathilde had seen all kinds of things that delighted her but one thing imparticular had caught her eye. In a black satin box, a superb diamond necklace, and her heart throbbed with desire for it. Her hands shook as she picked it up. She fastened it around her neck, watched it gleam at her throat and looked at herself ecstatically. .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 , .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 .postImageUrl , .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 , .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2:hover , .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2:visited , .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2:active { border:0!important; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2:active , .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2 .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4e3711b5a82adaabb8cea79f8d0c4aa2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Elizabethanfood Essay (Pg 6) She had gotten all she wanted. Once again, Mathildes selfish desires had been fulfilled. After going to the ball and basically being the life of the party, she returned home to her drab apartment, only to remember the events of the evening where she was in the sporlight and people looked at her. It was at that moment that she had noticed that the necklace was missing. She and her husband had searched everywhere for it yet, the necklace was no where to be found. For the next ten years Loisel and Mathilde worked their fingers to the bone to repay Mathildes friend for the necklace that Mathilde had carelessly lost. They had to move to a different apartment, this worse than the last. They also had to borrow money from the .