The Necklace Text Questions, Summary, Theme English 10th Class - CHILBACH
The Necklace Short Story Text Questions and Summary
The Necklace is the lesson in JKBOSE Class 10th Tulip Series English and is also avaible in NCERT CBSE syllabus for class 10th. Get all the Textual Questions as well as Summary for The Necklace for the student of JKBOSE as well as CBSE Students.
Guy De Maupassant was an accomplished French writer who was widely considered to be one of the greatest short story writers of all time. He was a prominent member of the naturalist school of writers which emphasized the use of detailed observation and scientific principles in literature. Maupassants writing often portrayed human lives in a bleak and pessimistic light and he authored over three hundred short stories as well as several novels, travel books and poems.
Theme of short story The Necklace
The story of "The Necklace" is a powerful and thought-provoking satire that highlights the importance of human values and the consequences of not living within one's means. The tale serves as a reminder that everyone should be content with what they have and not strive for more than they can afford. The story's main message is that it is important for individuals to be true to themselves and not try to be someone they are not.
One of the key themes of the story is the concept of self-acceptance. Many individuals tend to put on a facade and try to be like someone else in order to be liked by others. However this ultimately leads to the loss of one's own identity and individuality. The story illustrates the negative effects of trying to be someone else and the importance of embracing one's own unique style and qualities. It is crucial for individuals to learn to accept themselves, their flaws and weaknesses in order to improve themselves and lead a fulfilling life.
Another important theme of the story is the concept of pride and vanity. Mrs. Loisel, the main character who is consumed by her desire to fit in with the wealthy and upper class and this leads to her downfall. Instead of being content with what she has, she borrows a necklace from a friend to impress others at a fancy event. When she loses the necklace she gets into debt and poverty to repay the amount all in an effort to save face and hide her mistake. This serves as a reminder that false pride and show-off can lead to suffering and misfortune.
In conclusion "The Necklace" is a story that provides a strong message on human values, self-acceptance and the importance of living within one's means. It serves as a reminder that it is important to be true to oneself and not try to be someone else. The story also highlights the negative effects of pride and vanity and emphasizes the importance of being content with what one has. It is a powerful and thought-provoking tale that can be used to teach valuable lessons about the human experience and the importance of living an authentic and honest life.
Irony of short story The Necklace
In this story, the author has used the literary device of situational irony. The protagonist, Madame Loisel is portrayed as a woman who longs for a luxurious lifestyle with exquisite food, clothes and jewels being her constant dream. However she is forced to live a life of austerity due to her financial circumstances. One day she is invited to a gala party and in order to fit in with the high society crowd she borrows a necklace from her friend Madame Forestier who believing it to be a symbol of wealth and high social status. However fate takes a turn for the worse when she loses the necklace after the party.
This leads to Madame Loisel having to borrow a large sum of money i.e thirty-six thousand francs to replace the necklace which causes them to struggle financially for the next ten years. Matilda and her husband had to work hard to pay off their debts moving to humbler lodgings and giving up the luxuries they once longed for. Matilda had to do all the housework herself, leading to her beauty fading and her hands becoming rough and red. Monsieur Loisel also had to work overtime to clear the debts. After ten years, Madame Loisel happens to meet Madame Forestier again and in the heat of the moment she explains the hardships she had to go through to replace the necklace. To her surprise, she finds out that the necklace she borrowed was fake, leaving her with a sense of irony and regret.
Summary of Short Stories The Necklace
The story "The Necklace" was written by the French author Guy De Maupassant seven hundred years ago. It tells the story of Matilda Loisel is a young lady who lives in a small flat with her husband who works as a clerk for the Minister of Education. Matilda is described as a very pretty young lady but she is unhappy with her life. She believes that she was born for luxury and wealth but instead, she is living a simple and petty life. Her husband brings home an invitation to a dinner party organized by his office and Matilda is upset because she has nothing suitable to wear. Her husband agrees to give her four hundred francs to buy a new dress.
In the week leading up to the party, Matilda becomes anxious because she has no jewellery to wear with her gown. Her husband suggests that she borrow something from her friend Jeanne Forestier. Jeanne hears Matilda's story of distress and generously opens her box of jewels for her to borrow. Matilda chooses a sparkling diamond necklace. Matilda and her husband attend the gala and have a great time. Matilda looks very pretty, elegant, and graceful. Everyone at the party notices her and wants to be introduced to her.
After the party, Matilda and her husband arrive home in the early hours of the morning. When Matilda looks in the mirror and she realizes that the necklace is missing. They search for it everywhere in the house but it cannot be found. They wonder if it fell in the cab that brought them home but neither of them noticed the number. Matilda's husband goes out to search the streets and even goes to the police and cab offices to raise a complaint. He also advertises in the newspaper offering a reward for the necklace's return.
To buy some time from Jeanne, Matilda writes a letter saying that the necklace's clasp broke and she sent it for repair. In the meantime they find a similar necklace. The cost of the necklace is thirty-six thousand francs which her husband inherits eighteen thousand francs from his father and borrows the rest from moneylenders. Finally, they purchase the necklace and Matilda gives it to Jeanne who does not even bother to look at it.
Matilda's life changes dramatically in the next ten years. They move to a much smaller apartment where she cooks and cleans herself. Her husband does multiple jobs and she also does other work to pay all the money they have borrowed. After ten years, they are able to pay all the money back, but by then Matilda has aged a lot.
One day, Matilda meets Jeanne Forestier again. She decides to confess the truth about the necklace. Jeanne is surprised to see Matilda's state. Matilda tells her that she had lost the necklace that she borrowed from her and had to pay a huge amount for the replacement. Jeanne is shocked to hear the entire story behind the necklace and she confesses that the necklace Matilda borrowed was a fake which was not worth more than five hundred francs. This revelation shows that all of Matilda's sacrifices and sufferings were for nothing and her actions were driven by her own vanity and desire for wealth and luxury. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of materialism and the importance of contentment.
Conclusion
The moral of this story is that being truthful and honest is the best policy. In the story Matilda kept a secret from her friend about the necklace being fake which ultimately led to her living a unhappy life for a decade. It is common for people to hide the truth or tell lies in order to avoid punishment or the wrath of those they care about. However it is important to remember that those closest to us will forgive and understand our mistakes as long as we are honest and take responsibility for them.
Text Questions from The Necklace
Q.1 The course of the Loisels’ life changed due to the necklace. Comment.
Ans: The necklace significantly impacted the course of the Loisel's life. Due to losing the original necklace and having to replace it, the couple was forced to borrow money and make sacrifices in order to pay off their debt. This included dismissing their maid moving to a less luxurious home and taking on additional jobs to earn more money. Matilda had to take on domestic tasks such as washing dishes, laundry and shopping for groceries, while Loisel worked in the evenings and did copying work at night to earn extra income. These sacrifices and hard work continued for a decade but eventually they were able to repay their lenders.
Q.2 What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?
Ans: Matilda's cause was a direct result of her constant dissatisfaction with her life. Despite having everything she needed, she was never content and always felt unfulfilled. She believed that she was meant for a life of extravagance and luxury and couldn't accept her current circumstances. Her unhappiness led her to make poor decisions ultimately leading to her ruin. Had she been able to find contentment in what she had she could have avoided this tragic outcome
Q.3 What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?
Ans: If Matilda had been truthful with her friend and admitted that she had lost the necklace the outcome may have been different. Instead of facing severe repercussions her friend would have been understandably upset but likely would have helped her find a replacement. They would have discussed where the necklace was purchased and how much it cost, which would have revealed that the jewels in the necklace were not real diamonds. This knowledge would have allowed Matilda to replace the necklace at a much lower cost, saving herself and her husband from the difficulties they ultimately faced as a result of her dishonesty.
Q.4 If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?
Ans: If I were in a similar situation as the one described, I would go talk to Madam Forestier and tell her the truth. She may ask me to either pay 500 francs or give her a necklace that is worth the same amount since the necklace I borrowed was not made of real diamonds. It's also possible that she would forgive me and tell me I don't have to return it. In any of these cases I would either have to pay 500 francs or nothing at all. This way Madam Forestier would be happy and there wouldn't be as much trouble.
Q.5 Draw the character sketch of Malilda?
Ans: Matilda was a young woman who was born into a poor family. She was not able to have a proper dowry and so she was married to a man who was not wealthy. She was very unhappy with this situation because she wanted to be successful and have a lot of money and fame. She was sad because she lived in a poor apartment and did not have nice things. Her husband tried to make her happy but she would daydream about having fancy dinners and expensive clothes and jewelry. She was also unhappy when her husband invited her to a fancy party because she did not have nice clothes or jewelry to wear. But when she finally got the clothes and jewelry she wanted and she was very happy. However this happiness did not last long because she lost a necklace and had to struggle for many years. She became a hard and rough woman, but she learned to be a better person and was finally content.
Q.6 Draw the character sketch of Mr Loisel?
Ans: Mr Loisel worked as a small clerk at a government office. He was a good person and was happy with his life. He was not like his wife Matilda, who always wanted fancy things. He was content with simple meals like potpie.
Mr Loisel loved his wife and always tried to make her happy. He bought her a ticket to a fancy party and even spent money on a nice dress for her. When she lost a valuable necklace he borrowed a lot of money to buy her a new one so she wouldn't be embarrassed in front of her friends.
He was also brave and willing to take risks. He spent all of his savings and borrowed more money to replace the necklace. He worked extra hours to pay off the debt he had taken on.
Q.7 Draw the character sketch of Madame Forestier?
Ans: Madame Forester was a wealthy woman who was friends with Matilda. She was known for being kind, helpful and having a big heart. Matilda asked Madame Forester for some jewelry and Madame Forester showed Matilda all of her jewelry and told her to pick whatever she wanted. Madame Forester was a very sincere person. When Matilda gave her a jewelry box to Madame Forester, who accepted it without checking to see if it contained a necklace or not. Madame Forester was truthful and open. This honesty became clear when she said that her necklace was fake and only worth five hundred francs.
Ishaq Ramzan
An Electrical Engineer and a part time blogger and soon to be web developer. I love the internet, technology, and building beautiful things.