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Irony and Vanity in "The Necklace" and "The Spectacles" - Online Essay

Irony and Vanity in "The Necklace" and "The Spectacles"

Cristal Munoz
October 7, 2011
Writ 101 Section 95
Sellers

Irony and Vanity in "The Necklace" and "The Spectacles"

In "The Spectacles" by Edgar Allan Poe and "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant, irony is emphasized to provide a moral warning and to catch the reader's attention. The use of literary elements, particularly the use of irony, can transform an ordinary story into a great work of literature. There are many short stories that use various types of literary elements, Edgar Allan Poe's "The Spectacles" and Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace" are prime examples of short stories that are built around the distinct element of irony. The literary element of irony is emphasized in ...

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a person's preoccupation with appearances and materialism is fruitless and vain.
Mathilde's life is a simple one and she is unhappy. Mathilde covets the life of the wealthy. She is portrayed as someone who believes she deserves a better life than the one she has; "She had longed so eagerly to charm, to be desired, to be wildly attractive and sought after" (Maupassant, 2). Instead of seeing what she has and being grateful for it she only whines and complains. Madame Mathilde Loisel is a vain character. When her husband presents Mathilde with an invitation to an important ball, Mathilde is not happy.
Mathilde does not believe her own possessions to be valuable and is even "distressed at the poverty of her dwelling" (1). She believes that people of her social class assume things are only valuable if they are expensive. She mistakenly assumes that the necklace she borrows from her friend is made of real diamonds simply because her friend is wealthy. Owning a piece of costume jewelry ...

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Irony and Vanity in "The Necklace" and "The Spectacles". (2012, February 13). Retrieved January 11, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Irony-and-Vanity-in-Necklace-Spectacles/100302

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 2/13/2012 07:28:18 PM
Submitted By: cmunoz
Category: English
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 881
Pages: 4

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