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"The Necklace": The Development Of Irony - College Essays

"The Necklace": The Development Of Irony

Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace" is situational irony written in 1884.
The story was written in a time when there were very distinct social classes
primarily determined by one's birth. It is about a woman who can not come to
terms with her position in the middle class. Although she knows she can not
escape her class, she refuses to accept it gracefully. It is through Matilde
that Maupassant develops the story's irony. This is reflected through
Matilde's daydreaming, which only serves to torment her, the loss of the
necklace borrowed for show, which only worsens their economic position, and
finally, their unnecessary sacrifice.

The irony begins with Matilde's frequent ...

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life. As a result, she becomes more focused on what she does not
have rather than what she does have.

Contributing to the irony is the borrowed necklace. Matilde's husband
brings a coveted dinner invitation home, and her first reaction is concern for
appearances. She tells her husband that they can not possibly go because she
has "nothing to wear" (5). Her husband agrees to buy her a new dress. This,
however, is not enough for Matilde; she needs jewelry. She explains that,
without jewelry, she will appear "shabby in the company of rich women" (6). In
her quest to present herself as a wealthy woman, she decided to borrow a "superb
diamond necklace" (6) from a friend. Unfortunately, upon arriving home,
Matilde noticed that the necklace was lost. When the necklace can not be found,
Matilde and her husband have no choice but to replace it. As a result,
Matilde's desire to appear part of the upper class has only succeeded in making
them part of a lower one.

Without a ...

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Added: 4/22/2004 06:18:35 PM
Category: Book Reports
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 586
Pages: 3

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