Symbolism is when an object has a meaning more than what it really is. In this case in the short story “The necklace” the “fine rich jewel” is the main factor of symbolism. The necklace is fake, which the reader does not find out until the very end. This leads to say that Mathilde was fake since she wanted to appear something that she really wasn’t. It also symbolizes wealth and luxury to the high social class. Mathilde wanted to be recognized as a high social class women therefore she chose that necklace to make it seem that she was. Little did she know that the necklace was fake just as how she was pretending to be in the glamorous gown ball. Everyone in the party actually thought that she was a high social class women. In the story Maupassant states “all the men saw her... important administrators stood in life to waltz with her...” (9). Furthermore the necklace is symbolized that looks can be deceiving, since it made her look rich when she really wasn’t. Smith emphasizes that “at the Ministry reception Mathilde really does feel that she is the belle of the ball” (no page). However, this didn’t last long. It was because of the necklace that it changed her …show more content…
Irony refers in a story when the opposite of what is expected happens. Something unexpected happens that results in tragedy. “Maupassant has an immense reputation as a specialist in stories that end in this way—stories with ‘trick’ or ‘twist’ endings” (Steegmulller no page). “The Necklace” definitely has that twist at the end. The irony in the story is that Mathilde borrows a necklace to look rich, and to feel that she is someone that she is not to later become a person that is way less than what she was. By borrowing the necklace she thought she would get an opportunity to actually be rich in the future. However, due to the fact that she lost it, it turned out that it changed her life for ten years. In the story Maupassant states that “Mrs. Loisel soon discovered the horrible life of the needy” (12). This shows that Mathilde really worked hard for what she needed because of her greediness. It changed her life style completely, she even had to fire her maid, lived and rented in an attic