(Book Review) "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant

                              

1.Introduction  

   The Necklace is a short story by the French writer Guy de Maupassant. It was first published in 1884. The story makes us think about what matters in our lives.

   Matilde didn’t know that the diamond necklace having lost was just an imitation. Matilde and her husband had to go through tough times for ten years. Did Matilde waste her life because of that? Otherwise, did she grab something else valuable?  

2.Summary

   Mathilde Loisel was beautiful but full of vanity. She longed for the life of the upper class. She would have given anything to be popular, envied, attractive, and in demand. But her husband was a low-level official, and could not meet her desires.

   One day, the husband brought a party invitation to her, which was held by his minister. Matilde got unexpectedly angry with it, saying, “What earthly use is that to me?” It meant she didn’t have any gown for the party. The husband bought her a pretty dress with the money he had saved.  

   But Mathilde was still angry. She said she didn’t have any jewel to match the dress. There was nothing the husband could do for it. After all, Matilde went to her friend Jeanne Forestier. Jeannie was wealthy and willing to lend a luxury diamond necklace to her.    

  
   The luxuries allowed Mathilde to attend the party with pride. She was the prettiest woman there, elegant, graceful, radiant, and wonderfully happy. All the men liked to dance with her. It was the best time ever.

   But a terrible thing happened. When Mathilde returned home, she found the diamond necklace lost. It was no longer round her throat.

   Matilde and her husband searched all the places, but it was nowhere. They tried to buy the same necklace from a jewel shop, but not available. They managed to find the most similar one. It was too expensive for them to buy it.

   Nevertheless, they paid for it with considerable debt and returned the necklace to Jeanne. Fortunately, Jeanne didn’t realize it was not the same as her original one.    

   But it cost too much. Mathilde and her husband had to go through dark times to pay back the debt. Finally, all obligations had gone in as much as ten years.  

   One day Matilde came across Jeanne Forestier on the street. Jeanne didn’t recognize her at once, because Mathilde looked old and turned different looking. Matilde confessed all the old stories to Jeanne.

   Hearing it, Jeanne said, "Oh, My poor Mathilde! But it was an imitation necklace. It couldn’t have been worth more than 500 francs!" 

3. Lessons

  1) Matilde didn’t know that the diamond necklace lost was just an imitation. Matilde and her husband had to work hard for ten years. 

   Did Matilde waste her life because of that? I think she didn’t. Matilde has found a valuable treasure rather than that.

   What is the treasure? Let’s return to Adam's mission in the Garden of Eden. God gave him a task to work it and take care of it (Genesis 2:15). 

   The hands of Adam and Eve would have been the harsh hands of working farmers. Mathilde reached the life God wanted Adam to live. That’s the treasure.

   2) This story gives readers another lesson. That is, we need to pursue the real value, which is eternal. What is the precious one? 

   The apostle Paul explains that in 2 Cor. 4:18, "We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

   The authentic treasure is in heaven. Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden ln a field...." (Matthew 13:44)

   So, what does Matilde have to do once she realized the necklace was fake? She should ask herself, "How should I live from now on?" 

   Her new life should be focusing on eternity. The way to eternity is Jesus. Jesus is waiting for Mathilde.