Analysis
An analysis of the short story “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant shows that the narrative has a chronological structure. The events take place over the course of ten years.
The main character of the short story is Mathilde Loisel, a greedy young woman who is unhappy with her economic situation.
The physical setting of the story is Paris, France. The events take place in the Loisels’ home on Rue des Martyrs, at the ball, and in Mme. Forestier’s home. The social setting looks at the issue of class differences, which is illustrated by Mathilde and the society she wants to be a part of.
The story is told by a third-person narrator, who mainly adopts Mathilde Loisel’s perspective of the events. The narrator is mostly objective.
The language used in the short story is formal and illustrates the style of the 19th century. Symbols are used to highlight certain characteristics of the characters.
A full analysis of the short story can be found in the following pages.