Foreshadowing In Guy De Maupassant's The Necklace

When reading this story the reader is struck with all kinds of emotions such as, pity, empathy, and shock. It is clear while reading this story, the author was going to give some sort of impactful lesson given the simplicity of the first half of the story. There are many details within the story that are hidden between the lines that express the author’s message to his readers. The message given to the readers is simply to remember that every action you have, whether it is big or small, can have a huge consequence.

In Europe during the 19th century social class determined the power you had, your education level, economic status, job and so on. As a women being born in that time you were able to marry into a higher class but only if you had

The reader is given a clue in the beginning of the story as to what can happen at the end. When Mathilde Loisel asks to borrow the necklace Madame Forestier says “yes, of course” (Guy de Maupassant 3). She lets her borrow the necklace without hesitation at the beginning, giving the impression that regardless of her social status that particular necklace had no value. If the necklace had any kind of value she would have been hesitant about letting her borrow it and reassured her not to damage it. Brackett says, “Madame Forestier freely loans the necklace and then does not care even to examine the piece that Mathilde returns to her, suggesting its low value” (no page). When Mathilde Loisel finds out at the end of the story how much the necklace actually cost the reader isn’t exactly shocked because the reader was able to mentally prepare for it in the

At the very end of the story when Mathilde Loisel puts her pride aside she is finally able to tell her friend the truth about the necklace and how much her and her husband paid to get it replaced. Madame Forestier is shocked and says “oh, my poor Mathilde! But mine was imitation. It was worth at the very most five hundred francs” (Guy de Maupassant 5)! The reader is appalled by the irony that the necklace was not actually real and the price for it was not as much as they thought it would be. Brackett says, “‘The Necklace’ is framed by heavy irony, especially in its conclusion, which helps impart its observations regarding the costs of pride” (no page). Although Monsieur Loisel is also to blame for not wanting to put his pride aside and tell the truth it cost them so much more than just the money they spent to replace it. It cost them ten years of a life they didn’t have to live. It drained them not just physically but mentally as