“The Necklace” is a short story by French writer Guy de Maupassant, first published in 1884. It tells the story of Mathilde Loisel, a young woman who borrows a necklace from a wealthy friend to wear to a high-society event, only to lose it and spend the next ten years of her life in poverty trying to replace it. The story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of materialism and social ambition, featuring one of Maupassant’s infamous plot twists for which he was well known.

Summary

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Characters

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Literary Devices

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Quotes

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Deeper Study

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The Necklace and Other Tales

 
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