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"No; there's nothing more humiliating than to look poor among other women who are rich."
Mathilde's response to Monsieur Loisel's suggestion that she wear flowers to the ball instead of jewels reveals her fixation on appearances and tendency to compare herself to others. She is obsessed with the image she crafts of herself and fears appearing impoverished in front of wealthier people. Deeply envious of their lives, she feels ashamed of her poverty and modest lifestyle when compared to the luxury of others.
"She would so have liked to please, to be envied, to be charming, to be sought after."
This early description of Mathilde enables readers to understand her deepest desires. While she longs for luxury and extravagance, her greatest ambition is to be admired and envied. She is extremely self-conscious and meticulous about the image of herself that she projects to the world. Craving attention and seeking to be seen as the ideal, she aspires to be a source of longing and envy for others.
