Read the short story The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant
http://www.bartleby.com/195/20.html
The title hints that the story involves wealth in some way. In fact, there is much more to the story
than just a connection to the necklace.
After reading the story, we will discuss the following questions/topics (these questions are here to help you think about the story if you were absent):
1.Is Mathilde a greedy character? What signs can you find that she is or is not?
2.Why does Mathilde want to live the life of the rich so much? Are her dreams
understandable, or do they seem silly and exaggerated?
3.What difference does money make in the lives of the story's characters?
4.Does the story itself have a message about whether wealth is a "good thing"? Is it shown
to be worth pursuing, or not worth pursuing? Or is the story's own attitude towards wealth
neutral?
5.How might Mathilde's being a woman be a cause of her unhappiness? Do you think it is
the primary cause of her unhappiness? Why or why not?
5.What is responsible for Mathilde's unhappiness? Is it her own fault, or is it the fault of her
circumstances?
On your blog, write a response to the following prompt: How do you react to the story? How do you feel about the character of Mathilde? Do you feel like you can understand why she did what she did or are you disgusted by her? Explain your reasoning using specific examples from the story.