Introduction
The story is about a woman called Mathilde Loisel who attaches immense significance to material things. Her misery arises from vanity, which is deeply rooted in her behavioral tendencies. It is remarkable to note that her sorrowful nature arises from poverty. Furthermore, she is always complaining that her husband lacks the material wealth that would make her live luxuriously.
The story poses a clear message, which exemplifies how people fail to notice valuable aspects. This is by focusing on possessions only to realize that they have lost important aspects such as love. The vehicle utilized in delivering the message is the “necklace.” Evidently, the writer uses it symbolically to represent material wealth.
Mathilde loses a beautiful necklace, which she borrowed with the intention of impressing people at the ball. This forces her to alter her lifestyle in order to pay the debt. As a result, she leads a miserable life while struggling to look for finances to resolve the debt. In as much as people yearn to live a quality lifestyle, they ought to be aware of the repercussions emanating from vanity thus the need to appreciate their position.
Description of Mathilde
This paper examines the life of a woman experiencing many challenges, which may appear imaginary. Evidently, she is not content with her social class. It is true that, she constantly laments about her inability to live luxuriously. Loisel regrets because she cannot enjoy certain luxuries. She lacks understanding of the valuables present in her life. She squanders valuable time by fantasizing on the things lacking in her life. Evidently, she fails to note that the husband loves her. She dreams of expensive things that are not readily achievable. In addition, she is ignorant that since she fails to acknowledge that such livelihoods could result in regrets in the future. She is a woman, who is rarely satisfied by her current achievements. Her previous achievements resulted in complains and the desire for possessions. Therefore, it is plausible that her greediness for material possessions would never stop.
Her Materialistic Lifestyle
The husband already understands her attitude, needs, and works hard to provide for her. On one-day, he presents to her an invitation card for a formal party hosted by the minister of education. He decides this hoping that it would partly satisfy her desire for material things. Contrary to his expectations, she denounces the offer with the excuse that she lacks exquisite clothes for the occasion. The husband understands her position thus responds by giving her some cash to procure the dress. The wife blindly takes the money without considering the effects it might have on their family. As indicated before in this paper, Loisel is implausible to get satisfied. After buying the dress, she complains that she lacks jewels, which could match the dress.
The Necklace
Finally, she decides to borrow a necklace from Forestier, a highly placed woman residing in the neighborhood. She is doing this to avoid appearing tattered in the middle of other rich women expected to be present at the upscale ball. During the ball, she was outstandingly beautiful thus receiving attention from most of the people present at the ball. She was highly admired by distinguished people, therefore, resulting to deep satisfaction. She saw herself as having attained a higher stature. She failed to comprehend that the current feeling would result into misery in the future. The current sensation attributable to belonging further gives her confidence at the dance floor thus dancing madly.
Forestier, rarely valued the beauty in her since she considered the dress and the necklace as the major contributing factors to the appealing appearance. This portrays her greed for material possessions. She fails to value, how the husband treasures her. He sacrificed to buy her an elegant dress regardless of its costly nature. She highly desires to belong to the upper class to afford classy things in life. Afterward, she recognizes that the necklace is lost. We expect her to be shocked, but this is not the case. Consequently, she fully relies on the husband to reimburse the necklace. Through her actions, it is apparent that she does not exude care towards her husband.
The Effects of Vanity
The pride and vanity in her result to a life full of miseries. Her inflated vanity, pride, and dissatisfaction result to their bankruptcy, since they use all their funds to settle the debt. She fails to realize that, it is good to treasure what you posses instead of fighting for the unavailable. She did not recognize that it could land her in more miseries and regrets. Mathilde fails to confess what happens to the necklace and chooses to substitute it with a different one. She cannot withstand the fear of what could happen if her friend notices the difference in the necklace. The ten years full of struggle and hard labor proves to her what life holds. Therefore, she flashes back on how her life has greatly changed and never believes it.
Apart from the point that people should hold what they already have instead of craving for unachievable materials, it is also true that challenges in a way help people to acquire good character. In fact, she is said to have changed in to a person with a “golden heart.” The life challenges, make her let go the arrogance thus becoming an important person in the society. We learn that, people enduring life challenges attain strength and courage of continuing living. This consequently enables them benefit from their hardships.
There is a high probability that Mathilde would have continued to crave for greater things even if the necklace never got lost. Her soaring greed for a luxurious lifestyle would eventually culminate into spiritual poverty. Her desire for classiness results to a future full of regrets and pain. Under normal conditions, a necklace is inexpensive. In this case, the necklace is utilized symbolically to represent the classy and lavish materials. In France, her people greatly worshipped material wealth that later had adverse effects in their lives.
Conclusion
Mathilde portrays the typical defects of human character. She further depicts how people fail to accept the reality thus experiencing problems. Additionally, she fails to understand that youthfulness, beauty, and dignity are equally important. She chooses dignity and forgoes the rest. After awaking from the circumstances that defines her livelihood, she does not lament. As evident in Mathilde’s story, people clearly understand the evil effects of vanity. It is therefore true that people should work tirelessly to gain the honor and glory, which is attributable to them rather than using vanity to pursue the false glory.