Two literary works that are going to be discussed have similarities and differences. First of all, in both the story about a little girl and Guy De Maupassant’s short story, the necklaces play an important role, acting as the main symbols. In the first story, the necklace is a symbol of giving; it represents the importance of being able “to give up the cheap things in our lives so that God can give us beautiful treasures” (“21st — Jenny’s Pearls”). In Guy de Maupassant’s short story, the necklace can be seen as a symbol of deception, caused by the main character’s pride and dissatisfaction with her life. Although the necklaces symbolize different things, both stories imply that people can often become too dependent on material goods. The first story aims to teach an important lesson to the readers: that one should not get too attached to insignificant things. The second story conveys a similar message: although Mathilde remembered the evening when she had worn an expensive dress and the borrowed necklace for a long time, she was in debt for many years afterward.
Another similarity between the stories is the fact that both characters had to work. However, the little girl had to do household chores to get the necklace, and Mathilde had to work hard to pay the debts he and her husband had because of the lost necklace. While the girl understood the importance of working hard to deserve something she wanted, Mathilde “suffered endlessly, feeling born for every delicacy and luxury” (De Maupassant 1). She simply complained constantly and took her husband’s attempts to make her life better for granted.
Works Cited
“21st — Jenny’s Pearls.”Welcome To Godswork: Encouragement and Inspiration is What We Areall About!, Web.
De Maupassant, Guy. The Necklace and Other Short Stories. Xist Publishing, 2016.