1. The narrator is a woman who is married to a minor government official. She is beautiful but poor and envious of her wealthier friends. Her husband, Monsieur Loisel, is a clerk in the Ministry of Education. He is kind, loving, and practical, but his modest income cannot satisfy his wife's desires for luxury.
2. The setting is Paris, France, in the late 19th century. The story takes place primarily in the Loisels’ modest apartment and at a grand ball held at the Ministry of Education. The contrast between their humble home and the opulence of the ball highlights the social divide and the narrator’s dissatisfaction with her life.
3. The most important points in the plot are: the Loisels receive an invitation to a prestigious ball; Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier; she loses the necklace after the ball; they spend ten years working tirelessly to repay the debt for replacing it; and finally, Mathilde learns that the original necklace was fake. These events show the consequences of vanity and materialism, and how a single moment of pride can alter a life forever.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of the necklace worksheet.
