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In the story "The Necklace" the author's theme is to show us that greed and envy can lead to destruction. In this story Mathilde is a very envious woman whom always dreamed of a life that she could not have. She was very charming and beautiful woman who thought that she must have been born into the wrong life, since she had no way of getting known and married by a rich man. Instead she married a simple middle class man and lived a middle class life. All the while she dreamed of living the life of the rich. With beautiful gowns and glittering jewelry.
Oh how happy she thought she would be. Then one day it happened that she and her husband where invited to a dinner ball. Her husband, Mr. Loisel thought this would make his wife so very happy since this is what she spent all of her time day dreaming of.
Here it was, the thing that consumed her finally at her door step, but she was not happy. In fact, Mathilde was even more distraught because it brought to her attention that she had nothing proper to wear. Mr. Loisel sympathized with his wife and knowing he had money set aside for a new shot gun, he gave her 400 francs. This was enough money for a pretty dress, not too fancy, but pretty because he knew this would be a rare occasion. As the day drew near Mathilde's envy overtook her once more and she became distraught.
She decided that she could not go. When Mr. Loisel asked why, she replied that she had no jewelry to wear and that she would look like a beggar and that she would rather not go to the party at all than to look like that in front of rich women. This is the point in the story when the author reveals to the reader that Mathilde wants it all or nothing. Mr. Loisel suggest that she ask her friend, Mrs.
Forrester to borrow one of her jewels. Mathilde thought this would be a great idea and did so. She found a beautiful diamond necklace that she wore that night. Mathilde had the night of her life that night, pretending to be something that she was not. This is where the story turns on Mathilde.
At the end of the night when Mr. & Mrs. Loisel returned home, she realized that she had lost the necklace. After recounting their steps in an attempt to find the necklace, they could not find it. Of course, they had to replace the necklace because Mathilde was all too concerned about outward appearances to be honest with her friend. Mr. & Mrs. Loisel had to leave their home, get rid of the maid, and work very, very hard in order to pay off the loans taken out to pay for the necklace replacement.
Mathilde's outward beauty began to harden and fade, with her tiresome work, but inwardly she grew more beautiful than ever before. This is because she realized that it is better to be who we are than to dream of being something we are not. Many years had passed when Mathilde was again saw Mrs. Forrester. Knowing that the necklace was all paid off, she saw no harm in telling Mrs. Forrester what had happened.
With much surprise, Mrs. Forrester laughed and said that her necklace was only costume jewelry. This means that Mathilde gave up everything she had in order to pay off something that never existed. It was an allusion just like the entire life would be. The author themes this story very well, he told about a woman who wanted what she could never have, never realizing that what she wanted was not real happiness it was a costume people put on for show. Happiness comes from within.
Mathilde never appreciated what she had, until she lost it. "The Lesson" In this story the author tells us about a girl named Sylvia, the narrator, who lives in a very low income family. A place where school is not a priority. A place where it is more important to be strong and hard, than to read a book. This was the thought anyway, before Miss.
Moore moved in. She was a school teacher who took it upon herself to teach the neighborhood kids. On one summer afternoon in particular she was going to take the kids into town on a field trip. The kids are not at all happy about this because they know it is summer break and they are not supposed to be in school in the summer. They would rather be at the pool playin', but Miss. Moore knows that if these kids want a chance at a better life, then she better show them what is out there.
The story leads to the bus ride where Miss. Moore gives money to Sylvia to give the driver a tip. Sylvia can not figure the tip, so she keeps the money thinking that she really showed Miss. Moore. She did not even admit to herself that the real reason she did not leave the tip was because she did not know how. Throughout the story this girl thinks she is so much smarter than Miss.
Moore - "with her college degree. " The students arrive at a expensive toy store. Before going into the store, Miss. Moore tells the kids that they should first just look in the window before going in. Sugar, one of the kids, asks if they can steal as if it were really an option. Peering thru the window the kids began to see the cultural difference in where they were from and the kids who must shop here. There was no way they could ever afford any of this stuff, and they knew they did not belong.
Miss. Moore was explaining what things were, how they worked, and how much they are in comparison to things like allowances. Some of the things the kids see, they see useless and it has to be explained why anyone would need such a thing, such as the paperweight. Then the kids saw it, the sail boat that the kids saw in the window that was way too expensive for any of them to ever own, one kid even recollected getting spanked for sinking a boat that cost one dollar and this sail boat cost one thousand one hundred ninety-five dollars. The kids were truly amazed by this. Sylvia was so confused that she thought that a real yacht would cost about one thousand dollars.
Miss. Moore decided it was then time for the kids to go into the store. These strong willed kids who at the beginning of the story thought they were so sly, suddenly felt awkward and afraid to go into the store. They felt that they did not belong.
The kids walked gently, hardly touching anything. Sylvia was upset that Miss. Moore would bring them to such a place, to let them see those things that they could not have. So, Sylvia says "Let's go. " Once on the train, Sylvia is thinking about the things she saw and how ridiculous it would be to ask for something that cost so much money. She wonders who these people are who buy such things, she asks herself, "What kind of work they do and how they live. " She remembers how Miss. Moore is always saying "Where we are is who we are. " But Miss.
Moore always pointed out that it did not have to be that way. This is where the author brings Sylvia to the light. The kids arrive home and briefly discuss questions they have or things they have learned or even want. Sylvia still playing the tough girl still thinks of how dumb this all is. She decides to take some time for herself to think this day thru instead of racing Sugar to the ice-cream shop to use the money from the tip she did not give. Sylvia is still being thought and says to herself, "ain't nobody gonna beat me a nuthin. " Although through out the story Sylvia thinks that Miss.
Moore is just out to ruin their summer vacation, I think the them of the story was not that she was teaching them math, but value. Not just the value of what things cost, but the value of what these kids could have if they looked and lived outside the box.
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Research essay sample on Middle Class One Thousand
