Midterm – Short Stories (Rozas) – Study Guide, Summaries, and Exam
Preparation Notes
What is the setting of the short story "The Necklace"? - ✔✔The story is set in France.
Who are the main characters in the short story "The Necklace"? - ✔✔The main characters in
this story are Madame Loisel, Madame Forestier, and Monsieur Loisel.
Describe the mood of the short story "The Necklace". - ✔✔The mood of the story is stress and
grief. Madame Loisel spends ten years working to pay for Madame Forestier's necklace when it
wasn't much money at all.
From which point of view is "The Necklace" told from? - ✔✔3rd person ominscent
What is the theme of the short story "The Necklace"? - ✔✔1. People should be happy with
what they have
2. Honesty is the best policy
3. You may pay a terrible price for greed and desire (Mme. L's fatal flaw, her desire for material
things, her 'fakeness' just like the necklace)
What is the allusion in "The Necklace"? - ✔✔The allusion is when the author refers to the
sphinx-like smile because she is like not really listening to her husband. She is just nodding her
head yes.
Explain the irony used in the short story "The Necklace". - ✔✔She cared so much about her
looks, and in the end she ends up looking very old, while her friend is young. The ironic situation
is the source of her joy, the necklace, becomes her downfall when she loses it and has to work
the next ten years of her life to replace it. She not only loses her middle income status but falls
into poverty and spends the rest of her life suffering for her dreams.
, In "The Necklace", why did M. Loisel expect his wife to be pleased to receive the invitation from
the Minister of Education? - ✔✔He expected her to be pleased because she is always wanting
to be invited to "the riches". She isn't pleased because she doesn't have a nice dress to wear like
the others.
In "The Necklace", why had M. Loisel been saving 400 Francs? - ✔✔to buy a gun; He actually
ended up buying his wife a dress for the ball.
Explain how the life of Mme. Loisel was before and after the disappearance of her necklace. -
✔✔Before she was young, she looked young, and she was concerned about how she looked.
After she was not too concerned about her appearance and she looked aged from hard work.
In "The Necklace", why was Mme. Loisel anxious to hurry away from the ball? - ✔✔She didn't
want the other people to see her coat that wasn't made of fur or rich like the others.
What efforts were made to find Mme. Loisel's necklace? - ✔✔They searched the streets from
the night into the morning, and went back into the cab. They searched for three days. They
went back and followed their whole route, and checked the police station.
Describe how the Loisels' life changed after they had paid for the new necklace. - ✔✔After she
had paid for the new necklace, Mme. Loisel lost what she did have (her young looks).
In "The Necklace", what was Mme. Forestier's reaction when seeing Mme. Loisel before she
figured out who she was? - ✔✔Mme. Forestier was shocked at how old she looked. She didn't
even recognize her at first.
What was Mme Forestier's reaction when the necklace was returned? - ✔✔She didn't even
look at it; she just put the box away.
In "The Necklace", do you think Mme Loisel recognized good quality jewelry? Give reasons. -
✔✔No, she spent years working for a 40,000 franc necklace, when it was only 500.
Preparation Notes
What is the setting of the short story "The Necklace"? - ✔✔The story is set in France.
Who are the main characters in the short story "The Necklace"? - ✔✔The main characters in
this story are Madame Loisel, Madame Forestier, and Monsieur Loisel.
Describe the mood of the short story "The Necklace". - ✔✔The mood of the story is stress and
grief. Madame Loisel spends ten years working to pay for Madame Forestier's necklace when it
wasn't much money at all.
From which point of view is "The Necklace" told from? - ✔✔3rd person ominscent
What is the theme of the short story "The Necklace"? - ✔✔1. People should be happy with
what they have
2. Honesty is the best policy
3. You may pay a terrible price for greed and desire (Mme. L's fatal flaw, her desire for material
things, her 'fakeness' just like the necklace)
What is the allusion in "The Necklace"? - ✔✔The allusion is when the author refers to the
sphinx-like smile because she is like not really listening to her husband. She is just nodding her
head yes.
Explain the irony used in the short story "The Necklace". - ✔✔She cared so much about her
looks, and in the end she ends up looking very old, while her friend is young. The ironic situation
is the source of her joy, the necklace, becomes her downfall when she loses it and has to work
the next ten years of her life to replace it. She not only loses her middle income status but falls
into poverty and spends the rest of her life suffering for her dreams.
, In "The Necklace", why did M. Loisel expect his wife to be pleased to receive the invitation from
the Minister of Education? - ✔✔He expected her to be pleased because she is always wanting
to be invited to "the riches". She isn't pleased because she doesn't have a nice dress to wear like
the others.
In "The Necklace", why had M. Loisel been saving 400 Francs? - ✔✔to buy a gun; He actually
ended up buying his wife a dress for the ball.
Explain how the life of Mme. Loisel was before and after the disappearance of her necklace. -
✔✔Before she was young, she looked young, and she was concerned about how she looked.
After she was not too concerned about her appearance and she looked aged from hard work.
In "The Necklace", why was Mme. Loisel anxious to hurry away from the ball? - ✔✔She didn't
want the other people to see her coat that wasn't made of fur or rich like the others.
What efforts were made to find Mme. Loisel's necklace? - ✔✔They searched the streets from
the night into the morning, and went back into the cab. They searched for three days. They
went back and followed their whole route, and checked the police station.
Describe how the Loisels' life changed after they had paid for the new necklace. - ✔✔After she
had paid for the new necklace, Mme. Loisel lost what she did have (her young looks).
In "The Necklace", what was Mme. Forestier's reaction when seeing Mme. Loisel before she
figured out who she was? - ✔✔Mme. Forestier was shocked at how old she looked. She didn't
even recognize her at first.
What was Mme Forestier's reaction when the necklace was returned? - ✔✔She didn't even
look at it; she just put the box away.
In "The Necklace", do you think Mme Loisel recognized good quality jewelry? Give reasons. -
✔✔No, she spent years working for a 40,000 franc necklace, when it was only 500.
