The Necklace

I selected one of my favorite short stories to go over with my ninth graders today. Have you ever heard of Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace?" It's a little punch of powerful if you want to know the truth. Set in France in the 1800s, it's centered around a middle-class woman who never thinks she is good enough or has enough. She whines constantly of having old home furnishings and having to make do with shabby clothes. She looks out the window, longing for a life filled with parties, riches, and other fine things. Well, one day, her husband comes home with an invitation to an aristocrat's party. You'd think she be elated, but no! She doesn't have a dress! She doesn't have any fine jewels!

She stomps her foot: "I'll look like a pauper: I'd almost rather not go to that party."

Her husband, out of pity, gives her his savings so she'll have a proper dress to wear, but that's still not good enough. She has to get some jewelry, of course! After pouting, her husband comes up with a great idea. She should borrow a necklace from one of her friends! Yes. That's a great idea. While sorting through her friend's jewelry box, she comes across a gorgeous, ornate diamond necklace hidden in the back. She selects it and wears it proudly to the party. Every man wants to waltz with her, and her beauty is commended by men and women alike. Everything is just as she wants it--a night to remember for sure! However, when she gets home, the necklace is missing. It's gone! She and her husband search everywhere, never finding the necklace. Her husband then proceeds to borrow and sign away his life to pay for a replacement necklace.
For ten years, they fight to pay off the necklace. She learns what it means to work hard, and in the process, she becomes bitter, cold, and aged. One sunny day while out walking, she encounters her friend. Her friend ends up telling her the necklace was a fake!

How many times have we stared out our own windows, yearning for a life outside our means? Outside of our realities? And how many times have we gotten a taste of that life only to realize shortly after that we were happy with what we had? Sadly, this happens to ninety-nine percent of us. We work and work and work to create a life we think we want, but what's not real can never last. Falsities and artificiality can only make us happy temporarily. By the end of the story, the main character could only dream of going back to the simple little life she once led with her husband. She wished away her happiness with fake dreams and unrealistic desires.

Even in the 1800s, people dealt with the same issues we deal with today. Why are we always wanting more? There's nothing wrong with wanting a better life, but money, clothes, beauty, and jewels won't get us respect, and it won't get us love. True happiness can't be found until we've learned how to respect and love ourselves. Let's all pledge to focus more on the little things: God's peace, family, a sunny day, a hot cup of coffee, the smell of fresh laundry, a baby's laugh. All of these things matter in their small little ways! They're God's hidden gifts!