Detailed Summary: The Diamond Necklace | English Reader New Gems Class 6 PDF Download

Key Points

• Matilda Loisel is a beautiful woman who feels unhappy with her life. She is married to a clerk and dreams of a life filled with luxury and wealth.
• She lives in a small, cramped apartment, and she dislikes her humble surroundings. Matilda often feels that she deserves a better life than what she has.
• One day, Matilda's husband, Monsieur Loisel, brings home an invitation to a grand ball hosted by the Minister of Public Instruction.
• Instead of being happy, Matilda becomes upset because she has nothing to wear. Her husband offers to give her money to buy a dress.
• Matilda borrows a stunning diamond necklace from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier, to wear to the ball.
• At the ball, Matilda is the center of attention, and she enjoys the night, feeling beautiful and admired.
• After the ball, Matilda and her husband realize that the borrowed necklace is missing. They search everywhere but cannot find it.
• To replace the necklace, they find one that looks similar but costs a lot of money—40,000 francs. They go into debt to pay for it.
• Matilda and her husband work hard for ten years to pay off the debt. Their lives become difficult and filled with hard work.
• After ten years, Matilda meets Madame Forestier and tells her about the necklace. Madame Forestier reveals that the original necklace was fake and worth only 500 francs.

Detailed Summary

Once upon a time in France, there lived a beautiful young woman named Matilda Loisel. Matilda was not just pretty; she was charming and graceful. But there was a problem. Matilda was born into a family of clerks, which means her family did not have a lot of money. They lived in a small, plain apartment. Matilda often felt sad and unhappy because she dreamed of living a life full of luxury and beautiful things. She dreamed of wearing fancy dresses, going to grand parties, and living in a beautiful home. Instead, she had to live a simple life with her husband, who worked as a clerk for the government.

Matilda was married to a kind man named Monsieur Loisel. He loved her very much and wanted her to be happy. However, Matilda often felt that she deserved more than what she had. She would look around her small apartment and feel miserable because of its shabby furniture and dull walls. She had a friend named Madame Forestier, who was rich and owned many beautiful things. Matilda felt very sad when she visited her friend because it reminded her of what she did not have.

One day, Matilda’s husband came home with exciting news. He held a special invitation in his hand. It was an invitation to a grand ball at the home of the Minister of Public Instruction. Matilda's husband thought this news would make her very happy because she rarely went out. However, when Matilda saw the invitation, she was not happy at all. Instead, she threw the invitation on the table and said, "What do you suppose I want with that?"

Her husband was surprised and said, "I thought it would make you happy. This is a grand occasion!" Matilda looked at him angrily and replied, "What do you think I will wear to such a fancy party?" Her husband did not know what to say. He suggested that she could wear her nice dress from the theatre, but Matilda did not like that idea. She started to cry because she felt she had nothing beautiful to wear.

Seeing his wife so upset, Monsieur Loisel asked how much it would cost to buy a new dress. Matilda thought for a moment and said that a simple dress would cost around four hundred francs. Her husband immediately agreed to give her the money. He worked hard and saved up money, and he had some savings he could use. Matilda was grateful and went out to buy a beautiful dress.

As the day of the ball got closer, Matilda became sad again. She told her husband, "I still do not have any jewelry to wear." Her husband suggested she ask Madame Forestier to lend her some jewelry, which was a good idea. The next day, Matilda visited her rich friend and explained her situation. Madame Forestier was very kind and opened her jewelry box for Matilda. Matilda looked at all the beautiful pieces of jewelry and chose a stunning diamond necklace. Madame Forestier happily agreed to lend it to her.

The night of the ball arrived, and Matilda looked absolutely beautiful. She wore her lovely new dress and the sparkling diamond necklace. When she arrived at the ball, everyone admired her. She felt like a queen. Matilda was very happy because all the men at the ball wanted to dance with her, and she felt like she was living the life she had always dreamed of. For the first time in a long time, she felt joyful and carefree.

After dancing and enjoying the night, Matilda and her husband left the ball around four o'clock in the morning. They were tired but happy. However, when they went outside, they realized that there were no carriages available to take them home. They had to walk. After walking for a while, they finally found a carriage that took them back to their apartment.

Once they got home, Matilda wanted to look at herself one last time in the mirror. She stood in front of the mirror, excited to see how beautiful she looked. But suddenly, she gasped in shock and cried out, "Oh no! I do not have the necklace!" She turned to her husband, panicking, "I have lost Madame Forestier's necklace!" They searched everywhere for it. They looked in her dress, her pockets, and all around, but they could not find it.

They were both very worried and upset. Matilda's husband suggested that they write to Madame Forestier and say that the necklace was broken and needed to be repaired. This would give them some time to think of what to do. Matilda followed his advice and wrote the letter. After a week of searching, they had no luck in finding the lost necklace. Finally, Monsieur Loisel said, "We need to find a way to replace it." They started visiting jewelers to find a necklace that looked like the one Matilda lost.

After visiting many shops, they found a necklace that looked just like the one they had borrowed. However, it was very expensive; it cost forty thousand francs. This was a huge amount of money. Monsieur Loisel had eighteen thousand francs that his father had left him. He decided to borrow the rest of the money from friends and banks to pay for the necklace. They bought the new necklace and returned it to Madame Forestier, but Matilda was now filled with dread, knowing they had to pay back this enormous debt.

Life became very hard for Matilda and her husband after that. They had to be very careful with their money and live a life of extreme frugality. They sent away their maid and moved to a smaller and cheaper apartment. Matilda learned how to do all the household chores. She had to wash the dishes, clean the house, and do all the cooking. Her husband worked extra hours at his job to help pay off the debt. This difficult life lasted for ten long years.

After ten years of hard work, they finally paid off all their debts. However, Matilda had changed. She no longer looked like the beautiful young woman she once was. The years of struggle had made her old and tired. One Sunday, while taking a walk, she unexpectedly ran into Madame Forestier. Matilda felt nervous but decided to talk to her friend. She said, "Good morning, Jeanne." Madame Forestier was shocked and exclaimed, "Oh! My poor Matilda! How you have changed!"

Matilda replied, "Yes, I have had some hard days, and it is all because of you." Madame Forestier was confused and asked, "Because of me? How is that?" Matilda explained, "I lost the diamond necklace you lent me. We had to buy a new one to replace it, and it took us ten years to pay for it." Madame Forestier then took Matilda's hands and said gently, "Oh, my poor Matilda! The diamonds were fake. They were not worth more than five hundred francs!"

This revelation was shocking for Matilda. She had worked for ten years to pay for a necklace that was not even real. She realized that her desire for luxury and appearances had led her to a life of hardship. In the end, Matilda learned that what seemed important was not always what truly mattered. She had lost ten years of her life chasing something that was not real, and this lesson had a profound impact on her.

The story of Matilda Loisel teaches us about the dangers of valuing appearances over reality and the consequences of our choices. It reminds us to appreciate what we have and to find happiness in our own lives, rather than longing for what others may have.

Theme/ Message

• The main theme of this story is the danger of vanity and materialism. Matilda's desire for a luxurious life leads her to borrow a necklace that she cannot afford.
• Another important theme is the contrast between appearance and reality. Matilda appears beautiful and wealthy at the ball, but in reality, she suffers from poverty and hardship.
• The story also teaches us about the consequences of pride and the importance of honesty. Matilda's pride prevents her from enjoying her life and leads to her downfall.
• Additionally, the story highlights the idea that true happiness does not come from wealth or possessions, but from appreciating what we have.

Difficult Words

• Clerk: A person who works in an office and keeps records or does paperwork.
• Destiny: The events that will happen to someone in the future, often seen as predetermined.
• Elegant: Graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.
• Gaiety: The state of being cheerful and full of happiness.
• Jewelry: Decorative items worn on the body, such as necklaces, rings, or bracelets.
• Frantic: Wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotions.
• Debt: Money that is owed to someone or a bank.
• Repay: To pay back money that you owe.
• Cramped: Small and restricted in space; not enough room to move freely.
• Humble: Having a modest or low view of one's importance; not proud or arrogant.
• Wealth: A large amount of money or valuable possessions.
• Admired: Regarded with respect or warm approval.
• Consequences: The result or effect of an action or decision.
• Appreciate: To recognize the value of something; to be grateful for something.
• Vanity: Excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements.