NCERT Solutions: The Necklace

Page No: 39

Read and Find Out

Q.1. What kind of person is Mme Loisel - why is she always unhappy?
Ans. Mme Loisel is a young and attractive woman who is deeply dissatisfied with her lot. Although she lives a modest life, she constantly longs for wealth, fine clothes and the social status enjoyed by others. Her daily unhappiness stems from the gap between her ambitions and her actual means; she knows her meagre resources cannot give her the comforts and elegance she desires, and this persistent longing makes her feel miserable and resentful of her circumstances.

Q.2. What kind of person is her husband?
Ans. Matilda's husband, Monsieur Loisel, is a simple, kind and practical man. He works as a small clerk in the office of the Board of Education and is content with his work. He cares for his wife's happiness and, despite their limited means, cheerfully gives her four hundred francs so she can buy a dress for the ball. He is patient, loyal and willing to sacrifice for Matilda's pleasure.

Page No: 41

Read and Find Out

Q.1. What fresh problem now disturbs Mme Loisel?
Ans. After she has a lovely dress, Mme Loisel worries that she has no jewellery to wear. She fears looking poor among the well-dressed guests and says natural flowers would not be enough. To her, appearing shabby at such an event would be humiliating, and this fear of being inadequately adorned becomes a new source of distress.

Q.2. How is the problem solved?
Ans. Monsieur Loisel suggests that Matilda borrow some jewellery from a wealthy friend, Mme Forestier. Matilda is delighted and the next day visits Mme Forestier, who kindly lets her choose a magnificent diamond necklace. Wearing that necklace to the ball solves Matilda's problem of how to appear elegant and prevents her from feeling out of place among the rich guests.

Page No: 42

Read and Find Out

Q.1. What do M. and Mme Loisel do next?
Ans. When they discover the necklace is missing, the Loisels first search the places they had been that evening and then look for the cab. Loisel retraces their steps and asks at cab offices and the police. He places an advertisement and offers a reward. Meanwhile, Matilda writes to Mme Forestier, saying the clasp broke and that she has taken the necklace for repair; this buys them time while they continue to search. After all efforts fail, they decide to replace the necklace by buying an identical one.

Q.2. How do they replace the necklace?
Ans. To replace the lost necklace, M. Loisel uses eighteen thousand francs from his inheritance and borrows large sums from moneylenders and other creditors, making burdensome promises. With the borrowed money they purchase an identical necklace for thirty-six thousand francs and return it to Mme Forestier, thus concealing the loss but plunging themselves into heavy debt.

Page no: 46

Think about it

Q.1. The course of the Loisels' life changed due to the necklace. Comment.
Ans. The necklace brought about a complete and lasting change in the Loisels' life. To repay their debts they dismissed their maid, moved to cheaper lodgings and lived frugally. Matilda undertook hard household work: she washed, scrubbed and carried water; she shopped for small supplies and haggled to save money. Monsieur Loisel took on extra evening work and did copying jobs at night. This severe, labour-filled life lasted ten years, after which they had finally repaid all their creditors.

Q.2. What was the cause of Matilda's ruin? How could she have avoided it?
Ans. Matilda's ruin was caused by her continual discontent and craving for a life of luxury. If she had accepted her circumstances and been content with what she and her husband could honestly afford, she could have avoided the chain of events that led to poverty. A truthful confession to Mme Forestier when the necklace was lost would also have prevented the heavy borrowing and long years of hardship.

Q.3. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?
Ans. If Matilda had confessed the loss, Mme Forestier would probably have been angry at first but would most likely have spoken plainly about the necklace's origin and value. Mme Forestier might then have revealed that the jewels were not real diamonds, so replacing them would have cost far less. In that case Matilda and her husband would have avoided the enormous debts and the decade of toil that followed.

Q.4. If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?
Ans. If I were in a similar position, I would face the matter honestly. I would tell the friend the truth about the loss and offer to replace or compensate for the piece as best as I could. Honesty and taking responsibility would be my choice, as these would limit harm and help restore trust more quickly than hiding the truth.

Talk about it

Q.1. The characters in this story speak in English. Do you think this is their language? What clues are there in the story about the language its characters must be speaking in?
Ans. Although the dialogue is presented in English, the original work was written in French, so French would be the characters' actual language. Clues to their French background include:

• Use of salutations such as "Monsieur" and "Mme".
• References to currency like "Franc" and "Sou".
• Place names such as "Palais Royal" and "Champs Élysées".

Q.2. Honesty is the best policy.
Ans. Honesty is indeed the best policy. Though deceit and pride may give the appearance of advantage at first, they usually lead to greater suffering and trouble later. A person who chooses honesty may face immediate difficulties, but truthfulness builds trust and leads to lasting peace of mind, whereas falsehood brings worry and regret.

Q.3. We should be content with what life gives us.
Ans. Yes, we should try to be content with what we have. People are born into different circumstances, and learning to live within one's means-"cut your coat according to your cloth"-helps avoid unnecessary suffering. One can still try to improve life through honest effort, but contentment with present resources prevents reckless decisions that cause harm in the long run.