Essay Draft Two

Park Pan

16^th May, 2007

Draft Two

 The difference or the change of the same character at his different ages, often shows how the environment has influenced this person. Thus in a story, some comparisons and contrasts will of course show the development of the story and even deepen the theme. In the world-famous story, “The Necklace”, the author Guy de Maupassant has put emphasis on setting some sharp contrasts or comparisons to develop the story and deepen the theme, especially on the main character Mathilde. For example, the totally different lives Mathilde had before and after the party; so were her entirely different attitude to life. The story just showed how a lost necklace influence the life of a poor lady full of vanity, which reflected the clear class consciousness and the social problem at that time.

The descriptions of the characters are always one of the most important factors in a story. Such kind of description will not only show us the appearance of a character, but also imply some inner qualities of this person. At the beginning of the story, the author described Mathilde like that "She was one of those pretty and charming girls who are sometimes, as if by a mistake of destiny, born in a family of clerks" （38）That indicates that at that time, She was such a kind of young and beautiful girl that wealth, pretty and common recognition are the most important thing to her. Mathilde didn’t feel satisfied with her current ordinary life condition and always wanted to enjoy a more brilliant life. But after the lost of the necklace and 10-years-hard life, the situation was that "She had become the woman of impoverished households--strong and hard and rough."（43）This time we can obviously see that Mathilde had become old-fashioned, with no desire to pursuit the vanity. From this contrast we can see that how Mathilde has changed after this sad experience.

The behavior and mental activity of the characters are also important to illustrate a character, which made the character more vivid. In the story Maupassant said that "She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was as unhappy as she had really fallen from her proper station..."（38）, which also shows that although Mathilde was in a comparatively low social position, she is always pursuing a good social recognition to satisfy her vanity. And after the sad experience, what Mathilde had were just her frowsy appearance, talking loud when working, through which we can see that she has been changed greatly by this 10-years hard life. This period of hardship has totally effaced the Mathilde’s pursuit of vanity and recognition, changing her living habits and attitude to life.

The definite difference of Mathilde, caused by a freak necklace, makes us feel a bit sad and commiserate to her. In the story like that "She was prettier than them all, elegant, gracious, smiling, and crazy with joy."（41）We can see how happy the pretty young woman attended the dreaming ball, with a great desire to be recognized and appreciated. But after many years hard life to repay the lost necklace and also the crazy ball, we can see her that"...she sat down near the window, and she thought of that gay evening of long ago, of that ball where she had been so beautiful and so celebreated"（44）I have to admit that it’s a shaking point which moved me greatly, although through so many years hard life, Mathilde still couldn’t forget that night of the ball. I feel so sad about such a poor girl, whom was so hurt by that society. I wonder why the society and the fate cost so much pain for a pretty young women to own some vanity and recognition at that time. But although she has suffered so much pains and hardships, Mathilde still regard that night as a pride, which also shows how the society has influenced the people with fame and vanity at that time.

Another interesting contrast in the story is that before Mathilde has borrowed a good jewel , the author described that "The day of the ball drew near, and Mathilde seemed sad, uneasy, anxious."（40） and after she got it, she feels so exciting that "She sprang upon the neck of her friend, kissed her passionately, the fled with her treasure."（41） Through which, we can clearly find out that Mathilde regarded the ball as a very important thing, which led the latter plot of the lost and compensation. I think this contrast is necessary and also important in the story. Its like a reason for the latter happening thing, also through the character feeling’s up and down, the readers will feel amazed and involved by the story.

As all I have mentioned before, we can see that in the story “The Necklace”, the contrasts or comparisons develop the story and also deepen the theme, which sometimes shake the readers greatly. Thus I think the contrast is a feature of “The Necklace” and should also be learned by us in our writing.

30.5.07 13:46