The perception of value on objects in every day lifestyle is often misconstrued due to the grediness, deceptiveness, and the inability to be satisfied that is embedded within human nature. Taking a close look at this story the reader will discover how perception is different in terms of social status in society, and how important it is to some people to be recognized for how they look and is being perceived of other people. The necklace plays a very important role in this story because it appears as a symbol of wealthiness and greed but in the end, this greed can cause consequences. 

In the story, the necklace appears as a symbol of wealthiness and greed. Mathilde was blinded by the perception of her friend's status in society. She never thought about the possibility of the necklace being fake or worth nothing. In the story is written: "All of a sudden she discovered, in a black satin box, a superb necklace of diamonds, and her heart began to beat with an immoderate desire. Her hands trembled as she took it. Her hands trembled as she took it. She fastened it around her throat, outside her high-necked dress, and remained lost in ecstacy at the sight of herself." The use of imagery creates a vivid picture in the mind of the reader, further emphasizing the importance of the necklace within the story. As a reader one can clearly see that Mathilde is empassioned with her own self-indulgence. Her fast heartbeat and her hands shaking tells the reader that this is what Mathilde has been wanting all her life. She finally gets the feeling of having a high status in society expressing wealth. In the end, the reader discovers that the necklace is just as fake as her social status for one night. Her search for wealth ultimately lead her to a life in poverty.  
Also, the use of word in this paragraph makes the reader feel excitement and interest. The way the sentences are build in terms of words used, such as superb necklace, beat with an immodarate desire, hands trembled, and lost in ecstasy at the sight of herself, all gives the reader the feeling of this is what Mathilde has been waiting for all her life. This is what Mathilde wants more than anything in the world, and she is finally able to wear elements that is perceived as wealthiness to be regocnized and get attention among individuals with a higher social status.  

Throughout the novel, Mathilde has a hard time finding inner happiness because she focuses too much on other people's perception of her. All she really cares about is what the outside world thinks about her. Her inability to find happiness lead her to never being able to be satisfied. This is shown in the story on page 24 where it is written: "It annoys me not to have a single jewel, not a single stone, nothing to put on. I shall look like distress. I should almost rather not go at all." Mathilde's husband gives her four hundred francs to buy a dress, but all she feels is disappointment, sadness and unsatisfied. Rather than being satisfied with the dress and appreciative of her husband, she now focuses only on the fact that she misses jewelry. Here the author defines the main character's trait, which is more always wants more.  This is also shown in the story on page 24: "He threw over her shoulders that wraps which he had brought, modest wraps of common life, whose poverty contrasted with the elegance of the ball dress. She felt this and wanted to escape so as not to be remarked by the other women, who were enveloping themselves in costly furs." Mathilde was forced to wear her common life wraps after the party. When seeing the other women in costly coats, she became ashaimed and afraid of being judged by them. She would rather risk her health going outside in the cold night air than being seen by the other women wearing a contrast to her ball dress and necklace. Ultimately her greed is what lead her to her own character growth. After losing the necklace she learned what hard work was and she stopped placing such value on materialistic things. Her perception of what is valuable in life changed. This is shown in the very end of the story on page 28: "Oh my poor Mathilde! Why, my necklace was paste. It was worth at most five hundred francs!" Madame Forestier tells Mathilde that all the work she has done for the last ten years paying of her debts has been a waste of time, because the necklace she borrowed from Madame Forestier had no value in relation to the necklace Mathilde brougth back. By this the reader receives a message about perception of value on objects. Objects or materialistic things such as a necklace is being associated with wealthiness and being rich. For some people this perception is the most important thing and all they really care about. 
The way the author ends the story also has another meaning than the perception of value on objects. "Why, my necklace was paste. It was worth at most five hundred francs." This paragraph has another meaning because of the social statuses in society. Madame Forestier has a higher status in society than Mathilde and therefore also another perception of objects. Madame Forestier perceives the necklace as a paste and worth at most five hundred francs. The way the author constructed this sentences makes the reader believe that five hundred francs is nothing for Madame Forestier. Looking at Mathilde and her husband, he could barely afford to buy Mathilde a dress for four hundred francs. This difference, in relation to social status in society, makes the perception of value on objects different. 

The message of this story can be explained as be happy and appreciative for the things a person have. Always wanting more and never being satisfied in life have consequences. Greediness and deceptiveness can lead to the even being more unsatisfied. The perception of value on objects is something that is created by the society in which people are raised in. The wrong perception can lead to unsatisfaction as much as greediness and deceptiveness. Do not care about what other people think but focus instead on the different elements in an individual's life that makes the individual happy. 
