Women have been depicted multiple ways in different stories, throughout many different time periods. Books vary from representing women as the typical housewives we have read about in older readings, to becoming more vocal people in society in updated pieces of literature. Women more recently in stories have been written to make changes in not only their own lives but for fellow women as well. The time period in which the book takes place can affect the way the author chooses to depict the women throughout the story. Guy de Maupassant`s story, "The Necklace", shows us how women specifically in the 1880`s were seen through the main character Madame Mathilde Loisel. Maupassant uses diction, symbolism, and repetition to fully display the very traditional life of a woman throughout the story. Maupassant`s plot focuses on the stereotypical housewife living in a world much different than it is today.

Authors use specific word choice to give the reader more insight about the character. Maupassant uses certain word choice, especially when describing a woman, to depict the importance of appearance during this time period. He writes, "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" (Maupassant 33). His decision to describe her appearance as "pretty" showed that the initial thing people notice in a woman are her looks. A woman`s appearance was the first impression they have to show someone. Men wanted their women to be something to look at rather than be heard. Because of the demand of physical appearance, a woman had to always be made up to look proper because you never know who you could see when you`re out. A man never wanted to ruin or lose a chance for something just because he thought his wife did not look right. This made appearance become an important part of one`s life. Madame Mathilde Loisel wishes she was one, "to be envied, to be charming, to be sought after" (Maupassant 34). Madame Mathilde had lived the life where it was of utmost importance for a woman be wanted by a man. Her life revolved around being someone for others to want to want. Maupassant decided on certain words to help give the reader more insight into how women were more important to others for their looks instead of what they can do. 

The author used this piece of work to show the importance of wealth in the life of women as well. To some people, having money is a safety blanket that needs to be there no matter what. Having money in their pocket and being thought of with high status makes people feel more secure about themselves. Throughout "The Necklace," there are several references towards how Madame Mathilde Loisel believed money would solve all of her problems. Seeing the lifestyle others with more money can live makes Mathilde feel inferior because she was not wealthy. When preparing to go to the party, wearing a set of beautiful jewels becomes the center of her life. Looking through the many choices of necklaces her friend gave her, she purposely comes upon the most extravagant necklace filled with diamonds. Her excitement came not from being able to go to a party with her husband, or how he used all his money on her, but from a piece of jewelry. A materialistic item is thought to be seen as a sign of love more than actual love or being together with one`s family. The symbolism of the necklace shows how women during this time valued an object more than a person, because of the status it brought. A proclamation of status and wealth was an extremely important factor in a woman`s life back in the 1880`s.

There was a lot of repetition throughout the story where the wife complains about what she did not have. When she finds out that she and her husband were invited to a party she instantly declines because she does not have an acceptable dress to wear. She was not meeting the standard of appearance that women were seen to have. She replies, "Nothing. Only I have no dress, and therefore I can`t go to this ball. Give your card to some colleague whose wife is better equipped than I" (Maupassant 34). Instead of being excited like many others would be, Mathilde felt bad for herself and did not want to attend because she did not have the money to buy herself a new dress. Instead of embarrassing herself in front of the wealthier people at the party she told her husband to give the invitation to another couple. Mathilde`s main interest is how she would look at the party instead of seeing it as an opportunity to be with her husband who wanted to go to spend time with her. Dresses, jewelry, are her first thought before her marriage. Mathilde`s husband felt how much it pained his wife to not be able to spend money on a whim, so he gave her the money he had been saving up for himself. Even that act of kindness could not stop Mathilde`s need for money. After buying the dress, she tells her husband, "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" (Maupassant 35). Anytime her husband gave her something she would come back saying there was yet another thing she could not afford that would hold her back from going to the party. The husband would do his best to give her everything she wanted even when he gets hurts financially and emotionally. Her constant repetition of saying 'I need this to be able to go to the party' puts a strain on her marriage and has her husband and herself struggling to pay for it all. By endlessly saying she needs more material possessions, Maupassant makes it apparent that being seen with expensive items improves a woman`s life.

An author writes a piece of literature to make the reader think about more than just the surface meaning of the story. There is always a deeper meaning to a story no matter what the author writes about. One can always look deeper into the story to get a more profound meaning they can apply to their life now. In the story, "The Necklace", there are many references to material objects taking a larger meaning in one`s life white not being happy with what you are given. Madame Mathilde Loisel`s story is used by Mauspassant to tell his readers something more important. Guy de Maupassant wrote during a time period when women were thought of a certain way. He places moments throughout the story that shows us how they were first judged for their beauty and placed on a pedestal. They became a thing of beauty to just sit and do nothing else. The lifestyle of many women were severely detailed and looked at through "The Necklace". Mauspassant`s story is a very clear depiction of the typical life of women many years ago. His word choices, symbolism and repetition of certain ideas help the reader see women being treated as objects, not human beings. The characters in the story are examples to teach the audience of how our past culture has evolved from a very male lead world with materialistic importance, to one where women are now their own person.

