The Necklace – Summary and Important Questions for Board Examination.(CBSE ENGLISH CLASS 10)

The Necklace – Summary and Important Questions for Board Examination.(CBSE ENGLISH CLASS 10)

 Summary:

"The Necklace" is a tragic yet eye-opening story by Guy de Maupassant about Matilda Loisel, a woman born into a family of clerks who believes she was destined for a life of luxury. She spends her days dreaming of silk curtains, silver plates, and high society, while resenting her modest, middle-class life with her hardworking husband.

When her husband manages to get an invitation to a grand ball at the Ministry, Matilda isn't happy—she’s upset because she has "nothing to wear." Her husband gives her his savings for a dress, and she borrows a stunning diamond necklace from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier.

At the ball, Matilda is a sensation. She is the prettiest woman there, and for one night, she feels like she truly belongs. But the fairy tale ends in disaster. When she gets home, she realizes the necklace is gone.

Too proud to tell her friend the truth, the Loisels buy a replacement necklace for a massive 36,000 francs. To pay off the debt, they lose everything. They move to a tiny attic, fire their servant, and work grueling manual labor for ten long years. Matilda loses her beauty and looks like a common, hardened woman.

The Twist: After the debt is finally paid, Matilda meets Madame Forestier in a park. She finally confesses the truth. A shocked Madame Forestier reveals that the original necklace was fake (paste) and worth only 500 francs. Matilda had sacrificed ten years of her life for a lie.

A.  Short Answer Questions:

Q1. Why was Matilda Loisel unhappy with her life?

ANS: Matilda was extremely beautiful and felt she was born for "all delicacies and luxuries." She hated her plain apartment, the shabby walls, and her lack of jewels and fine clothes.

Q2. What was Mr. Loisel’s reaction to getting the ball invitation?

ANS: He was triumphant and excited. He expected his wife to be thrilled because it was a very exclusive event and difficult to get an invitation for.

Q3. How did Matilda manage to buy a new dress?

ANS: Her husband gave her 400 francs that he had been saving to buy a gun for a hunting trip with his friends.

Q4. Why did Matilda go to Madame Forestier?

ANS: Even with a new dress, Matilda felt "shabby" without jewelry. Her husband suggested she borrow something from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier.

Q5. Describe Matilda’s experience at the ball.

ANS: She was the center of attention. She was elegant, gracious, and smiling. All the men noticed her and wanted to be presented to her. She was drunk with pleasure.

Q6. What happened when the Loisels reached home after the ball?

ANS: Matilda stood before the glass to see herself in her glory one last time, only to discover that the necklace was no longer around her neck.

Q7. How did they try to find the lost necklace?

ANS: Mr. Loisel went back over the route they walked, contacted the police, went to the cab companies, and put an advertisement in the newspapers offering a reward.

Q8. How did the Loisels pay for the replacement necklace?

ANS: They used 18,000 francs left by Mr. Loisel’s father and borrowed the rest from moneylenders at high interest rates, ruining their lives in the process.

Q9. How did Matilda’s life change over the next ten years?

ANS: She became a "strong, hard woman" of a poor household. She washed dishes, carried water, and haggled at the market to save every sou.

Q10. What was the "ironic twist" at the end of the story?

ANS: The twist was that the borrowed necklace was an imitation worth only 500 francs, but Matilda spent 36,000 francs and ten years of her life to replace it.

B.  Long Answer Questions (Value-Based)

Q1. "Honesty is the best policy." How does this apply to Matilda’s situation?

ANS: If Matilda had been honest with Madame Forestier immediately, she would have learned that the necklace was fake. Her pride and fear of "looking poor" prevented her from telling the truth. This lack of honesty turned a small mistake into a decade-long tragedy that destroyed her youth and her husband's savings.

Q2. Compare and contrast Matilda at the beginning and the end of the story.

ANS: At the start, Matilda is beautiful, delicate, and full of vain dreams. She is physically soft but mentally restless. By the end, she is physically coarse, loud-voiced, and hard, but she is mentally stronger because she has faced the reality of hard work. She has paid her debt, but at the cost of the very beauty she once prized so much.

Q3. Was Mr. Loisel as much to blame as Matilda?

ANS: While Matilda was the one who lost the necklace, Mr. Loisel shared the blame because he encouraged her vanity by giving her his savings and suggesting she borrow the jewelry. However, he is also the hero of the story, as he sacrificed his inheritance and worked extra jobs without a single complaint to protect his wife’s "honor."

Q4. Discuss the role of "Fate" in the story.

ANS: The story shows how a tiny, accidental event—the snapping of a string—can change a person's life forever. Guy de Maupassant suggests that our lives are fragile and governed by chance, but also by our choices. It was Matilda's choice to be vain and her choice to be dishonest that allowed "Fate" to crush her.

Q5. What is the central message of "The Necklace"?

ANS: The message is that one should be content with what they have and avoid living beyond their means. It is a critique of social climbing and the obsession with "outward appearance." It teaches that true worth is not found in jewelry or expensive clothes, but in character and truth.

C. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Q1. Who is the author of "The Necklace"?

A) Robert Frost B) Guy de Maupassant C) Victor Canning D) James Herriot

ANS: B) Guy de Maupassant

Q2. How much did the replacement necklace cost the Loisels?

A) 18,000 francs B) 36,000 francs C) 40,000 francs D) 500 francs

ANS: B) 36,000 francs

Q3. What was Mr. Loisel's profession?

A) Lawyer B) Clerk C) Teacher D) Doctor

ANS: B) Clerk

Q4. Madame Forestier gave Matilda a ______ box to choose from.

A) Wooden B) Satin C) Metal D) Velvet

ANS: B) Satin

Q5. How long did it take the Loisels to pay back the debt?

A) 5 years B) 10 years C) 1 year D) 20 years

ANS: B) 10 years

Q6. What was the real value of the original necklace?

A) 36,000 francs B) 500 francs C) 1,000 francs D) 5,000 francs

ANS: B) 500 francs

Q7. Matilda was born into a family of:

A) Engineers B) Doctors C) Clerks D) Artists

ANS: C) Clerks

Q8. Mr. Loisel had saved 400 francs to buy a:

A) New coat B) Carriage C) Gun D) Watch

ANS: C) Gun

Q9. Where did Matilda lose the necklace?

A) At the park B) In the cab C) At the ball D) At her friend's house

ANS: C) At the ball (or potentially in the cab on the way home)

Q10. "The Necklace" is a story about:

A) Romance B) Vanity and Pride C) Crime D) Magic

ANS: B) Vanity and Pride

As a Teacher my Comment:

Matilda is a classic example of a 'Tragic Protagonist.' When writing your answers, use the word 'Inevitable' to describe her downfall. Remember to contrast the 'High Class' ball with the 'Low Class' attic she eventually lived in. This contrast is exactly what the Board examiners look for.