Comparisons Between "The Jewelry" and "The Necklace" Essay Example

Guy de Maupassant, "The Jewelry" Summary

Guy de Maupassant attempts irony through the lives of urban residents, particularly in light of the decline in morality (Bloom 22). The story of Maupassant is set in Paris and centers on Mr. Latin, chief clerk at France's Ministry of Interior, and his wife, Mrs. Latin.

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Throughout the story, however, the name of the wife is not revealed to the reader. The reader is shown the first encounter between Mr. Latin's wife and his spouse at the home of a superintendent. Latin falls for the innocent young women immediately. This story is more about character and irony than other literary techniques.

Maupassant's quote: "The girl who first appears "...very perfect example of a pure, good woman to which every young man should be able to entrust." (Maupassant the Jewelry 634). This is a very important indicator of the character of the wife. It is ironic because the woman was not pure, but a prostitute disguised.

The couple has six wonderful years together after their marriage. The wife is passionate about fake jewelry and fake theatres. The wife is an excellent housekeeper and keeps the home clean and tidy. These traits give Mr. Latin a luxurious lifestyle.

After their sixth year of marriage, the wife went to the opera on a cold night. She later returned home frozen (Maupassant the Jewelry 635). After a bout of bad cough, she succumbed to pneumonia within a week. Because they were so reminiscent of his wife and her love, Mr. Latin was unable touch or alter anything that belonged to her.

Latin is unable to pay the domestic so he decides to sell his wife’s jewels. However, he is shocked to discover that they are genuine and worth thousands of Francs. The reader concludes that she was a prostitute who would do anything to obtain a decent life. Mr. Latin sells every jewel of his late wife and quits his job to make enough money to finance his lifestyle.

Guy de Maupassant Literary Element and Character Analysis: "The Jewelry"

This story shows that Maupassant is a person who values irony and character. First, Mrs. Latin's character is questionable. The author gives the clue that Mrs. Latin is not a loving and decent wife. She has a love for jewelry, entertainment and a decent lifestyle.

The husband discovers that his small salary cannot support such a lifestyle after her death and decides to sell the jewelries. M. Latin discovers that his wife must have had a second source of income in the jeweler's shop, but she is not willing to discuss it with him. He discovers that she was probably prostitution and that this could have led to her falling in love with going out at night.

It is also questionable as to the character of Mr. Latin. He had failed to see or suspect the other side of his wife even though he was married for six years. He didn't realize how much his wife spent to maintain her home and buy her jewelries. He is actually a humble, but insensitive person. He would not trust his wife.

The story emphasizes irony more than character. Ironically, the wife is presented first as a young innocent woman whose attractive looks would draw any young man. Ironically, Maupassant later reveals the other side to her life, making the reader suspect she was a prostitute.

It is also ironic that she lives in poverty with a low-income earning husband, but she keeps her high income secret. Ironically, the young woman has multiple income sources, but she appears innocent and simple. Her husband even benefits from her immorality. It is also ironic that Mr. Latin has lived with her for six-years and failed to see her other side.

Comparisons between "The Jewelry", and "The Necklace"

These stories, although they are very different, both revolve around women who love material things and jewels.

Similar themes are used in the theme of possessing characters, particularly women. These stories also give insight into how women can influence their husbands in urban settings (Jackson 61). Although Mrs. Latin can cheat on her husband for six years to get jewels and live a decent lifestyle, Madame Loisel is able to influence her husband to spend nearly every penny on her make-up (Roberts 53).

The stories are about women living in urban areas who take risks to achieve happiness. Madame Loisel borrows large amounts of money to buy her necklace and make-up (Maupassant The Necklace47). For her part, Mrs. Latin risks cheating on her husband in order to have a decent life with jewels.

Works Cited

Bloom, Harold. Guy De Maupassant. New York, NY: Infobase publishing, 2001. Print.

Jackson, Stanley. Guy De Maupassant. London: Duckworth publishers, 1998. Print.

Maupassant, Guy De. The Necklace. Woodstock, IL: Dramatic Publishing, 2005 Print.

—. The Jewelry. Edinburg, UK: Edinburg University Press, 2007. Print.

Roberts, Edgar. Writing Themes About Literature. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice Hall, 2008. Print.