The Necklace – NCERT Solutions

Q. What kind of a person is Mme Loisel—why is she always unhappy?

Ans. Mme Loisel is a beautiful lady. She is born in a clerk’s family. Her husband is also a clerk in the office of the Board of Education. But she has lofty aspirations and wishes to enjoy all delicacies and luxuries. But she is pained to see the shabby walls of her apartment and the worn chairs. All these things tortured her and made her unhappy.

Q. What kind of a person is her husband?

Ans. Her husband is a clerk who intends to keep his wife happy. He is economical but he suffers because of his wife’s conduct and wishes. He sacrifices his own dreams to buy a party dress for his wife. He wants to buy a gun but he buys a dress for his beloved wife. It shows that he is a simple and loving husband.

Q. What fresh problem now disturbs Mme Loisel?

Ans. Mme Loisel buys a new dress for the ball but she has no jewels to adorn herself with. It disturbs Mme Loisel.

Q. How is the problem solved?

Ans. Matilda’s husband reminded her of her friend Mme Forestier. She was rich and could lend her some jewellery. Mme Loisel goes to her friend for the jewellery. Mme Forestier readily agrees to lend her necklace of diamonds that Matilda likes.

Q. What do M. and Mme Loisel do next?

Ans. M and Mme Loisel look in the folds of the dress, cloak and pockets for the necklace. Loisel goes over the track where they went on feet to find it. He goes to the police and the cab offices and puts an advertisement in the newspapers, offering a reward. But nothing came out of it.

Q. How do they replace the necklace?

Ans. They replace the necklace by purchasing exactly the same necklace. They have to pay 36000 francs for the new diamond necklace. He possesses eighteen thousand francs and borrows the rest from the moneylenders.

Q. The course of the Loisel’s life changed due to the necklace. Comment.

Ans. Undoubtedly, the necklace changed the course of the life of Loisel. Mme Loisel now knew the horrible life of necessity. They had to send away the maid and changed their lodgings. They rented some rooms in an attic. She had to do all the household work. She washed the dishes, the soiled linen, their clothes and dishclothes. She suffered for ten years because of her irresponsible behaviour. M Loisel worked in the evenings, putting the books of some merchants in order, and at nights he often did copying at five sous a page. Poverty made Matilda a strong, hard woman and the crude woman of the poor household. She now looked an old woman of a poor family.

Q. What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?

Ans. Matilda’s lofty aspirations and unrealistic dreams were the causes of her ruin. One must not run after material possessions. It is rightly said that appearances are always deceptive. One should not give undue importance to the physical beauty. One should be pragmatic and should cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth. She could have avoided it easily. Her husband suggested to her to use flowers but she refused to do so. She was not a practical lady. If she had understood her husband’s feelings she could have avoided it.

Q. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?

Ans. Matilda would have saved her family from ruin if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace. Mme Forestier might have demanded 500 francs for the loss of the necklace. One should always remember that telling a lie affects the liar’s life. One should learn the art of accepting one’s mistakes. She should have felt sorry to her friend and the rich friend might not have minded the loss altogether.

Q. If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?

Ans. I believe that to err is human. Human beings are social animals who need to interact with others. But a person who becomes the victim of superiority or inferiority complex makes his life a hell. I feel that I would have confessed the loss without any hesitation.

Q. The characters in this story speak in English. Do you think this is their language? What clues are there in the story about the language its characters must be speaking in?

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Q. Honesty is the best policy. Ans. Do yourself. 3. We should be content with what life gives us.

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