10th Std The Necklace

The Necklace

Extract based questions

1)He wants to the police and to the cab offices, and put an advertisement in the newspapers, offering a reward. She waited all day in a state of bewilderment before this frightful disaster. Lisle returned in the evening, his face pale; he had discovered nothing.

(a) What did he do?

(b) For what did he offer a reward?

(c) What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin?

(d) How could she have avoided it?

Ans. (a) He went to the police and to the cab office and put an advertisement in the newspapers.

(b) He offered a reward to find the lost necklace.

(c) Her weakness for admiration, pleasure and vanity became the cause of her ruin.

(d) Matilda could have avoided this entire suffering if’ she had tried to live within her means and controlled her wild desires for short-lived pleasure.

2. He threw around her shoulders the modest wraps they had carried whose poverty clashed with the elegance of the ball costume. She wished to hurry away in order not to be noticed by the other women who were wrapping themselves in rich furs.

(a) Who is she?

(b) What was the cause of her inferiority complex?

(c) How can you say that Mr Loisel was a loving husband?

(d) Why do you think the tendency to show off becomes a curse for Matilda?

Ans. (a) ‘She’ is Matilda.

(b) She thought that they are poor and all the guests of the party belong to the upper class. This was the cause for her inferiority complex.

(c) When his wife was enjoying the dance and gratifying her vanity through the admiration of the men-folk, he waited patiently.

(d) She wasted her youth and suffered for ten long years only because of her vanity. He will desire for short-lived pleasure had become a curse for her.

3. And she responded, “I am vexed not to have a jewel, nothing to adorn myself with. I shall have such apoverty-stricken look. I would prefer not to go to this party.” He replied, “You can wear some natural flowers. In this season they look very chic.”

(a) Why was she vexed then?

(b) Which party is she referring to?

(c) Who is ‘she’ in the above lines?

(d) Why did she not want to go to the party?

Ans. (a) She was vexed because she did not have any jewel to adorn herself with.

(b) She is referring to the party hosted by The Minister of Public Instruction for which her husband got an invitation.

(c) In the above lines she is Matilda.

(d) She was grieved for her poverty-stricken look. She felt that she did not have a proper Party dress and a jewel for the party.

4. She suffered incessantly, feeling born for all delicacies and luxuries. She Suffered from the poverty of her apartment, the shabby walls and the worn chairs. All these things tortured and angered her.

(a) Who is she?

(b) Why did she suffer?

(c) Why does she feel tortured?

(d) What character traits of Matilda do the above lines reveal?

Ans. (a) She stands for Matilda.

(b) She was very beautiful and felt born for all delicacies and luxuries which she was not having. This made her suffer.

(c) She was unhappy with the poverty of her house. The shabby walls and the worn chairs tortured and angered her.

(d) Matilda was an unhappy and discontented person.

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words:

1. What, do you think, were the feelings of Madam Forester when she came to know that Matilda returned her a diamond necklace in place of an artificial one?

Ans. Matilda borrowed a necklace from Madam Frostier to wear at a party. She lost it somewhere and in that place returned a diamond necklace to her. She was unaware of the fact that it was an artificial one. Madam Forester was shocked to know the whole story. Madam Frostier thought that situation could be avoided if Matilda had the dare to accept the truth and share it with Madam Forester.

2. Madam Loisel was intoxicated with pleasure at the ball. Give three reasons to support yourAnswer.                               

Ans. Madam Loisel was intoxicated with pleasure at the ball. She danced with enthusiasm. She received everyone’s admiration and flattery. She looked the prettiest of all: elegant, gracious, smiling and full of joy.

3. How would you feel if you were in Matilda’s place and had lost somebody’s such a valuable possession?

Ans. Matilda borrowed a necklace from Madam Forester to wear in a ball. She lost it the same night. She was too much upset at the incident and tried to find it everywhere in the fold of dress, in the cloak, in the pockets and everywhere. Even Mr Loisel went to search it at midnight. They even could not sleep all night. They went to the police and even to the cab-office and put an advertisement in the newspaper offering a reward.

If I had been in Matilda’s place I would have done all the above-said efforts for such a valuable possession.

4. What changes occurred in Mime Loisel after 10 years?

Ans. Madam Loisel now knows the horrible life of necessity. She sent away her maid and learned the odious work of a kitchen She washed the dishes and the clothes on her own, She took down wastes to the street and brought up the water stopping at each landing to breathe. They changed their lodging and rented some rooms in the attic.

She seemed old now and became strong and hard women. Her hair badly dressed, her skirts awry, her hands red and spoke in a loud voice.

5.Mme. Loisel lost the necklace that Mme. Forestier had Lent her. If it would have been you at madame Loisel’ place, what would have been your first and foremost step?

Ans. If I had been at Madam Loisel’s place firstly I would not have borrowed the necklace. I would have been satisfied with the assets that I possessed. Secondly, if I had borrowed and lost it. I would have told that Madam Forester. Then I would have known at that very time that it was not a real diamond but an artificial only.  which would have saved 10 long years from being ruined as Madam Loisel’s life was.

6. How was Mr Loisel able to arrange 36,000 francs?

Ans. Loisel possessed eighteen thousand francs, which his father had left for him. Rest of the money he borrowed from usurers and a whole race of lenders. He made ruinous promises for that. And to repay this debt they had to change their lodgings. Madam Loisel had to do all tedious jobs like washing. Grocery shopping, and carrying water upstairs herself.

7. Why did Mme Loisel go to visit her friend, my Forester?

Ans. Mme Loisel visited her friend Mine Forester twice. First, she went to her house to borrow a diamond necklace for the ball which she lost the same day. Secondly, she visited her house to return the necklace that she had bought for 36,000 francs in compensation for the lost necklace.

8. Why did Madam Loisel leave the ball in a hurry? What does it show about her character?

Ans. Madam Loisel left the ball in a hurry because her husband threw the modest wraps around her shoulders, whose poverty clashed with the elegance of the ball costume. She did not want to be noticed by the other woman who was wrapping themselves in rich furs. It shows the hypocrisy and showoff life of madam Loisel. It shows her dissatisfaction, anger and frustration with life.

9. How did M. Loisel and Madame Loisel manage to buy a diamond necklace to return it to Madam Forester? What were the consequences?

Ans. Mr Loisel and Madam Loisel spent all their saving i.e. eighteen thousand francs, which his father had saved for him. Rest of the money they borrowed from usurers with ruinous promises. They had to arrange 36,000 francs for the new diamond necklace. All this ruined their life. Mme Loisel had to do all odd jobs to save money. They had to change these lodgings Mr Loisel had to work till late at night after office hours, putting the books of some merchant or to copy pages at five soups a page to earn extra money.

10. Why did Matilda change her lifestyle after the ball?

Ans. Matilda borrowed a necklace from her friend for the ball but she lost it after it. It was a diamond necklace. It completely changed her course of life. She and her husband had to struggle hard to repay the debt taken to buy a new necklace.

11. Why do you think that Mr. Loisle was a loving husband?                                       

Ans. Mr M. Loisle was a simple and poor clerk. He made every effort and sacrifice to make his wife happy. He sacrificed his 400 francs that he had saved to buy a gun for himself in order to buy a new party dress for his wife. It proves that he was a loving husband.

12. Why was Matilda sad after the ball?

Ans. Matilda was sad after the ball because she had lost the diamond necklace which she had borrowed from her friend Mme. Forester. She had to pay a very heavy price for it.

13. How had Mme Loisel’s sacrifices all been in vain?       

Ans. Mme. Loisel’s sacrifices proved to be all in vain as Mrs Forester, when she met her after ten years, told her that the necklace was of fake diamonds worth only 500 francs. Poor Loisel had wasted their 10 years to repay the loss of a fake necklace.

14. What did the Loisel do to replace the necklace?

Ans. They had to save every single penny in order to repay the huge loan they had taken for the diamond necklace. Mrs Loisel sent away all the maids and did all the household work herself. They changed their lodging and shifted to a cheap rented room.

15. What were the reasons for Matilda’s unhappiness?

Ans. Matilda was a pretty young lady but belonged to a poor family. She was married to a petty clerk. Her poverty and lack of recognition made her angry and unhappy.

16. What was the cause of her ceaseless suffering?

Ans. Mrs Loisel was very beautiful. She wanted to lead a life of comfort and luxury. She wanted to enjoy life. But she was married to a clerk. She lived in a simple house and led an ordinary life. This was the cause of her ceaseless suffering.

17. What did her husband bring home one evening? Why was he so elated?

Ans. One evening, her husband brought home an invitation card. They were invited to a party at the residence of the Minister of Public Instruction. He was so elated because he thought that it would make his wife happy.

18. How did Matilda get the jewels to wear to the ball?

Ans. Matilda went to her friend Madame Forestier’ s house. She told her the story of her distress. She borrowed a necklace of diamonds from her. In this way, slit: got jewels for the ball.

19. What happened at the ball? Was her dreamt fulfilled?

Ans. At the ball, Madame Loisel was a great success. She was the prettiest of all women. She was full of joy. All the men noticed her and asked her name. Her victory was complete. Her dream was fulfilled.

20. Why was she not delighted on receiving the ‘invitation to the party?

Ans. Mrs Loisel wanted to lead a life of luxury. She wanted to attend parties. One day her husband got an invitation to attend the party given by the Minister of Public Instruction. But she did not have a good dress to wear at the party. So she was not happy to get the invitation.

21. Why was her husband saving money?

Ans. Her husband was fond of shooting birds. He wanted to take part in shooting larks next summer. Some of his friends were also going for shooting. So he was saving money. He wanted to purchase a gun with that money.

22. Why was Matilda married to a clerk?

Ans. Matilda belonged to a family of clerks. Her parents were not rich. They did not have a big dowry for Matilda. She had no means to be married to a rich and famous man. So she was married to Loisel who was a clerk.

23. How did Matilda’s husband obtain an invitation to attend the party?

Ans. Matilda’s husband was a clerk in the office of the Board of Education. The Minister of Public Instruction was giving a dance party. Clerks were not being invited to the party. But Matilda’s husband tried his best and obtained an invitation to attend the party.

24. Describe Matilda’s experience at the dance party.

Ans. Matilda looked very charming at the dance party. All the men at the party looked at her. They asked her name. Everybody wanted to be introduced to her. The officers at the party wanted to dance with her. She danced with joy. She had a great sense of victory.

25. When did the party end? What did Matilda find when she reached home?

Ans. The party ended at four o’clock in die morning. Matilda and her husband reached home. Matilda stood before the mirror. She wanted to see heme If again with the necklace. But she was shocked to find that she had lost the necklace.

26. What efforts did Matilda and her husband make to look for the lost necklace?

Ans. They looked into the folds of Mati Ida’s dress, in the folds of her cloak and in her pockets. Her husband searched the whole route by which they had come home. He returned at seven o’clock. He informed the police. He went to the newspaper’s office to announce a reward. But the lost necklace was not found.



1)Give the character sketch of Matilda.

 Matilda is a pretty, young lady. She wanted to lead a rich and luxurious life. But she was born into a humble family and had to marry an ordinary man. She felt sad about her petty economic and social status. When Matilda got an invitation to a ball, she wanted to pretend as a rich woman. She gave in to vanity. She disregarded the advice of her humble husband. She is a woman who sought the praise and admiration of others. She feels very happy when men and women appreciated her beauty and grace at the dance ball. Matilda is a woman lacking wisdom and prudence. Just to show off a day at the ball, she loses her borrowed necklace. This leads to enormous suffering for her and her husband for a number of years. She does not understand the importance of living within one’s means.

2)Give the character sketch of Mr Loisel.

Mr Loisel is a simple man working as a clerk. He loves his wife and does everything to make her happy. He gets an invitation to a ball with his wife. When his wife wants a costly necklace, he suggests she should borrow a necklace from her rich friend, Madame Forestier. When Matilda loses her necklace, he uses his hard-earned savings to buy a new necklace. He starts working very hard to repay the debt they had incurred. Mr Loisel is ready to make an enormous sacrifice to maintain his family. He is a man who believes in living a life within one’s means. Unfortunately, because he is lenient towards his wife, he has to undergo much of the sufferings.