CBSE Class 10 English The Necklace Worksheet

THE NECKLACE - GUY DE MAUPASSANT

SUMMARY :

The short story "The Necklace" by Guy De Maupassant takes place in France several years ago. Matilda Loisel lives in a flat with her husband, who works as a clerk for the Minister of Education. Their lives are not luxurious, but they are not poor, merely simple. Matilda, however, longs to be rich. She envies her friend Jeanne who has a large house and lots of jewellery.

Matilda Loisel borrows a necklace from her friend Madame Forestier. Matilda's husband has secured an invitation to a party hosted by his boss, the Minister of Public Instruction. When Matilda worries that she doesn't have anything to wear, her husband agrees to buy her a new dress.

Thanks to her new party dress and Madame Forestier's diamond necklace, Matilda has a wonderful time at the party. All the men think she's the prettiest woman at the party, and she dances until four in the morning.

Upon returning home, Matilda notices that the diamond necklace is gone. Her husband retraces their steps to no avail. Embarrassed, the couple spend their entire inheritance and take out loans to pay for a replacement necklace.

Matilda and her husband spend the next ten years scrimping and saving to pay off their debt. The menial housework ages Matilda prematurely to the point where Madame Forestier doesn't even recognize her. Finally, Matilda tells her friend about replacing the necklace, only to learn that it was a fake.

Theme : The short story's theme involves the pitfalls of pride. Matilda's pride in her beauty prompts her to buy an expensive dress and borrow seemingly expensive jewellery, which triggers her downfall. She fed her pride for one night but paid for it over the next 10 years of hardship, which destroyed her beauty. Pride also prevented her friend from acknowledging initially that the necklace was a fake, which would have prevented Matilda's downfall.

 

Extract Based Questions

1. One evening her husband returned elated bearing in his hand a large envelope. ‘Here’, he said, “here is something for you.”

Question. Why was the husband elated?
Answer. The husband was elated as he brought home an invitation to the Minister’s residence. He knew it would make his wife happy.

Question. What was the reaction from ‘you’?
Answer. ‘You’ or his wife, unexpectedly, was not the least happy and she made her displeasure very obvious.

Question. Find the word from the extract that means the same as ‘wrapper’.
Answer. ‘Envelope’ means the same as ‘wrapper’ from the extract.

Question. What is the antonym of ‘elated’?
Answer. Its antonym is ‘sad’.

Question. Name the characters mentioned in the given extract
Answer.  Mme and M Loisel are the characters mentioned in the extract.

 

2. He threw around her shoulders that modest wraps they had carried whose poverty clashed with the elegance of the ball costume. She wished to hurry away…

Question. What precedes these lines?
Answer. These lines follow Matilda’s success at the ball where she was idolised. Her beauty and elegance was praised by everyone.

Question. Who is “She” mentioned in this extract?
Answer. She is Matilda.

Question. ‘She’ wished to hurry away. Why?
Answer. She, “Matilda” did not wish to shatter the illusion of her grandeur that she had so successfully managed to convey others by putting on such a shabby wrap. So, she wished to hurry away to escape the notice of the rich women.

Question. Which word in the given extract is a synonym of ‘not expensive’?
Answer. ‘Modest’ is the synonym of ‘not expensive’ from the extract.

Question. Find the antonym of ‘affluence’ from the passage given.
Answer. Its antonym is ‘poverty’.

 

Question 3. She learned the odious work of a kitchen… she seemed old now. She had become strong, hard woman, the crude woman of a poor household.

Question. Who seemed old now?
Answer. Matilda seemed old now.

Question. What had made her ‘crude’?
Answer. Ten long years of poverty, and a constant struggle and strife for survival had made her ‘crude’.

Question. Which word in the given extract is an antonym to ‘pleasant’?
Answer. ‘Odious’ is the antonym of ‘pleasant’ in the extract.

Question. What part of speech is ‘crude’ in the extract?
Answer. It is an adjective.

 

4. Mme Forestier was touched and took both her hands as she replied, “Oh! My poor Matilda! Mine were false. They were not worth over five hundred francs.”

Question. Why was Mme Forestier touched?
Answer. Mme Forestier was touched by Matilda’s plight which could have been avoided if only Matilda had told the truth.

Question. “Mine were false.” What does ‘mine’ refer to in these words?
Answer. ‘Mine’ refers to the diamond necklace that Mme Forestier had lent to Matilda.

Question. Find the word from the extract that means same as ‘agitated’.
Answer. ‘Touched’ means the same as ‘agitated’ from the extract.

Question. What is the opposite of ‘poor’?
Answer. Its opposite is ‘rich’.

Question. What was the actual cost of the necklace she had lent?
Answer. The necklace was not worth over five hundred francs.

 

5. And she responded, “I am vexed not to have a jewel, nothing to adorn myself with. I shall have such a poverty-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.”

Question. Why was she vexed then?
Answer. She was vexed because she did not have any jewel to adorn herself with.

Question. Which party is she referring to?
Answer. She is referring to the party hosted by The Minister of Public Instruction for which her husband got an invitation.

Question. Who is ‘she’ in the above lines?
Answer. Matilda

Question. Why did she not want to go to the party?
Answer. 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.

Question. What was the advice given by M. Loisel to Matilda when she complained about not having suitable jewellery?
Answer. M. loisel advised Matilda to wear natural flowers.

Question. Who is the author of the story “The Necklace”?
a) HG Wells
b) Robert W. Peterson
c) Guy De Maupassant
d) Loisel
Answer. C

Question. Why did Matilda utter a cry?
a) Seeing other ladies wrapping themselves in fur.
b) Poverty
c) The necklace was not to be seen when she reached home.
d) None of the above
Answer. C

Question. How much was the necklace actually worth?
a) forty thousand Francs
b) thirty six thousand Francs
c) five hundred Francs
d) none of the above
Answer. C

Question. “She suffered incessantly, feeling herself born for all delicacies and luxuries.” Which word does ‘delicacies’ NOT correspond to?
a) Etherealness
b) Elegance
c) Exquisiteness
d) Robustness
Answer. D

 

Question. How did Matilda enjoyed the party?
Answer. Matilda enjoyed the party with great pleasure. She danced with enthusiasm and intoxicated, thinking of nothing but all that admiration.

Question. Why did Matilda get upset after the party?
Answer. Matilda got upset after the party, because she had lost her friend’s necklace.

Question. What had Matilda’s husband saved the money for?
Answer. Matilda’s husband had saved a good amount of money to buy a gun for him.

Question. Who are the protagonists of the story “The Necklace”?
Answer. Mme and M.Loisel are the protagonists of the story “The Necklace”

Question. How did Matilda solve her problem of jewellery?
Answer. Matilda solved her problem of jewellery by borrowing a necklace from her friend Mme. Forestier.

 

SAQs 

Question. What was Loisel’s reaction to his wife’s desire for a new dress?
Answer. The Loisels had been invited to a party at the minister’s residence. When Matilda told her husband that she wanted a new dress to wear, first of all he asked her to wear whatever she possessed. When she got angry and refused to go to the party at all, he finally agreed to let her buy a new one.

Question. Do you think M. Loisel had an enjoyable evening at the ball? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer. I think M. Loisel didn’t enjoy much at the ball. In fact, he was not much interested in such parties. He had come there for the sake of his wife’s happiness. So when his wife was dancing with enthusiasm, intoxicated with pleasure, he waited for her (but without disturbing her) half asleep in one of the little salons since midnight.

Question. How did Mme and M Loisel react when they realised that the necklace had been lost?
Answer. As soon as they realized that the necklace had been lost, their short-lived happiness degenerated into shock of the worst nightmare. Matilda uttered a cry. Loisel, already half undressed, arose in dismay and went immediately on foot in search of necklace.

Question. Why was Matilda sad after the ball?
Answer. The night of the ball had been the realization of a long cherished dream for Matilda, when she was the focus of all the attention and every eye admired her. But the happiness was short-lived and degenerated into shock of the worst nightmare when she discovered that the necklace was missing from her attire. Her mind was ridden with forebodings of how she would face Mme Forestier and pay up for the loss.

Question. What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin?
Answer. Her own discontentment was the cause of her ruin. She always felt that she had been born for better things. So her desires to be rich or distinguished or of becoming known were never fulfilled which caused her to be unhappy and ruined.

Question. What changes came into the life of the Loisel after borrowing money
Answer. After borrowing money, a lot of changes came in the life of the Loisel. They had to do away with the maid and Matilda had to do all the household chores. She had to carry down the refuse to the street and carry water upstairs. She had to do all the shopping from the market after a lot of haggling. Her husband also had to work hard. He worked in the evenings and sometimes even at night. Thus, their life changed drastically.

Question. Why could Mrs. Forestier not recognize her friend Matilda at the end of the story?
Answer. Matilda had to work very hard to lead her life. She had become a strong, hard woman, the crude woman of the household. In fact she had started looking old. One Sunday evening, when she was taking a walk in the Champs Elysees, she met Mrs. Forestier who still looked young and pretty. As Matilda had started looking old and haggard, she couldn’t be recognized by her.

Question. What would Matilda often dream of?
Answer. Matilda would often dream of all the delicacies, luxuries, elegant dinners, marvellous dishes, rich silver, beautiful dresses, jewels, adoration and a life of glory. She would escape into her dreams from the dullness of her very humble existence.

Question. What is the moral of the story ‘The Necklace’?
Answer. The moral of the story is that we should not be greedy. We should be satisfied with whatever we have. Our honesty is the best policy. We should be content with what life gives us.

Question. How did Mme. Loisel then know the life of necessity?
Answer. To pay the debt of eighteen thousand francs, Loisel let go of their decent living. They lived in impoverished neighborhood. Matilda had to cook, clean, wash, mend, bring water and bargain with the butcher and grocer. Her husband worked day and night to save every sou.

Question. Do you think Mme Loisel had an enjoyable evening at the ball? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer. Mme. Loisel was the center of attention at the ball. Her beauty, her grace, her joy and the gorgeous smile captivated all. Men sought to be presented to her. She danced happily at her conquest of all.

Question. Why was Matilda’s friend astonished to see her at the end of the story? Or Why did Jeanne not recognize her friend, Matilda?
Answer. Jeanne, Matildas friend, could not recognize her as she seemed an old and worn out poor woman. Matilda was no longer her former beautiful and Joyous self.

Question. Why was Matilda always unhappy?
Answer. Matilda was always unhappy because she had been born into a simple family of clerks and married also to a clerk. Thus, her desires to be rich or distinguished or of becoming known were never fulfilled which caused her to be unhappy.

Question. Why did Matilda not want to see her rich friends?
Answer. Matilda did not want to see her rich friends because she suffered from inferiority complex. She was married to a simple clerk; whereas her friends were rich and full of money power.

Question. How did they replace the necklace?
Answer. The necklace was of thirty six thousand francs from which Loisel possessed eighteen thousand francs and the rest money he lent from the lenders.

Short answer type questions: 

Question. Matilda‘s husband is kind and loving. Do you agree? Give examples to support your answers.
Answer. He wants her to be happy. He spends a huge savings that he had saved for years to buy a gun for his hobby for buying a pretty dress for his wife so that she could attend a big party and enjoy it. When the costly necklace is lost, he spends all his savings and even borrow to repay it. He works day and night but never creates any ruckus with his wife.

Question. What had Matilda‘s husband saved the money for? Why did he then part with his savings?
Answer. Matilda‘s husband had saved a good amount of money to buy a gun for him. But when his wife refused to attend the party without a new dress, he had to give up buying the gun. He used the saved four hundred francs to buy her costume.

Question. What was the cause of Matilda‘s ruin? How could she have avoided it?
Answer. Matilda‘s aspiration and unrealistic dreams were the cause of her ruin. She paid due importance to materialistic things. She could have easily avoided if she had remained within her means. She was not a practical lady and had not understood her husband‘s feelings.

Question. What did Mme. Forestier tell Matilda about the reality of her Necklace?
Answer. After having lost the borrowed necklace, Matilda replaced it with a diamond necklace bought for thirtysix thousand francs. But Mme Forestier told her that her necklace was false costing about 500 francs.

Question. What changes came into the life of Loisels after the necklace was lost?
Answer. They had to shift to a cheaper room and dismiss the servant. She did all the household works and shopping by herself. She fetched water, washed the floor, utensils and dirty clothes by herself. Matilda‘s husband worked in the evening and late at night to pay back the debt.
 

Question. Why was Matilda unhappy in her early married Life?
Answer. Matilda was married to a simple clerk who earned a moderate income. She was unhappy in her early married Life because she had rich dreams and lavish desires which her middleclass husband couldn't fulfill & was Madame Frostier shocked to meet Matilda after ten years?
 

Question. Matilda’s husband excitedly brought home an invitation one evening. Explain.
Answer. One evening, Matilda’s husband brought home an invitation for both of them to attend a party at □ minister's house. He was elated because he was one of the few clerks to get an invitation and also because he thought Matilda would be thrilled to get a chance to experience a lavish ball.
 

Question. Why do you think M. Loisel was a loving husband? 
Answer. M. Loisel was a Loving husband. He adored his wife a loti He wanted to see Matilda happy and made every effort to cheer her up. He also gave her four hundred francs that he had saved for himsetf to buy a hunting gun, to Matilda to buy a new dress.
 

Question. How did M. Loisel try to make his wife happy?
Answer. M. Loisel had saved four hundred firancs to buy a gun to join some hunting parties the next summer. The gun was to be used when he □nd his friends went to shoot Larks. However, he tried to make his wife happy by offering to give her the saved four hundred! francs to buy an elegant dress.
 

Question. Mention two things you would have done, other than what M. Loisel did. to help resolve the problem of the Lost n ecklace.
Answer. I would have written the truth behind Losing the necklace, accepted my fault and apologized to Madame Frostier. I would have also thought of giving her another necklace as a gift whkh I could afford.
 

Question. Mention one of the most pleasurable things, according to you, that money can't buy and support your choice with an appropriate reason.
Answer. The most pleasurable thing that money can't buy is satisfaction. A person can earn Loads of money and still be unsatisfied and unhappy.
There might be a lack of understanding or Love between spouses which money can’t buy.
 

Question. How did M. Loisel purchase the new necklace?
Answer. M. Loisel paid far the new necklace by taking a debt and contributing his eighteen thousand francs that he inherited from his father
 

Question. imagine Matilda got to know that M. Loisel had given her four hundred francs which he had saved to buy a gun. How do you think she would have reacted?
Answer. I think if Matilda would have known that Loisel had given her four hundred francs, she would still have spent that amount on buying herself a rich dress. Nothing other than luxury was precious to Matilda.
 

Question. Why did Matilda leave the ball in a hurry? What does it show about her character?
Answer. Matilda left the ball in a hurry because she didn’t want to face the other women as she had to cover herself in a modest wrap whereas the other women were wrapping themselves in rich furs. This shows that Matilda was a Lady full of pretence. She was ashamed to accept her reality.
 

Question. Mme Forestier writes a diary entry after having met Matilda knowing the truth and seeing the transformation in her friend.
Write a short diary entry as Mme Forestier about your encounter and how you felt. You may begin Like this. 20th July Monday 9:00 pm I couldn't recognise Matilda at aLL I wish she had told me the truth about the necklace.
Answer. 20th July, Monday 'MO pm I couldn’t recognise Matilda at alL I wish she had told me the truth about the necklace. I can't even imagine what hardships Matilda had to face over these ten years that her appearance changed drastically. I feel guilty of the fact that Mali La and her husband had to Live a life of extreme poverty for a necklace that wasn't more than five hundred franca Only if Matilda had told me the truth of Losing the necklace, she wouldn't have to go through this adversity.
 

Question. Mme Loisel now knew the horrible life of necessity. Do you think Mme Loisel accepted this change willingly? Give two reasons in support of your answer.
Answer. Yes, after losing the necklace and seeing her husband taking all the responsibility atone to compensate far the loss, Matilda willingly accepted her fate. She cut down on her expenses and did away with her maid. She did all the household chores herself
 

Question. Imagine you’re one of the columnists in a magazine. People write to you about their issues, seeking your advice.
Self-Practice Questions. Detailed solutions occesable here Matilda writes to you about the guilt she feels for having lost a necklace and how it changed the course of her Life and her husband’s. What would be your advice to her?
Answer. I would advise Matilda to bring a sense of acceptance in her. Acceptance of reality is very important to be happy and satisfied in life. Once a person accepts who she/he is and all the things that life offers her/him, nobody can drag her/him down. Matilda needed to accept the fact that she was destined to be bom in a poor family and get married to a simple clerk who couldn’t afford any riches.
 

Question. Matilda goes home after meeting Mme Forestier after ten years and shares the fact with M. Loisel that the necklace was a false one. Write the dialogue between Matilda and M. Loisel
Matilda: I don't know how to tell you this but I met Mme Forestier today and she told me that her necklace was
M. Loisel: What! II can’t believe my ears. That huge debt was for nothing!
Matild a:..............
M. Loisel .....________ _
Answer. Matilda: I don't know how to tell you this but I met Mme Forestier today and she told me that her necklace was a fake one. It was just an imitation neckLace worth around five hundred francs.
M. Loisel: What! I can’t believe my ears. That huge debt was for nothing! Matilda: Yes dear. I couldn’t believe it too when she told me this. She herself was shocked to Look at me and my drastically changed appearance. She couldn’t even recognize me.
M. Loisel: ALas! In all this struggle, my beautiful wife Lost her charm and I Lost all my savings.

Long answer type questions: 

Question. Love is blind‘ is a phrase that was justified by Monsieur Loisel in the lesson .The Necklace‘.Substantiate the answer from the story you have read in about 100 – 120 words.
Answer. Monsieur Loisel‘s acceptance and contentment differ considerably from Matilda‘s emotional outbursts and constant dissatisfaction, and though he never fully understands his wife, he does his best to please her. When Monsieur Loisel tries to appease Matilda, he does it so blindly, wanting only to make her happy. When she declares that she cannot attend the party because she has nothing to wear, he gives her money to purchase a dress. When she complains that she has no proper jewellery, he urges her to visit Madame Forestier to borrow some. Monsieur Loisel‘s eagerness and willingness to please Matilda becomes his downfall when she loses the necklace. He is the one who devises a plan for purchasing a replacement necklace and orchestrates the loans and mortgages that help them pay for it. Although the decision costs him ten years of hard work, he does not complain or imagine an alternate fate. It is as if his desires do not even exist or, at the very least, his desires are meaningless if they stand in the way of Matilda‘s.

Question. The Necklace‘ reveals that vanity is an evil. It may bring joy for short period but ultimately it leads to ruin. If you are placed in a situation similar to that of Matilda, what would you have done? Express your views.
Answer. No doubt, Matilda was proud and self-loving. She was very beautiful and charming and she was proud of her beauty. Because of her beauty, she thought that she was born in a family of clerks through the error of destiny. She felt that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries. She also felt that she was made for expensive frocks, jewels and other such things.
Therefore, we can conclude that Matilda was very vain and proud because of her beauty. When we read the story, we find out that she suffered because of her vanity. If I were placed in a situation similar to that of Matilda, I would have valued the love of my husband. I would have not insisted on buying an expensive dress to wear to the party. There would be no question of borrowing an expensive necklace from my friend. I would have saved me and my husband from all hardships which the Loisels went through.

Question. At the end of the ten years, they had restored all‖. What had Matilda and her husband restored and at what cost?
Answer. Matilda lost the necklace borrowed from her wealthy friend Mme Forestier. They desperately tried to find out the necklace but in vain. Finally, they decided to replace the necklace with a new one. M. Loisel spent his entire savings and even borrowed a loan to buy the necklace. To repay the debt, they cut down their expenses. They sent away the maid and reported some rooms in an attic. They cut down their expenses. M. Loisel worked evenings, putting the books of some merchants in order, and nights he often did copying at five sous a page. This life lasted for ten years. At the end of ten years, they had restored all.

 

Read the extracts given below carefully and answer the questions that follow:

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) For what did he offer a reward?
(b) What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin?
(c) How could she have avoided it?

 

2. And she responded, “I am vexed not to have a jewel, nothing to adorn myself with. I shall have such a poverty-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?

 

3. “She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, loved and
married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry
a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education.”

(a) Who is the description about?
(b) What sort of person is she?
(c) What is the outcome of her marriage?
(d) What did her husband do?

 

II. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words:

1. What, do you think, were the feelings of Madam Forestier when she came to know that Matilda returned her a diamond necklace in place of an artificial one?
2. Mme. Loisel was intoxicated with pleasure at the ball. Give three reasons to supportyour Answer.
3. What changes occurred in Madam Loisel after 10 years?
4.Why did Madam Loisel go to visit her friend, Madam Forester?
5. How did Mr. Loisel and Mme. Loisel manage to buy a diamond necklace to return it to Madam Forestier? What were the consequences?
6. Why did Matilda change her lifestyle after the ball?
7.Why do you think that Mr. Loisel was a lovinghusband?
8. How had Mme Loisel’s sacrifices all been in vain?

 

III. Answer the following questions in 100-120 words.

1. ‘The Necklace’ reveals that vanity is evil. It may bring joy for a short period but ultimately it leads to ruin. If you were placed in a situation similar to that of Matilda, what would you have done? Write your views2. Write a character sketch of Mme. Loisel.

 

Please click on below link to download CBSE Class 10 English The Necklace Worksheet