Thinking about the Text:
Q. 1. The course of the Loisels' life changed due to the necklace. Comment.
Ans. Loisel had to borrow money at very high rate of interest to replace the lost necklace. It changed the entire course of the Loisels' life and they had to live a hard life of poverty. They changed their lodgings. They sent away the maid. Matilda always had to do all the household work herself and live like a poor woman. Loisel did overtime for some merchants. This continued for ten long years. At last they cleared all their debts. Matilda now looked an old woman of a poor family.
Q. 2. What was the cause of Matilda's ruin? How could she have avoided it?
Ans. One thing is that Matilda belonged to a poor family even she always longed to have things of luxury. That was the real cause of her ruin.
She should have known that one should do cut one's coat according to the one's cloth. Thus, she could avoid her ruin.
Q. 3. What could have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost the necklace?
Ans. Matilda would have been saved from ruin if she had confessed the loss. However the necklace was worth only 500 francs so she could easily buy another in its place. And perhaps, the rich friend might not have minded the loss altogether.
Q. 4. If you are caught in a situation like this, how will you deal with it?
Ans. If I were caught in a situation like this, I would go straight to Madam Forestier and relate plainly all that had happened. Thus everything could have been settled to her satisfaction and much of the trouble could have been saved.
Q. 5. Draw a character-sketch of Matilda.
Ans. Matilda was a pretty woman. But she was born in a poor family. She desired to have things of luxury and thought was born to live a life of luxury. She wanted to be loved and admired. She wanted to move in rich society. But she couldn't find any rich man to marry her. She had to marry a small clerk. She was not happy with him. She had to live in a simple house. She had to wear simple clothes. She didn't have any costly furniture or curtains. She didn't have any jewels to wear. All this troubled her always and she remained unhappy.
