1. De Maupassant shows Mme. Loisel as a woman who is beautiful but unhappy, always dreaming of a richer life. This is central to the theme, because her desire for wealth and appearance leads directly to her suffering.
2. I don’t think the story is simply sexist. It reflects the time when women were judged mostly by beauty and marriage. The story criticizes society, but also shows Mme. Loisel’s own choices and vanity.
3. The author is making a comment that social class is unfair and fragile. Mme. Loisel wants to be seen as higher class, but this desire ruins her life. It shows how dangerous it is to care too much about status.
4. At the beginning, I didn’t feel much sympathy because she seemed ungrateful and always complaining. But at the end, after she lost her youth and worked so hard for ten years, I felt sorry for her and the waste of her life.
5. The necklace symbolizes false appearances. It looked expensive and beautiful, but it was actually worthless. Just like Mme. Loisel’s dreams of wealth, it was an illusion.
6. Mme. Loisel changes from a spoiled and dreamy woman into a tired and rough worker. Negatively, she loses her beauty and happiness. Positively, she becomes stronger and learns responsibility.
7. The twist ending is very important. Without it, the story would just be sad, but with the twist, it becomes ironic and unforgettable. It shows the true cost of her vanity in a powerful way.
8. The story connects to today’s social media because many people still care too much about looks, wealth, and what others think. Like the necklace, social media often shows illusions that hide the real truth.