Question

record the topic sentence below to start your 2nd paragraph before going into your textual evidence. value and measure are measured based on the secret desires of one’s heart. in the short story, “the necklace,” by guy de maupassant the main character, mathilde loisel, is characterized as ________. (use at least 2 to 3 pieces of evidence from the text “the necklace” to help support and inform what makes something valuable and what makes something a treasure based on mathilde’s character. this will make up your 2nd paragraph.)

Explanation:

First, rephrase the core topic sentence to focus on inner desires shaping value, then define Mathilde's character with textual evidence: her longing for luxury (coveting fancy parties, expensive jewelry), her shame at her modest life (refusing her husband's party invitation initially over lack of proper attire), and her eventual realization that true value lies in hard work and humility after repaying the necklace debt.

Answer:

Rephrased Topic Sentence:

A person's hidden inner longings define what they hold as valuable and precious.

Character Description & Evidence:

In the short story, "The Necklace," by Guy de Maupassant, the main character, Mathilde Loisel, is characterized as deeply materialistic yet capable of resilient humility.

1. Early in the text, Mathilde is miserable in her middle-class life, constantly daydreaming of "silent antechambers hung with Oriental tapestry, lit by tall bronze candelabra" instead of her plain home, showing she values outward luxury above her comfortable, stable life.
2. When her husband brings her an invitation to a high-society party, she cries because she has no fancy dress or jewelry, saying "I should look like a pauper," revealing she values social status and appearance over the opportunity to enjoy a rare event.
3. After losing the borrowed necklace, Mathilde works grueling, low-paying jobs for 10 years to repay the debt, abandoning her obsession with luxury to take responsibility. This shows she later comes to value integrity and hard work, redefining what is "treasured" in her life.