the necklace was a fake, "worth only five hundred francs!" To Mme. Loisel, the main character of "The Necklace," the discovery of this simple fact about a showy piece of jewelry exposes a greater truth. Set in France in the 1800s, this story by Guy de Maupassant portrays the significance of social class and Mme. Loisel's discontent with her own position in society. The necklace symbolizes her materialism and shallow character, as the story's plot reveals her choices and their consequences