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.