The Fly by Katherine Mansfield

The Fly by Katherine Mansfield

Summary

The story “Fly” throws light on the fact that time is a great healer and it conquers grief.

Mr. Woodifield comes to see his ex-boss. He is retired and is a heart patient. He praises the new setting and furniture of the office. Then the boss offers him whisky. After drinking it, Mr. Woodifield remembers what he has forgotten. He tells the boss that his daughters have visited the graves of the boss’s as well as Mr. Woodsfield’s son. Actually, they have died in a war.

When Mr. Woodifield has gone, the boss remembers his dead son. He tries to have the same feelings of grief as he felt on the day of his death. However, he fails. For the last try, he decides to go to the photograph of his son, but a fly in an inkpot attracts his attention. He forgets all about his son.

He takes the fly out of the inkpot and puts it on a blotting paper. As soon as the fly is about to fly, he drops a drop of ink on it and enjoys its struggle. At last, the fly dies of drops of ink. The boss throws it away and orders for a fresh blotting paper. Then he tries to remember what he was thinking before attending to the fly. It means he forgets his dead son again.

1. What is the theme of the story “Fly”?

This is a quite established fact that the story “The Fly” is about the conquest of time over grief. 

No doubt, this is quite established fact that the story “The Fly” is about the conquest of time over grief. This is the first theme of the story.

To show that time conquers grief the writer presents two characters, Mr. Woodifield and his ex-boss. Both of them lost their only sons six years ago. It was a long period and it had healed up their grief.

First, the writer tells us about the state of grief of Mr. Woodifield. He has forgotten everything. He is able to remember about the grave of his some after drinking whisky. He talks about his son and his grave, but does not feel any pang of grief. This clearly shows that the time has made him forget his grief.

Then the writer talks about the state of grief of the boss. The Boss believed that time would not make any difference to his grief. Now his present state of grief is different. After the departure of old Woodifield, he sits in the chair. He wants to feel the same pang of grief that he used to feel. The writer expresses his feelings very beautifully: “He wanted, he intended, he arranged to weep…. But no tears came yet.” This is the present condition of his grief. Time has conquered his grief.

He wants to feel the pang of grief. As a last try, he decides to get up and have a look at his son’s photograph. However, a fly in the inkpot attracts his attention and he forgets about his son and the grief in a moment. He starts dropping drops of ink on the fly to enjoy its struggle. After the death of the fly, he tries to remember what he was thinking, but cannot. This clearly shows that time has conquered his grief. (303)

2. What is the second theme of the story “Fly”?

Discuss the writer’s views about life, death, and fate as given in her story “The Fly”.

“As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport.” Discuss.
What does the Boss do to the fly at the end of the story and what does the death of the fly signify to him?

The second theme of the story “The Fly” is “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport.”

When we read the story carefully, we find that the fly in the story symbolizes helplessness of man before fate. Just like the fly, man tries hard and gets out of the grip of death for the time being, but fate captures him again. Man has no power to defy fate and fall an easy prey to it. When we read the story, we find that the writer and all the characters in the story stand for the fly.

To convey this idea, the writer tells a brief incident. A fly falls into an inkpot. The Boss sees it, puts it on a blotting paper, and enjoys its strength again. At last, the fly dies of those drops of ink.

This incident of the fly highly symbolic. The writer herself died of T.B that was incurable at that time. Many people were dying at that time. Later, man discovered a cure for the disease and thought that he had escaped death and had defied fate. However, just like the Boss, fate dropped another drop – AIDS. Now many people are dying of it. Now it is the last drop. Just like the fly, people cannot survive it. We hope that man will discover a cure for it. However, who knows what the next drop is like.

Therefore, we are just like the fly in the story and the Boss is just like a god who kills it just for his sport. This is the second theme of the story. (275)

3. What does the fly stand for?

Bring out the symbolism in the short story “The Fly” by Katherine Mansfield.

The fly in the story “The Fly” symbolizes helplessness of man before fate. Man may try hard to escape his death, but he is not given a chance to escape. Just like the fly, man tries hard and gets out of the grip of death for the time being, but fate again captures him. He has no power to defy fate and fall an easy prey to it. When we read the story, we find that the writer and all the characters in the story stand for the fly.

To convey this idea, the writer tells a brief incident. A fly falls into an inkpot. The boss sees it, puts it on a blotting paper, and enjoys its struggle. Just when the fly is able to escape death, drops a drop of ink onto the fly and enjoys its struggle again. At last, the fly dies of those drops of ink.

This incident of the fly is highly symbolic. The writer herself died of T. B that was incurable at that time. Many people were dying at that time. Later, man discovered a cure for the disease. He thought that he had escaped death and had defied fate. However, just like the boss, fate dropped another drop – the drop of AIDS. Now many people are dying of it. Now it is the last drop. Just like the fly, people cannot survive it. We hope that man will discover a cure for it. However, who knows what the next drop is like. (253)

4. Describe the reaction of the Boss when he comes to know that Mr. Woodifield’s daughters have visited the grave of his son.

The reaction of the Boss is that of a father over the death of his only son. However, he does not express his grief before Mr. Woodifield.

When Mr. Woodifield has gone, he sits in his chair. He asks Mr. Macey that he will see nobody for half an hour. He wants to feel the same pang of grief. The writer describes his condition, “He wanted, he intended, he had arranged to weep…” It is a terrible shock to him when Mr. Woodifield mentions the grave of his son. He imagines his son lying in his grave. He groans, “My son!” However, no tears come yet.

In the past, in the first months and even years after the death of his son he could not control his tears. He thought that the time would never change the condition of his grief. He had developed his business for his son. Everybody liked his son. However, he went to a war and died. When he received a telegram about his death, he felt the whole place crashing about his head.

Now the situation is different. Six years have passed and he does not feel the same pang of grief. As a last try, he decides to get up and have a look at his son’s photograph. He thinks that by looking at the photograph he will feel the same pang of grief as he used to feel. However, a fly in the inkpot attracts his attention and he forgets about his son in a moment. He starts enjoying the struggle of the fly by dropping drops of ink on it. After the death of the fly, he tries to remember what it was he thinking before attending to the fly, but cannot. (291)

A Conversation with My Father by Grace Paley

A Conversation with My Father by Grace Paley

Summary

This story presents the generation gap between the past and the present writers. The writer represents the young generation, whereas her father represents the old generation.  The conflict between them is that they have their own ideas of reality and are not ready to change them.

Her father is eighty-six and is a heart patient. He asks the writer to write a simple story like the Russian writers used to write.

She writes a story. It is a true story. It is about a woman who is a neighbor of the writer.

This woman had a son and they both lived nicely in a small apartment in Manhattan. Her son became a drug addict at the age of fifteen. She also became a drug addict just to have a close contact with her son. However, for a number of reasons, her son gave up drugs and left the city and his mother. Now the mother was hopeless and alone. The writer went to see her.

However, her father does not like the story. He raises some objections. He says that she has not written the story according to the Russian writers who could write a plain, ordinary story.

She writes the second version of the story. She changes it completely. Still he does not like the story and raises some more objections. He objects that she does not want to face the reality. He believes that no character can change. If there is any change, it cannot last long.

Therefore, the daughter tries to write a story according to the wishes of her father but fails.

1. The writer Grace Paley has demonstrated the generation gap in the story “A Conversation with My Father”. Discuss.

What is the conflict between the father and the daughter?

The writer has demonstrated the generation gap in the story “A Conversation with My Father”. The reason of conflict between the father and the daughter is that they are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. They have their own ideas of reality and are not ready to change them.

The father represents the old generation. For him life is simple, nice and family oriented. He believes in marriage. He also believes that a character in a story has some individuality and it does not change. He believes that the life story of each character should have some reasonable end. He has his own idea of reality. The reality presented by the writer is just a joke to him. He is not going to accept it. The young generation is not ready to look the truth in the face.

Whereas, the young generation considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life of bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a…” She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, both have sensibilities of their own times – the old and the modern. They are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. (230)

2. The writer, Grace Paley loves her father and is willing to write a simple story for him, but cannot, why?

The writer fails in writing a story in keeping with the sensibilities of her father’s time. Comment.

When we go through the story “A Conversation with My Father”, we find that the daughter has great love for her father. She wants to please him. She does not want to argue. Even if there is an argument, she is always willing to let her father have the last word. That is why she is willing to write a simple story for him. She writes two stories according to her father’s wishes, but fails to please him.

Its reason is that the daughter is the representative of the young generation of writers. She considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To her family life or person can change. That is a truth to her. When her father does not agree, she says, “No Pa, it could really happen that way, it’s a funny world nowadays.”

She hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a…..” She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons. She thinks that every person or character of a story should have the open destiny. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, we can conclude that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she cannot write a simple story for him. She has sensibilities of her own times. She is rigid and is not ready to accept what is wrong to her. (241)

3. What was the first version of the story written by the writer and what were her father’s objections?

The writer’s father asked her to write a simple story for him. The writer did like to write a simple story, but she wrote a story just to please him. It was a true story. It was about a woman who was a neighbor of the writer.

This woman had a son and they both lived nicely in a small apartment in Manhattan. Her son became a drug addict at the age of fifteen. It was not usual in that area. She also became a drug addict just to have a close contact with her son. However, for a number of reasons her son gave up drugs and left the city and her in disgust. Now the woman was hopeless and alone. The writer went to see her.

The writer’s father did not like the story and he raised many objections. Firstly, he said that she had not written the story according to his wishes. She misunderstood him on purpose. Secondly, she had left everything out. Thirdly, she had not written the story according to the Russian writers who could write a plain, ordinary story. She had not written the story for ordinary people.

Fourthly, she had not told about the physical appearance of the woman and about her hair. Fifthly, she had not told about the parents of the woman. If she had told, it would have been possible to tell why she had become such a person. Sixthly, she had not told about her husband and whether her boy. He believed that the bond of marriage was very important. Therefore, these were the objections of the father to the first version of the story. (281)

4. What was the second version of the story written by the writer and what were her father’s objections?

The father of the writer raised some objections to the first version of the story and asked the writer to write the story again. Therefore, the writer wrote the story again. This time she added many things.

The story was about a woman. She had a son whom she loved very much. He became a drug addict in his adolescence. He was a writer and wrote articles in newspapers.  I order to keep a close contact; she also became a drug addict. However, in spite of that she took great care of her son. She kept many orange juice, honey, milk and vitamin pills at home.

Once her son went to a cinema where he met a girl because of the girl, he gave up drugs and started his normal life again. The son asked his mother to give up drugs, but she could not.  The son left her and went away. The mother was alone now and she wept for her son. The writer visited her.

The writers’ fatter did not like the second version of the story either. He raised several objections. Firstly, he ironically objected that she had nice sense of humor. Secondly, he objected that she could not tell a plain story. Thirdly, he objected to the end of the story. He did not like that, the woman was left alone, and she had no hope. Fourthly, he objected that the writer did not want to face the reality. He believed that no character could change. It was a joke to show that in a story. If there was any change, it could not last long. It was the only truth for him. Therefore, these were the objections of the writer to the second version of the story. (292)

5. What kind of story does the writer’s father want her to write?

The father of the writer of the story “A Conversation with My Father” asks her to write a simple story for hmm once more. The writer used to write simple stories.

He wants that the story should have all the good qualities of a simple story. Firstly, he likes the stories of the Russian writers, so he wants her daughter to write the story according to these writers. Secondly, the story should be written about the real, recognizable people. Thirdly the physical appearance of the characters should be given. The writer should tell even about the hair of the characters fourthly the background of the character must be given. In this way, it will be possible for the reader to find out why the character had become such a person.

Fifthly, the bond of marriage must be given a lot of importance in the stories. Sixthly, he believes that the sense of humor must be nice. The writer of the story should face the reality and should give a convincing end to the story. The end of the story must be finished. The characters in a story cannot change and the writer must not try to change them. It is a joke if a writer does therefore. According to him, such a story is against reality and it is not true. He believes that if a character changes it is only for the time being.

Therefore, the father wants her to write a story according to his own sensibility. (249)

6. Why does the writer not like to write a simple story about real and recognizable people?

The father of the writer of the story “A Conversation with My Father” asks her to write a simple story for him once more. From a simple story, he means such story as the famous Russian writers used to write. According to him these writer used to write simple stories about real and recognizable people.

However, the writer does not like to write a simple story because of certain reasons. She is a representative of the young generation. The young generation considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life or bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. When her father does not agree, she says, “No Pa, it could really happen that way, it’s a funny world nowadays.”

The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a ….” She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons, but because she thinks that, every person or character of a story should have the open destiny of life. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, we can conclude that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she does not like to write a simple story. She has the sensibilities of her own time. She is rigid and is not ready to accept what is wrong to her. (246)

7. What is the theme of the story “A Conversation with My Father”?

The theme of the story “A Conversation with My Father” is the generation gap between the old and the young writers.

The father of the writer represents the old generation of writers. For him life is simple and family oriented. He values in marriage. He also believes that a character in a story has some individuality and it does not change. He believes that the life story of each character should have a reasonable end.

He has his own idea of reality. The reality presented by the writer is just a joke to him. He is not going to accept it. He also believes that evasion is a characteristic of the young generation. The young generation is not ready to look the truth in the face.

Whereas, the young generation consider the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life or the bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a….”

She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons. She thinks that every person or character of a story should have the open destiny of life. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, the theme of the story is the generation gap between the young and the old writers. We see that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she cannot write a simple story for him. Both have sensibilities of their own times. They are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. (285)

The Duchess and the Jeweler by Virginia Woolf

The Duchess and the Jeweler by Virginia Woolf

Summary

The story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” reflects the English society of writer’s time. It was an age of change. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were coming up.

Once Oliver Bacon was very poor and lived in a filthy, little alley. He worked very hard and used fair and unfair means to become the richest jeweler of the England. He enjoys his present position. He is suffering from inferiority complex. There is a great difference between his present and past condition. He has become so important that each day he receives invitation cards from the aristocracy of the city. He has become very rich, but he is so greedy that he wants more and more wealth.

One day the Duchess of Lambourne comes to sell some fake pearls.  She induces him into buying those fake pearls very cleverly. She uses her daughter Diana as bait. She also invites him to the party where all the aristocracy will be present.

Oliver Bacon buys the fake pearls because he wants to attend the party and spend the weekend with Diana. He loves Diana very much. Besides, he wants to move among aristocratic circles.

He signs the cheque for twenty thousand pounds. The Duchess takes the cheque and leaves. Later, he asks pardon of the picture of his mother.

1. The story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” by Virginia Woolf mirrors the society of England. Discuss.

Whenever there is an age of change, the higher come down and lower downs go up. Discuss.

The story describes the decadence of the aristocracy and the rise of the commoners. Comment.

The story is a criticism on Victorian Society.

No doubt, the writer of the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” reflects the English society of her time. It was an age of transition. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were taking lead in spite of their psychological fixations.

To fulfill her purpose, the writer introduces characters – the Duchess and the jeweler. The Duchess represents the high-ups. The jeweler represents the commoners. His name is Oliver Bacon. At the start of the story, the writer talks about commoners through Oliver Bacon, the jeweler. She tells the reader how the commoners took lead. Oliver Bacon was a commoner because he used to live in a filthy, little alley. Then slowly he took lead and became one of the high-ups of the English society. Now he lived at Piccadilly. It was the most fashionable and expensive place in London.

He had become so important that each day he received invitation cards from the aristocracy of the English society. Even the Duchess of Lambourne waited for his pleasure outside his private office.

Then the writer talks about the high-ups. To get her desired twenty-thousand, the Duchess had forgotten all her nobility. She was always in financial difficulties because of her moral decadence. She gambled. To arrange for the money she sold fake pearls to Oliver twice but this was not all. She had so much moral decadence that she used Diana, her daughter, to entrap Oliver Bacon.

Therefore, we can conclude that the writer has very beautifully reflected the English society of her time. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were taking lead. (276)

2. Did the Duchess of Lambourne sell the pearls to Oliver Bacon real?  If not, why did the jeweler buy them?

No doubt, the pearls sold by the Duchess of Lambourne to Oliver were false. Oliver Bacon bought them and paid twenty thousand because of two very strong reasons.

Firstly, Oliver Bacon wanted to move among aristocratic circles. It was his greatest desire. He was a commoner. He used to live in a filthy, little alley. He worked hard to get to that position of the richest jeweler of England. Now it was his greatest desire to attend parties of the aristocrat. The Duchess induced him into buying fake pearls by telling him that the Prime Minister was going to attend the party.

The second reason of buying his fake pearls was that he loved Diana. She was the daughter of the Duchess. The Duchess induced him by referring to Diana repeatedly. She said, “The Prime Minister – his Minister – his Royal Highness…” She stopped. “And Diana…” She added. Now he started imagining the party and its atmosphere.

He still hesitated. Now the Duchess addressed him by his Christian name. He offered him to come for a long weekend. There he would be able to go to the woods alone with Diana fro riding. He could not resist and wrote the cheque for twenty-thousand. His words spoken at the end of the story are very important. He said, “For it is to be a long weekend.”

Therefore, we can conclude that Oliver Bacon bought the fake pearls because he wanted to attend the party. He wanted to spend a weekend with Diana. He loved Diana very much. (259)

3. Why did the jeweler dismantle himself?

Why did the jeweler remember his past life when he was very poor and lived in a filthy, little alley?

It was very surprising that Oliver, who was one of the richest jewelers of England, dismantled himself repeatedly. However, when we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully, we find that he dismantled himself because of his inferiority complex. There was a great difference between his present and past life. He used to live in a filthy, little alley. His greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women at that time. Therefore, he sold stolen dogs. Then he became a salesperson and sold cheap watches. Therefore, he was a commoner.

Now Oliver Bacon was the richest jewelers of England. He lived at Piccadilly, the most fashionable and expensive place in London. He wore expensive clothes. The best tailors in Seville Row stitched those clothes. He had become so rich and important that each day he received invitation cards from the aristocracy of the city. Therefore, he dismantled himself just to enjoy his present life of a very rich jeweler. The writer describes his feelings in these words, “…at the memory he would chuckle – the old Oliver remembering the young.”

When the Duchess of Lambourne came to see him, he kept her waiting outside his office and dismantled himself again. He wanted to enjoy his present condition. It was a great achievement that a boy, who used to live a filthy, little alley, was keeping a Duchess waiting. The writer describes his feelings very beautifully. It appeared to him that keeping her waiting; he was enjoying a very big feast.

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler dismantled himself because of his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy the present condition of the richest jeweler of England. (282)

4. Why did Oliver Bacon, the jeweller keep the Duchess of Lambourne waiting?

The jeweller kept the Duchess of Lambourne waiting because of his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England.

When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweller”, we find that Oliver Bacon used to live in a filthy, little alley. At that time, his greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women and he did sell. Then he became salesperson and sold cheap watches. Then he did some other jobs to become rich. Therefore, he was a commoner. He did not anything common with the aristocratic class of that time. Now by working hard, he was the richest jeweler of England. There was a great difference between his past and present life but he has not forgotten his past. Therefore, when the Duchess of Lambourne came to see him, he kept her waiting just to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England. It was a great honor for a boy of a filthy, little alley. The writer comments, “The Duchess of Lambourne, the daughter of a hundred Earls. She would wait for ten minutes on a chair at the counter. She would wait his pleasure. She would wait till he was ready to see her.” It was as if he was enjoying a very big and desirous feast. The jeweler who was once a commoner was now keeping a Duchess waiting. What a great achievement that was!

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler kept the Duchess waiting just to satisfy his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England. (272)

5. Throw light on the greedy nature and inferiority complex of the jeweler.

What psychological fixation did Oliver Bacon have in spite of becoming one of the richest jewelers of England?

Psychological fixation means a strong unhealthy feeling of love or obsession. We find that the jeweler had two obsessions. Firstly, he wanted more and more wealth. It appears that his greed did not have an end. Secondly, he had inferiority complex and wanted to move among aristocratic circles to satisfy this complex.

When we the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully we find that to show how greedy Oliver Bacon was the writer gives the examples of a giant hog and a camel. Oliver was greedy like a hog that always wants a bigger and blacker truffle. The writer means to say that Oliver Bacon wanted to become more and richer. Then the writer gives the example of a camel and says, “The camel is dissatisfied with its lot…” Therefore, Oliver Bacon had a strong, unhealthy love for wealth. He was very greedy and was never satisfied.

Secondly, Oliver Bacon had a very unhealthy feeling of inferiority complex. To satisfy his inferiority complex, he kept the Duchess of Lambourne waiting outside his private office. He accepted the fake pearls because he wanted to move in aristocratic circles.  He wanted to go to the party where he could see the Prime Minister and Diana.

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler had two obsessions. Firstly, he wanted more and more wealth and it appears that his greed did not have an end. Secondly, he had inferiority complex and wanted to move among aristocratic circles to satisfy this complex. (248)

6. How did the Duchess deceive Oliver Bacon, the jeweler?

How did the Duchess induce Oliver Bacon into buying fake pearls?

The Duchess induced Oliver Bacon, the jeweler, into buying fake pearls very cleverly. Oliver Bacon hesitated thrice, but each time she induced him by using different tactics. She had many cards up her sleeve. She also had a trump card that she played at the last moment.

She started inducing Oliver very cleverly. Firstly, she started in a very friendly way. She called him ‘dear Mr. Bacon’. Secondly, she mentioned the name of her daughters and told him that she was selling the pearl only for them.  She knew that Oliver loved Diana. She was her daughter. Thirdly, to impress him, she started shedding tears. Fourthly, she called him an ‘old friend’ four times just to induce him.

Oliver hesitated. He was doubtful about the pearls. He wanted to test them to know whether they were real. When she saw him hesitating, she used some different tactics. She invited him to a party at her estate. She induced him by telling him that the Prime Minister, his Minister, his Royal Highness, and Diana would be there. Therefore, she tried to take advantage of his inferiority complex and of his love for her daughter. He wrote twenty on the chequebook but hesitated again.

When the Duchess saw him hesitating, she again used some tactics. Firstly, she called him by his Christian name just to create frankness. Secondly, she used her trump card. She again invited him to her estate for a long weekend. There he would go for riding in the woods alone with Diana. He could not resist any more. He wrote thousand and signed the cheque.

Therefore, that was how the Duchess induced Oliver into buying fake pearls. (279)

7. They were friends, yet enemies; he was master, she was mistress; each cheated the other, each needed the other, each feared the other. Comment.

This question has three parts and we shall discuss them one by one.

Firstly, we discuss “They were friends; yet enemies.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler”, we find that Oliver Bacon was a commoner. Later, he became the richest jeweler of England. On the other hand, the duchess was the member of the aristocracy by birth. Therefore, there was a great class difference between the two. These two classes could never be friends. However, the duchess was forced to call him an ‘old friend’ because o her moral decadence and financial problems. That was how they were friends; yet enemies.

Secondly, we discuss “He was master, she was mistress.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully, we find that Oliver became the richest jeweler of England by using fair and unfair means. Therefore, he was a master in the sense that he a great cheat. On the other hand, the Duchess was a mistress. She was a cheat too. She induced the jeweler into buying the fake pearls so cleverly that she appears to be a mistress in this sense.

Lastly, we discuss “Each cheated other the other, each needed the other, and each feared the other.” When we read the story, we find that each cheated the other. The Duchess cheated the jeweler and sold the fake pearls. The jeweler cheated the duchess in a sense that he kept her waiting without any proper reason. Similarly, both needed each other. She needed him for money and he needed her to go the party and to the woods with her daughter. In spite of that, both feared each other because each knew the secrets of the other. (286)

8. Write a note comparing the characters of the Duchess and the Jeweler.

When we compare the characters of the Duchess and the jeweler, we find that the following statement is true for both of them:”They were friends, yet enemies; he was master, she was mistress; each cheated the other, each needed the other, each feared the other.” We shall discuss some points of this statement.

Firstly, we discuss the second part of the statement:  “He was master, she was mistress.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler carefully we find that Oliver became the richest jeweler of England by using fair and unfair means. Therefore, he was a master in the sense that he was a great cheat. On the other hand, the Duchess was a mistress. She was a cheat too. She induced the jeweler into buying the fake pearls very cleverly.

Secondly, we discuss the third part of the statement: “Each cheated the other, each needed the other, and each feared the other.” When we read the story, we find that each cheated the other. The jeweler cheated the duchess in a sense that he kept her waiting without any proper reason. He knew that the Duchess was telling a lie about the pearls, but he did not show it. It reason was that he wanted to go alone with Diana to the woods for riding. This was a kind of cheating.

Similarly, both the jeweler and the Duchess needed each other. She needed him for money and he needed her to go to the party. In spite of that, both feared each other because each knew the secrets of the other. (265)

9. Describe the meeting between the Duchess and the jeweler.

The Duchess of Lambourne came to sell ten fake pearls to Oliver Bacon, the jeweler. However, the jeweler kept her waiting for ten minutes. During those ten minutes, he enjoyed his present position of the richest jeweler of England. After ten minutes, the Duchess came in and tried to sell his fake pearls. She started inducing the jeweler and used different tactics.

Firstly, she started in a very friendly way. She called him ‘dear Mr. Bacon’. Secondly, she mentioned the names of her daughters and told him that she was selling the pearls only for them. Thirdly, to impress him, she started shedding tears. Fourthly, she called him an ‘old friend’ four times just to induce him.

Oliver hesitated. He was doubtful about the pearls. He wanted to test them to know whether they were real. When she saw him hesitating, she used some different tactics. She invited him to a party at her estate. Therefore, she tried to take advantage of his inferiority complex and of his love with her daughter Diana. She tried to move him by telling him that her honor was at stake. Now she was not an ordinary woman, she was the mother of Diana.  He wrote twenty on the chequebook, but he hesitated again.

When the Duchess saw him hesitating, she again used some tactics. Firstly, she called him by his Christian name just to create frankness. Secondly, she used her trump card. She again invited him to her estate for a long weekend. There he would go for riding in the woods alone with Diana. He could not resist any more. He wrote thousand and signed the cheque. The Duchess of Lambourne took the cheque and departed. (284)

10. Write a note on Oliver Bacon’s journey from filthy, little alley to the Bond Street.

By birth, Oliver Bacon was a commoner. He was very poor. He used to live in a filthy, little street. At that time, his greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women and he did sell.

However, his mother stopped him from doing that. Then he became a salesman and sold cheap watches.

After that, he took a wallet to Amsterdam. He earned a lot of money from three diamonds. He earned commission on the emerald. He bought a shop in Hatton Garden. He started sitting into the private room behind the shop. In the room, there were scales, a safe and thick magnifying glass.

As soon as he became rich, he started dressing better and better. First, he bought a handsome cab then a car. He also bought a villa at Richmond. Then he bought a grand house at Piccadilly. It was the most central position in London. After that, he bought a shop in the street off Bond Street. His shop was famous in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and in America.

Now he had become so important that people from the aristocratic circle started sending him invitations to their parties. Even the Duchess of Lambourne waited for his pleasure outside his private office.

Therefore, that was how Oliver Bacon became the richest jeweler of England. (219)

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

Summary

The story “The Necklace” is about the fact that even a small thing can change the life of a person. Chance or fate plays very important role in human life. It is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny.

Mathilda is the central character of the story. She was very pretty. She thought that she was born in the family of clerks by the error of destiny. Her husband, Losiel was also a clerk.

She believed that she was born for all the luxuries of life. She did not like her poor house. She always dreamed of a big house.

One day her husband brought an invitation card for a ball at the residence of the Minister of Education. She was not happy at the invitation because she had no good dress to wear at the party. Loisel gave her 400 francs to buy the dress. However, she was still unhappy. Now she wanted some jewels to wear.

She went to her friend to borrow some jewel. She borrowed a necklace. She went to the party and enjoyed it. On her return, she lost the necklace. Her husband tried to find it but failed. Later they borrowed money and bought a new necklace to replace the lost one.

Now Loisel worked day and night to return the borrowed money. Mathilda discharged the maidservant and did everything of the household by herself.

They were able to return the money after ten years. Now Mathilda had lost all her beauty. She had changed so much that her friend could not recognize her. Mathilda told her the whole story but her friend told her that the necklace she had borrowed was not real. (282)

1. The story “The Necklace” is a superior work and its plot is conceived in terms of an affecting ironic reversal. Discuss.

No doubt, the story “The Necklace” is a superior work of art and its plot has been conceived in terms of an affecting ironic reversal.

First, when we go through the story, we find that Mathilda was not satisfied with her life. She was very beautiful and thought that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries of life. Therefore, she wanted to marry a rich man. However, it is ironic reversal that she was married to a poor a petty clerk against her wishes.

Secondly, she always dreamed living in a palace. She thought of big houses having eastern construction and luxuries. However, her expectation of living in a big house did not come true. She got a poor apartment. Ironically, she had to leave that apartment too. She had to rent some rooms.

Thirdly, she thought that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries. However, what did she get? She had to send away the maidservant. She had to wash the dishes. She had to wash clothes. She lost her beauty and ten years of her life. She had become the poor household woman. She seemed older now.

Fourthly, when she lost the necklace, she thought that it was real. However, ironic reversal is that the necklace was false. Fifthly, she went to the ball. She wore expensive clothes and jewellery. She expected that she would be very happy. But ironic reversal is that she had to lead a life of misery and sufferings. (247)

2.  How singular is life and how full of changes! How a small thing will ruin or save one,” Mathilda thinks. Do you agree?

In the drama of human life, chance or fate, sometimes, is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny. Do you agree?

How was chance, luck, or fate at the basis of the suffering of Mathilda and Loisel?

Yes, I fully agree that a small thing or a chance or fate can ruin or save a person. Chance is more powerful than human resolution and it is man’s destiny.

When we go through the story carefully, we find that Mathilda’s life was going on very well. Although she was not satisfied with her life, het she was living better than most of the middle class women. She had a loving husband. She had a maidservant who did everything for her. She was very beautiful and looked out of her dress. All this suggests that her life was all right.

Now chance played its role and changed all her life. Her husband brought an invitation to the ball at the Minister’s residence. She had no jewel to wear on the party. She went to her friend and borrowed a necklace to wear. She was very happy, but a small thing happened. She lost her necklace. It was necessary to replace that necklace. Her husband borrowed the money from every possible source and brought the necklace.

Chance again played its role. When she went to return the necklace, her friend did not open the jewel box. Actually, the necklace she had borrowed from her friend was false and she was returning the real one. If she had opened the jewel case, she would have come to know that fact and Mathilda would have been saved from future sufferings. However, chance or fate did not let her friend open the jewel case. Now their life changed and they lost everything.

It proves that chance is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny. (273)

3. It is said that Madam Loisel was responsible for her tragedy. Do you agree?

When I read the story “The Necklace”, I quite agree that Madam Loisel was responsible for her tragedy.

Firstly, she should have accepted the fact that she was a poor woman and she would be misfit among people of high class. She was completely wrong when she thought that she was born of all delicacies and luxuries because she was the wife of a petty clerk. Her high ideas about the luxuries of life were the first reason of her tragedy. She should not have gone to the ball. It was her mistake.

Secondly, she should not have borrowed the necklace from her friend. This was her second mistake and it was the main reason of her tragedy. Wearing that necklace, she wanted to make a show of her riches. Thirdly, she acted quite carelessly. She should have taken great care of the necklace. However, she was in a world of dream. This was what she always wanted. At that time, no one and nothing had any importance for her. She had even forgotten her husband. That was her third mistake. She lost the necklace because of her carelessness.

Fourthly, she should have told her friend that she had lost her necklace. If she had told her friend about the loss of the necklace, she would have come to know that the necklace she had borrowed was false. In this way, she would have been saved of her tragedy. It was her greatest mistake.

Therefore, we can conclude that Madam Loisel was responsible for her tragedy. She committed four mistakes that resulted in her tragedy. (265)

4. It is said that Mr. Loisel was also responsible for his and his wife’s tragedy. Do you agree?

When I go through the story “the Necklace”, I agree that Mr. Loisel was also responsible for his and his wife’s tragedy.

Firstly, Mr. Loisel should not have brought the invitation to the ball. He knew that he was only a clerk and he would be quite misfit among the people of high class. However, he wanted to please his wife. When his wife told him that she did not have anything to wear, he should not have insisted on going to the ball. It was a great mistake on his part. He should have dropped the idea of going. However, he did not do so. 

Secondly, he should not have advised his wife to borrow some jewel from her friend. His wife did not have any idea about that. It was his second great mistake. Thirdly, when the necklace was lost he asked his wife to tell a lie. He asked her to write to her friend that she had broken the clasp of the necklace and she would have it repaired and then return it. Now it was his greatest mistake because it resulted in his and his wife’s tragedy.

Therefore, we can conclude that Mr. Loisel was responsible for his and his wife’s tragedy. He committed three mistakes. (211)

5. What is the theme of the story “The Necklace”?

The theme of the story is that even a small thing can change the life of a person. Chance or fate plays a very important human life. It is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny.

When we go through the story carefully, we find that Mathilda’s life was going on very well. Although she was not satisfied with her life, yet she was living better than most of the middle class women. She had a loving husband. She had a maidservant who did everything for her. She was very beautiful and looked out of her class. All this suggests that her life was all right.

Now chance played its role and changed all her life. Her husband brought her invitation to the ball at the Minister’s residence. She had no jewel to wear on the party. She went to her friend and borrowed a necklace to wear on the party. She was very happy, but a small thing happened, she lost her necklace. It was necessary to replace that necklace. Her husband borrowed the money from every possible source and bought the necklace.

Chance again played its role. When she went to return the necklace, her friend did not open the jewel case. Actually, the necklace she had borrowed from her friend was false and she was returning the real one. If she had opened the jewel case, she would have come to know that fact and Mathilda would have been saved from future sufferings. However, chance or fate did not let her friend open the jewel case. Now their life changed and they lost everything. It proves that chance is more powerful than human resolution. It is man’s destiny. This is the theme of the story. (290)

6. “The necklace” is a tragedy. Discuss.

According to Aristotle, a tragedy is a story of suffering over a long period. The hero of the tragedy is better than ordinary people are. He suffers because of a mistaken act. He exhibits great endurance in the face of sufferings. He may die or fail miserably at the end. His sufferings may arouse pity and terror.

In the light of the above definition, when we read the story, “The Necklace”, we find that Mathilda was higher in the sense that she was very beautiful. She suffered because of her four mistaken acts. Firstly, her high ideas about the luxuries of life were the first reason of her tragedy. She should not have gone to the ball. It was her mistake. Secondly, she should not have borrowed the necklace from her friend. This was her second mistake and it was the main reason of her tragedy.

Thirdly, she acted quite carelessly. She should have taken great care of the necklace. She lost the necklace because of her carelessness. Fourthly, she should have told her friend that she had lost her necklace. In this way, she would have been saved of her tragedy.

We see that she suffered for ten long years, but like the heroine of a tragedy, she exhibited great endurance in the face of all the sufferings. We see that she failed in the end in a sense that all her struggle proved useless. The end of the story arouses pity and horror.  We see her older than her friend of the same age. When her friend revealed that the necklace was false, we pity her. It is a shock not only for Mathilda but also for readers.

Therefore, we can conclude that “The Necklace” is a tragedy and it fulfills all its requirements. (297)

7. What is the moral of the story “The Necklace”?

There are at least three lessons or morals in the story “The Necklace”.

The first lesson is that we should be contented. We should learn to live according to our circumstances. When we read the story careful, we find that Mathilda was very beautiful. She was not contented. She thought that she was born for all the luxuries of life. She wanted to live in grand houses. She wanted to marry a rich man.

That was why she was always depressed. She did not enjoy her household life and food. When her husband praised the food, she thought of elegant dinners. She had neither frocks nor jewels and she felt that she was made for them. Therefore, she suffered for ten long years for her high ideas. No doubt, we should have high ideas but we should cut our coat according to our cloth.

The second lesson is that we always suffer if we try to get happiness through borrowed things. Shakespeare was right when he said that neither a borrower nor a lender be. Mathilda should not have borrowed the necklace from her friend. In this way, she should have been saved from her tragedy.

The third lesson is that we should always tell the truth. Truth always saves us. By telling a lie, we invite sufferings and misfortune. We see that when they lost the necklace, they should have told Mathilda’s friend about that. In this way, they would have come to know that it was a fake necklace. However, they told a lie and suffered for ten long years. In the end they found out that, they did not have anything to be proud. The necklace was not real and their struggle was just useless. What a pity! (292)

8. Write a note on the vanity of Mathilda Loisel.

No doubt, Mathilda Loisel was proud and self-loving. She was very beautiful and charming and she was proud of her beauty. Because of this beauty, she thought that she was born in a family of clerks through the error of destiny. She felt that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries. She also felt that she was made for expensive frocks, jewels and other such things.

As she belonged to a family of clerks, she was married to a petty clerk, but she was not happy at this marriage. She thought that she was out of her class and she belonged to upper class. That was why she did not like the poverty of her house. She thought that because of her beauty she had a right to live in a grand house. This house should have graceful furniture, footmen, and perfumed rooms. She wanted to chat with rich friends at five o’clock in those rooms.

When she and her husband sat to eat, she did not enjoy the food. Her husband praised the humble food but she thought of elegant dinners. She imagined that she would enjoy the food with a smile. There would be expensive wall cloth on the walls.

Therefore, we can conclude that Mathilda was very vain and proud because of her beauty. She was not happy with her life of poverty. She thought that she was born in the family of clerks through an error of destiny. As she was born for all the delicacies and luxuries of life, she should be among the people of high class. When we read the story we find out that, she suffered because of this vanity. (279)

9. How did Mathilda lose the necklace and what efforts did Loisel make to search it?

    What caused the loss of the necklace?

When we read the story “The Necklace” carefully, we find that Mathilda might have lost the necklace in the cab or somebody might have stolen it during the party. The thief might have thought that it was a real and expensive necklace.

Mathilda was very careless about the necklace. She enjoyed the party. Her greatest desire had come true. She was in a world of dream and she had forgotten everything, even her husband. Therefore, it was probable that either someone had stolen it during the party or she might have dropped it there. She might not have lost it on the road. If she had dropped it on the road, she, and her husband would have heard it fall. Therefore, if she had not lost it at the party she might have lost it in the cab while returning home.

When they found out that Mathilda had lost the necklace, they looked in the folds of the dress and in the pockets. In short, they searched for it everywhere, but could not find it.

After that, Loisel went to search the necklace on the track where they had walked on foot. He returned at 7 o’clock without any success. Then he went to the police and to the cab office. He put an advertisement in the newspaper and offered a reward. He did everything that he could do but failed to find the necklace. The continued their search for one week but lost all their hopes. (247)

10. What did Loisel and Mathilda do to buy a necklace to replace the lost one?

When they could not find the necklace, they decided to get some more time. First Mathilda wrote to Madam Forestier that she had broken the clasp of the necklace and she would return it after getting it repaired. In this way, they got some time to search the necklace but they could not find it even after one week.

Now they decided to replace the necklace. They took the box of the necklace to the jeweler whose name was written inside the box. However, he told them that he had not sold that necklace; he had only supplied the box. Then they went from jeweler to jeweler to find a necklace like the lost one.

At last, in a shop they found a necklace that seemed like the lost one. Its value was forty thousand francs, but they could it four thirty-six francs. They begged the jeweler not to sell the necklace for three days. They hoped that they would the necklace. Therefore, they arranged with the jeweler that if they found the lost necklace before the end of February they would return the necklace in thirty-four thousand francs.

Mr. Loisel had eight thousand francs and he borrowed some of the amount form his friends and relatives. The rest he took form usurers and lenders. He signed bond that he could not fulfill. At last, he bought for thirty-six francs and gave it to Madam Forestier. (236)

11. How did Mr. Loisel and Mathilda suffered to return the borrowed money?

To return the borrowed money Mr. and Mrs. Loisel suffered for ten long years.

First, they sent away the maidservant. Then they changed their lodging and rented some rooms. Now Mathilda learnt heavy cares of household life. She had to do the difficult chores of her kitchen. She had to wash dishes, greasy pots and stew pans. She had to use her rosy nails to wash the greasy pots and the bottoms of the stew pans. She had to wash dirty clothes and to hang them on the line to dry. Then each morning she had to take down the refuse to the street. She also had to bring up the water for daily use. She had to stop at each lending to breath. She did not have much money so she haggled with the shopkeepers to get reduction in prices.

Once she was very beautiful and used to wear beautiful dresses. Now she seemed old. Now she looked a common household woman. She had badly dressed hair and dirty dresses. Her hands were red and she spoke in a loud tone. She washed the floors in large pails of water.

Mr. Loisel had to work in the evenings after his office hours. He put the books of some merchants in order. At nights, he did copying for five sous a page.

Therefore, Mr. and Mr. Loisel led a life of difficulty after the loss of the necklace. They suffered for ten long years. However, that was not all. When they had returned the borrowed money, they came to know that they were suffered for nothing. The necklace they had lost was not real and its price was not over five hundred francs. We take pity on them for that. (291)

12. Was the necklace real or fake? How Mathilda come to know of this?

      Discuss the end of the story.

      Reproduce the talk between Madam Loisel and Madam Forestier.

On one Sunday Madam Loisel was taking a walk to free her of the cares of the week. Suddenly she saw Madam Forestier who was also taking a walk with a child. She decided to talk to her. She was meeting her after ten years. Now that she had paid up for the necklace, she could talk to her without any fear.

She approached her and said good morning to her very frankly. However, Madam Forestier could not recognize her because Mathilda had changed completely. She was not beautiful any more. She looked an ordinary poor woman. On the other hand, her friend was looking young and attractive. Madam Forestier said that she did not know her and she must be mistaken. Mathilda introduced herself. Madam Forestier was surprised. She told her that she had changed very much.

Mathilda told her that she faced many hardships because of Madam Forestier. She reminded her that she had borrowed a diamond necklace from her and then later lost it. She told her friend that she had returned her another necklace. She was happy because she had paid all the borrowed money.

Madam Forestier asked her if she had returned her a real diamond necklace. When Madam Forestier came to know that it was real, she was greatly moved. She took Mathilda’s both hands and told her that her necklace was not real and it was not worth over five hundred francs.

Therefore, that was how Mathilda came to know that the necklace she had borrowed was false and all her struggle was useless. (263)

13.   Write a note on the cultural background of the story.

        The writer has satirized the French life of his time.

        The writer has reflected the life style of French people of his time. Discuss.

When we read the story carefully we find that the story as a strong cultural background. The writher has presented woo classes of people – middle class and the upper class. There was a great gap between the two.

The people of high class were enjoying all the luxuries of life. They had ball parties. They enjoyed themselves by dancing, chatting, and playing indoor games. They wore fake jewellery. However, they tried to show off that they were wearing real and expensive jewellery. Madam Forestier’s fake diamond necklace proves this point. They made a show of their costly dresses. They were so carefree that they enjoyed parties until late at night.

On the other hand, people of middle class were suffering. They wanted to close the gap but could not do so. They suffered and because of these sufferings, they lost their beauty and looked old. On the other hand, rich people of the same age looked younger and more attractive. At the end of the story, we see that Mathilda’s rich friend of the same age was still beautiful and attractive.

Therefore, the writer has presented class difference vey satirically. The talk between Mathilda and her friend at the end of the story throws light on the class difference. (209)