Mathilde lives in Paris, specifically on the Rue des Martyrs, in a modest apartment with her husband, a clerk at the Ministry of Public Instruction. The apartment is described as having bare walls and shabby furnishings, reflecting their middle-class status. After losing a borrowed necklace, they are forced to move to a garret, enduring a life of poverty and hardship to repay the debt. This stark contrast highlights Mathilde's yearning for luxury and social status.

The setting of "The Necklace" is late 19th-century Paris, France. The story primarily takes place in the modest home of the Loisels and at a luxurious ball, highlighting the stark contrast between their impoverished lifestyle and the opulent world they briefly experience.

In "The Necklace," idioms include "a slip of fate," meaning an unexpected change in destiny, and "made for," implying suitability for a better life. Mathilde feels she was meant for wealth but was born into a poorer family. Other idioms are "laying aside" (saving money) and "treat himself" (buying something special). These idioms highlight Mathilde's dissatisfaction with her life.

The mood of "The Necklace" is primarily one of caution, warning against materialism and superficiality. Madame Loisel's life, dominated by hardship after losing the necklace, serves as a lesson on the dangers of valuing material possessions. While some readers may feel pity for her, others see a sense of justice and revenge, believing she deserved her fate for her dissatisfaction and superficiality.

The narrator in "The Necklace" is a third-person omniscient narrator, meaning they use pronouns like "he," "she," and "they" and have complete knowledge about all characters and events in the story. The narrator is unnamed and provides an in-depth description of characters such as Madame Loisel, presenting the story objectively without assuming or implying any personal involvement or bias.

The third-person omniscient point of view in "The Necklace" primarily focuses on Mathilde, enhancing the story's irony and suspense. Readers only see events through her perceptions, creating a sense of surprise and foreboding. The narrator, though omniscient, withholds key information—such as the necklace's true nature—until the end, heightening suspense and emphasizing the story's ironic twist. This perspective also subtly critiques Mathilde's vanity and social aspirations.

The author of "The Necklace," Guy de Maupassant, conveys his message through characterization, irony, and symbolism. He highlights the theme of Appearance vs. Reality and critiques materialism by illustrating Madame Loisel's downfall due to her obsession with status and luxury. The necklace symbolizes illusionary values, as Madame Loisel sacrifices her happiness and social standing for a fake piece of jewelry, ultimately underscoring the superficiality of appearances and material wealth.

In "The Necklace," style is exemplified through the use of irony and a third-person limited narrator. This perspective allows readers to view events from Mathilde's point of view, enhancing the surprise when the necklace is revealed to be fake. The irony creates an allegorical lesson about the dangers of living beyond one's means and the importance of contentment. The narrative distance also prevents readers from fully sympathizing with Mathilde, reinforcing the story's moral message.

The narrative technique used in "The Necklace" is third person limited. This method allows the reader to access only Mathilde Loisel's thoughts and feelings, which helps create the story's surprise ending. Additionally, the story employs significant backstory or exposition to provide context about Mathilde's dissatisfaction with her life, enhancing the reader's understanding of her actions and motivations.

The climax of "The Necklace" occurs when Mathilde loses the necklace, leading to the falling action of her and her husband working for years to replace it. The conclusion reveals the necklace was a fake, highlighting the story's ironic ending. This relates to real life by illustrating how pride and vanity can lead to unnecessary hardship and suffering.

Guy de Maupassant's use of the third-person limited perspective in his short story, "The Necklace" provides the reader with the vantage point of Mathilde Loisel only. This aspect of Maupassant's story allows the author to subtly provide a social criticism of the bourgeoisie, especially Monsieur Loisel. Thus, Maupassant's employment of irony is evident in his subtle social criticism as well as in his mocking tone toward bourgeois life and mannerisms. Tone can be used to indicate how a writer feels about what he or she is writing. For example, an optimistic tone would be upbeat or encouraging while a pessimistic tone would be discouraging or sad.

The author, Guy de Maupassant, uses realism and naturalism to depict characters and cultures in "The Necklace." He portrays Madame Loisel as dissatisfied and petty, reflecting his critical view of Norman culture through her character. Maupassant's mentor, Flaubert, influences this realistic style. Madame Loisel's self-serving pride leads her to a life of hardship after losing a faux diamond necklace, showcasing her exaggerated self-interest and the consequences of her actions.

The use of a limited third-person point of view in "The Necklace" allows insight into Madame Loisel's thoughts and feelings, creating a sense of sympathy for her plight. For instance, her dreams of luxury and fears about returning the necklace are shared with readers, evoking empathy. This perspective closely resembles an omniscient viewpoint by revealing her inner life, but it is limited to her character, enhancing the story's ironic twist when her true nature is revealed.

"The Necklace" exemplifies realism through its depiction of ordinary characters and their everyday struggles. Mathilde Loisel is portrayed as a common woman with no aristocratic connections, married to a modest clerk, living a mundane life. Additionally, the realistic portrayal of the Loisels' marriage, marked by misunderstandings and financial struggles, further emphasizes the harsh realities of life, deviating from idealized relationships.

"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant employs irony, realism, and a twist ending as key literary elements. The story's artistry lies in its concise narrative and vivid description. Maupassant's style is straightforward yet evocative, focusing on the mundane aspects of life. The values explored include the dangers of vanity, the pursuit of materialism, and the harsh realities of social class and fate.

Maupassant employs third person limited and omniscient points of view in "The Necklace." For Monsieur Loisel, the limited perspective reveals his character through actions and dialogue, while Madame Loisel's thoughts and feelings are directly shared, offering deeper insight. Additionally, dialogue and body language are used effectively for character development, akin to stage directions. These techniques enhance the psychological exploration of self-esteem and societal conformity within the narrative.

The tone of "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant is primarily ironic. This is evident in the transformation of Mathilde Loisel, who goes from dreaming of wealth to living in poverty after losing a necklace she believed was valuable. The irony culminates at the story's end when it is revealed that the necklace was fake, highlighting the futility of her sacrifices and the misguided nature of her desires.

The exposition of Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace" introduces Madame Loisel, a charming woman dissatisfied with her modest life despite having basic comforts. Her longing for wealth leads to her borrowing a necklace for a ball, marking the inciting incident. This event triggers the story's main conflict when she loses the necklace, resulting in years of hardship to replace it. The irony deepens as the original necklace is revealed to be fake, highlighting Madame Loisel's tragic flaw of vanity and discontent.

The language and diction in "The Necklace" are characterized by clear and straightforward prose, which effectively conveys the themes of vanity and materialism. Maupassant uses simple yet evocative descriptions to depict the characters and their surroundings, enhancing the story’s realism and the dramatic irony of Mathilde’s situation.

The tone of "The Necklace" is both ironic and critical, highlighting the superficial values of society. The story critiques the obsession with social status and materialism, as Madame Loisel's vanity and desire for wealth lead to her downfall. It underscores the futility of valuing appearances over reality, ultimately illustrating the harsh consequences of such societal pressures.