Student Question

What steps did the Loisels take to return the necklace to Madame Forestier?

Quick answer:

The Loisels, upon realizing the necklace was missing, retraced their steps and sought help from the police, newspapers, and cab companies, but failed to find it. They wrote to Madame Forestier, requesting more time to fix a supposed broken clasp. Searching jewelers, they found a replacement necklace at Palais Royal for 36,000 francs. Monsieur Loisel used an inheritance and loans to purchase it. They returned the necklace, leading to years of debt repayment, only to later learn the original was fake.

Expert Answers

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When Madame Loisel and Monsieur Loisel discover that the necklace is missing from her neck they begin to panic. Mr. Loisel went back to every place they had been to see if he could find it.  "He went to the police station,to the newspapers to post a reward, to the cab companies, and anywhere else he might find hope in finding the necklace."  To no avail, the couple could not find the necxklace and knew they had to replace it.  They wrote a letter to Madame Forestier asking for a week because the clasp had broken and they wanted to get it fixed.  They visited a jeweler with the case the necklace had come in.  He said he did not sell the necklace just the case. They continued to go from jeweler to jeweler until they found a necklace that looked exactly like the one they lost.  It was store in an area of Paris called, "Palais Royal."  The jeweler would sell it to them for thirty-six francs.  Mr. Loisel had eighteen thousand francs he inherited from his father and he "signed notes, made ruinous deals, and visited loan sharks."  They were then able to buy the necklace and give it to Madame Forestier.  She took the necklace and never opened the case.

From that point on Madame Loisel and Monsieur Loisel lived horrid lives for the next ten years trying to pay back all the debts only to find out that the truth is always the better route.

Reference:  The Literature and Language Book by McDouga Littell

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