In "The Necklace," Madame Loisel is a woman who is unhappy with her position in life and desires more than she has. Feeling that she is entitled to every "delicacy and luxury" instead of her meager possessions, Madame Loisel longs to be the object of others' envy. Her husband, Monsieur Loisel, brings home an invitation to a fancy party hoping it will bring happiness to his wife. However, instead of the excitement he hopes for, Monsieur Loisel only manages to upset his wife. He explains that he had "tremendous trouble" in obtaining the invitation, because invitations were not given to many clerks. He goes through the trouble because he realizes his wife does not often go out, and he hopes to please her. Instead of being happy or excited, Madame Loisel tosses the invitation aside and instructs her husband to give the invitation to someone with a wife who has something suitable to wear.