The Necklace Class 10 English Extra Questions

‘The Necklace’ Extra Questions


Long Questions and Answers

Q. Why was Matilda Loisel always unhappy (in her early married life?) [2020, 17, 2016]  

Ans. [CBSE Marking Scheme 2016]  

Value Points: Matilda Loisel was very pretty – considered herself born for a luxurious life. But in reality, she was married to a petty clerk. The poverty of her apartment and the lack of fashionable clothes and jewellery too added to her unhappiness.  

A Complete Answer:

Mme Loisel was always unhappy because she felt that she was, by mistake, born in the family of clerks. She was married to a clerk working at the Ministry of Public Instruction, who could not satisfy Matilda’s all desires for an elegant and luxurious life-style. She had received no dowry and had no hopes of becoming famous.

She felt that she was born for all the delicacies and luxuries in life. She always dreamt of a luxurious life filled with elegant dresses, jewellery, exquisite foods served in silver dining. She felt tortured and angered with her present living conditions and suffered incessantly.

Q. What changes occurred in Matilda’s lifestyle after she had lost the necklace? [CBSE 2020]

Ans. When Matilda lost the necklace she borrowed from Mme Forestier, she bought a new diamond necklace on loan. The repayment of debt changed Matilda’s life drastically. The Loisels became poor, they had to send away their maid and changed their lodgings to room in an attic. Matilda learnt the household chores. She learned to do the dishes, wash the soiled linens, clothes and dishcloths. She had to walk to the street to bring up the water. She had to dress like an ordinary woman and had to go to grocer, butcher and fruit seller all by herself keeping in mind to save each and every penny she could. Her husband also worked in the evenings. He used to put the books of some merchants in order and at night, he did copying at five sous a page. This miserable life lasted for ten years to repay the debt.

Q. Ostentation and vanity often land people in trouble. Matilda is an apt example of this. Justify. (100-120 words) [2020]

Ans. (Board Marking Scheme, 2020)

Suggested Value Points: Matilda longs for life of luxury and wealth, immerses herself in life of glamour, borrows a necklace when invited for a party, loses it, pays heavily, she and her husband work day and night, live in poverty to repay for it, she loses all her charm, looks old and pale, it’s better to be satisfied what you have, do not show off.

A Complete Answer:

It is very essential for a person to live a contented life. He should believe in simple living and high thinking. Not everyone is born with a golden spoon in his mouth. With honesty and hard work, we can always achieve our best. A person will never be happy if he keeps craving for what he doesn’t have. In this way, he may ruin even his present. Matilda had the same laughing and craving for a life of luxury and wealth. She immersed herself in glamour when her husband got an invitation to attend a ball. She didn’t care for her loving middle-class husband, rather she was running after her fantasies. She always thought beyond her limits. For the minister’s party she could have gone in her simple clothes, but she insisted on buying new dress for four hundred francs which her husband gave her. Then she longed for jewellery, which she borrowed from her friend for the party. She borrowed a diamond necklace and lost it. For repaying the diamond necklace to the friend, she had to sacrifice many years of her life, as well as her husband’s whole income. Both of them lived in utter poverty to repay for it. Matilda lost all her charm and looked old and pale. Her ostentation and vanity had landed her in trouble.

Thus, it is apt that it is better to be satisfied with what one has. One should not believe in false show off. 

Q. ‘The Necklace’ reveals that vanity is an evil. It may bring joy for a short period but ultimately it leads to ruin. If you were placed in a situation similar to that of Matilda, what would you have done? Write your views. (Delhi 2014) 

Ans. Matilda always craved for a life of riches, exquisite food, sparkling Jewellery, etc. However, she did not have such a life, and it upset her. Matilda envied her childhood friend, Mme. Forestier, because the latter had everything that Matilda desired. 

Matilda was finally able to fulfil her heart’s deepest desire when she and her husband M. Loisel were invited to a fancy ball organised by M. Loisel’s boss, the Minister of Education. Matilda Loisel bought an expensive dress. But that was not enough. So, she borrowed a staggeringly beautiful diamond necklace from her childhood friend to wear with the dress on the evening of the ball. That night, she was the fairest maiden of them all and she basked in the glory to the fullest. The profound joy of being the centre of attraction was short lived for Matilda. She had lost the precious necklace. Economically, the Loisels’ situation worsened because M. Loisel had to borrow a huge amount of money to replace the cost diamond necklace. The Loisels’ lifestyle changed as they became completely poor. Their misery continued for ten years. Eventually, when the debt was paid off, Matilda Loisel had lost everything. Everything about her had changed except for one thing. She was even sadder and more bitter than what she used to be. 

‘The Necklace’ reveals that vanity is an evil. It may bring joy for a short period but ultimately it leads to ruin. If I were in Matilda Loisel’s place, I would cut my coat according to my cloth and be content with what I have. What Matilda failed to understand before she lost the diamond necklace is that modest life can be sufficient and comfortable. Had I been the one to lose the necklace instead of Matilda I would have confessed to my friend and apologised for losing the necklace. 

Q. Mme Loisel’s disposition invites her doom.  Comment in the context of the text you have read. [2019]

Ans. Mme Loisel belongs to a family of clerks. Her existence is quite average. They live on meagre income, enough for basic needs but not to fulfil aspirations. She gets married to a clerk and is so caught up with her dreams of wealth and pleasure that she is out of touch with the truths of her real life.  In order to keep up appearances and just to flatter her pride, she borrows four hundred francs on a gorgeous dress.  And, not contended, she goes on borrowing a necklace from her friend and all of this is just to impress the wealthy and the rich with her beauty and glamour (even if on loan). No doubt, her pride is flattered and her wish of fine dining, expensive dresses, jewels satisfied but at a great price.

Unfortunately, the necklace is lost and the couple has to cough up their entire inheritance and borrow as well to replace it.  Repayment of the debt eats away the next ten years of their youth.  They leave poor.  All the household chores and cares of a life of poverty visit them. Hence, her disposition invites her doom.

Q. People should always try to live within their means. Aspirations have no limits but one should never forget the ground realities. Elaborate on the basis of the chapter, “The Necklace”. [2018]

Ans. [CBSE Marking Scheme 2018] (4 for Content; 2 for Fluency; 2 for Grammatical Accuracy)

(i) Live a contented life (ii) Best quoted phrase is ‘Honesty is the best policy’ (iii) Simple living and high thinking (iv) we should not run after materialistic world (v) we must not think beyond our limits

A complete answer:

It is very essential for a person to live a contented life. He should believe in simple living and high thinking. Not everyone is born with a golden spoon in his mouth. With honesty and hard work we can always achieve our best. A person will never be happy if he keeps craving for what he doesn’t have. In this way, he may ruin even his present. This world is indeed made of materialistic things. But we should never run after that. In this story, Matilda always ran behind her unlimited desires and wants. As a result, she had completely ruined her life. She didn’t care for her loving middle-class husband. But she was running after her fantasies. She always thought beyond her limits. For the minister’s party she could have gone in her simple clothes, but she insisted on buying new dress for four hundred francs which her husband gave her. Then she longed for jewellery, which she borrowed from her friend for the party. She borrowed a diamond necklace and lost it. For repaying the diamond necklace to the friend, she had to sacrifice many years of her life, as well as her husband’s whole income. She should have known that a person’s goodness and character make one beautiful and not the beautiful dresses and attire. 

Q.  Mme Forestier proved to be a true friend. Elucidate. [2019, 15]

Ans: [CBSE Marking Scheme 2019]

  • A friend to Loisels –Mme Forestier helps her in their hour of need.
  • Mme Loisel needs necklace to wear in the party.
  • Generous: opens up the entire array of her jewels for Loisels to choose from.
  • Considerate when Loisels delay the return of the necklace.
  • At the end of the story honestly reveals to Matilda that necklace was fake.
  • Mme Forestier – like a true friend feels bad for her unnecessary sufferings.

A Complete Answer

Mme Forestier turns out to be an interesting character. She plays a very vital role in the story as a friend to Matilda, we find her to be really genuine as she helps Matilda in the hour of her need.  Mme Loisel needs to borrow jewels; she turns to Mme Forestier.  Mme Forestier does not refuse. Displaying her generosity, she opens up the entire array (arrangement) of her jewels for Matilda to choose from. Also, she is considerate when Loisel delayed the return of the necklace.  Surprisingly at the end of the story, she concludes the entire narrative.

Without even a moment’s hesitation, she reveals to Matilda that her necklace was just a fake.  She is not at all worried in the light of the fact that she may have to return the necklace.  It shows her honesty. Rather, she like a true friend, feels bad for Matilda at her unnecessary suffering. We find her sympathising with Mme Loisel.  She is a gem of a friend.

22. On the basis of your understanding of the story, sketch the character of M. Loisel. (Delhi Com. 2013) 

OR. M. Loisel was a simple, understanding and loving husband. Substantiate your answer from the story that you have read. (Delhi 2011) 

Ans. M. Loisel was a simple, understanding and loving husband. He was a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. He, unlike his wife Matilda, he was content with his modest life. M. Loisel liked ordinary good food, and saw beauty in simplicity. 

M. Loisel loved his wife so much that he found happiness in making her happy. He was elated when he came bearing the invitation to the official ball. He thought being able to attend the exclusive party would please Matilda immensely. He gave her the four hundred francs he had been saving for his own personal use so that she could buy an appropriate dress of her choice for the party. He was sensitive and caring towards his wife’s needs.  

M. Loisel was a man of patience. When the necklace was lost, he did not chide or reproach Matilda. Instead, he stayed out all night in the cold looking for the necklace. He used all his life’s savings and even borrowed a huge amount of money to buy a replacement necklace to be returned to Mme. Forestier. He was an honest man, who worked hard day and night for ten years to pay off the borrowed money.

Q. What changes came in the lifestyle of Matilda after she had lost the necklace? (Delhi 2012) 

OR. Why did Matilda change her lifestyle after the ball? (Delhi 2014) 

Ans. After she lost the necklace, Matilda’s lifestyle went through some drastic changes. The money M. Loisel had borrowed from the money lenders to buy the replacement necklace was huge and needed to be paid off as soon as possible. They started living in a rented room in an attic. Matilda learned to cook, clean, wash the dishes, clothes and took menial jobs to save each penny. She bid adieu to her desire of being amongst the rich and the fabulous and became a commoner. She fetched her water, haggled at the shop, took down the refuse to the street each morning. Matilda Loisel turned to a crude woman of the household from a beautiful woman. 

Q. What kind of a person is Matilda Loisel? Support your answer giving examples from the story ‘The Necklace’. (AI 2012) 

Ans. After she lost the necklace, Matilda’s lifestyle went through some drastic changes. The money M. Loisel had borrowed from the money lenders to buy the replacement necklace was huge and needed to be paid off as soon as possible. They started living in a rented room in an attic. Matilda learned to cook, clean, wash the dishes, clothes and took menial jobs to save each penny. She bid adieu to her desire of being amongst the rich and the fabulous and became a commoner. She fetched her water, haggled at the shop, took down the refuse to the street each morning. Matilda Loisel turned to a crude woman of the household from a beautiful woman. 


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