X / Footprint without ......

/ Ch_7 / NECKLACE

Q1. What kind of a person is Mme Loisel and rich women in the party.
why is she always unhappy? Q7. How is the problem solved?
Answer : Mme. Loisel is a woman who lives in Answer: Matilda’s husband reminded her of her
the world of dreams. She gives much value to friend Mme Forestier. She was rich and could
her dreams and hence overlooks the realities lend her some jewellery. Mme Loisel goes to
of life. The shabby walls, the worn chairs in her Forestier and tells her about her need and she
house tortured and angered her.That is why she readily agrees to lend her necklace of dia-
is always unhappy. monds.
Q2. What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin? How Q8. When did the party end? What did Matilda
could she have avoided it? find when she reached home?
Answer: Matilda’s aspiration and unrealistic Answer: The party ended at four o’clock in the
dreams were the cause of her ruin. She paid morning. Matilda and her husband reached
undue importance to materialistic things. She home. Matilda stood before the mirror to have a
could have easily avoided if she had remained final view with the necklace. But she was
within her means. shocked to find that the necklace was not
Q3. What do you think of M Loisel as a husband? around her neck and she had lost the necklace.
Cite instances to support your answer. Q9. Why was Mme Forestier shocked to hear
Answer: M Loisel was a caring and supportive Matilda’s story?
husband. He sacrificed his wishes and the Answer: One Sunday, while walking, Matilda
money he had saved to buy a gun for him. When happened to see Mme Forestier. Mme Forestier
his wife refused to attend the party without a could not recognise Matilda because she
new dress he used those saved four hundred looked much older than her age. Mme Forestier
francs to buy her a new costume. was shocked to know that Matilda had suffered
ABNIKETAN
Q4. Why did Matilda leave the ball in a hurry?
What does it show about her character?
ABNIKETAN
so much after losing her necklace which she
considered to be of real diamonds. The neck-
Answer: Matilda left the ball in a hurry because lace was duplicate one costing about just 500
she did not want to be seen with the ordinary francs and Matilda took all sorts of pain to ar-
wrap that she had carried. The other ladies in range 36000 franks.
the party had wrapped themselves in rich furs. Q10. The course of the Loisel’s life changed due
Matilda believed that the poor looks of her wrap to the necklace. Comment.
did not match with the elegance of the other ladies. Answer: Because of necklace Loisel took
It shows the elements of hypocrisy and showoff money from money lender and fell in a debt trap.
in the life of Mine Lisle. It also shows her dissat- To repay the borrowed money she started liv-
isfaction and frustration with life. ing like an ordinary lower middle class house-
Q5. Why was she not delighted on receiving the wife doing all the household chores herself. This
‘invitation to the party? was good for her as it taught her to cut her coat
Answer: Mrs Loisel wanted to lead a life of according to her cloth. People should always
luxury. One day her husband got an invitation try to live within their means.
to attend a party given by the Minister of Public Q11. What would have happened to Matilda if
Instruction. But she did not have a good dress she had confessed to her friend that she had
to wear at the party. So she was not happy to lost her necklace?
get the invitation. Answer: Matilda would have saved her family
Q6. What fresh problem now disturbs Mme from ruin if she had confessed to her friend that
Loisel? she had lost her necklace. Mme Forestier might
Answer : After she bought a new dress for the have demanded 500 francs for the loss of the
party, she was disturbed because she had no necklace which was a fake one. One should al-
jewelery for the occassion. She was worried as ways remember that telling a lie affects the liar’s
she thought she would have a poverty-stricken life. One should learn the art of accepting one’s
look. She feels it would be extremely humiliat- mistakes.
ing to be as an odd poor lady in the midst of ×××