CBSE Class 10 English The Necklace Important Questions Set 04

Long Answer Questions

Question 1. After her meeting with Matilda, Mme Forestier is upset with what happened. She feels guilty for not telling her friend that the necklace was fake. She wishes to make some amends for the ten years of suffering faced by the Loisels. If Mme Forestier returns the necklace to Matilda what value would it reflect? What would you have done if you were in her place?
Answer: After her meeting with Matilda, Mme Forestier was upset with what had happened. She felt guilty for not telling her friend that the necklace was not real. Matilda had ruined her own life paying for the necklace. Mme Forestier is a sensitive and kind lady. She had helped Matilda by lending her the necklace. She could never have imagined that her friend would undergo such hardship for a fake necklace. After knowing the truth, she must have been upset. She would definitely return the necklace to Matilda. It would reflect compassion, sympathy, kindness and honesty. If I had been in her place, I would have done the same.

Question 2. Contentment in one’s life is very important to lead a peaceful life. We should be happy with what we have and should not crave for what we don’t have. Matilda suffered in her life because she was not contented in her life. What do you learn from her mistake in life? (Or) Matilda suffered because she was not content with what life had given her. Do you agree we should be content with what life gives us?
Answer: It is true that contentment is very important to lead a peaceful life. We should be happy with what we have and should not crave what we don’t have. Matilda suffered because she was not content in her life. She was a pretty lady married to an honest man. He was rich in values but had moderate means. Matilda was not content with his job and salary. She wanted to lead a luxurious life which he could not afford. Once she got an opportunity to attend a high-profile party. She did not have a proper dress and jewels. She borrowed a necklace from her friend. She lost it at the party and had to suffer for a long period just to pay for it. Her over-ambition and craze for luxury ruined her life. The lesson I learn from her life is that one must be satisfied with what one has.

Question 3. To err is human. We all make mistakes in our life. Those who make a confession may suffer less than those who don’t. Give your opinion with reference to the story of Matilda who ruined her life just because she did not have the courage to confess her mistake. (Or) As a reader do you sympathise with Matilda? Give reasons from the text to support your answer. (CBSE 2022)
Answer: It has been rightly said that ‘to err is human’. We all make one mistake or another in life. No one is perfect. Sometimes the situation is not in our hands. We make mistakes and face losses. The same thing happened to Matilda. She was an over-ambitious lady. She wanted to go to the party in an expensive dress and necklace. She didn’t have her own, so she borrowed a necklace from her friend. Unfortunately, she lost it at the party. She did not want to tell her friend and bought a new one as a replacement. She fell into debt and paid for it for ten years. Her life was ruined. She came to know in the end that the lost necklace was not a real one. But it was too late. The course of her life could have changed had she confessed the loss. She suffered just because she did not have the courage to confess her mistake.

Question 4. Draw a pen-portrait (character-sketch) of Matilda (Mrs Loisel) in about 100–200 words.
Answer: Matilda or Mrs Loisel was quite a beautiful young lady. Some error of fortune gave her birth in a family of petty clerks. She was highly ambitious and dreamy. Her dreams were impractical and beyond her means. She had to suffer a lot for her acts. But suffering and misfortunes only ended in making her a better human being. She struggled hard like an ordinary maid. She started doing all household works herself. She started living within her limits. She helped her very caring and accommodating husband in saving money. It was a joint effort. They were successful in paying off all their debts in ten years. Matilda was born with a misconception. She thought, very wrongly, that she was born to enjoy all delicacies and luxuries of the world. She dreamt of a grand house, costly dishes, trendy dresses and glittering jewels. Matilda was not rich. But she didn't want to present a poverty-stricken image of her amidst rich ladies. She was a self-respecting woman. She refused to go to the ball without a suitable dress and jewels. One blunder of Matilda led to her ruin and sufferings. She lacked humility. She must have gone and confessed before Madame Forestier that she had lost her necklace. She should have avoided unnecessary suffering to herself and to her husband. Much was done about nothing. Had she done so, she could have maintained her beauty and youth as Madame Forestier did.

Question 5. Mr Loisel was a caring, accommodating and helpful husband who tried to please his ambitious wife within his limited means. Comment. OR Give a character sketch of Mr Loisel highlighting his accommodating nature.
Answer: Mr Loisel was every inch a gentleman. He was caring, accommodating and helpful. He had a better understanding of people and things than his ambitious wife. He knew his limitations and never tried to go beyond his means. However, he stood solidly in thick and thin with his wife. He was ready to make any sacrifice to make her happy. Mr Loisel was a 'petty' clerk in the Ministry of Education. He realised that he was a husband of a beautiful and young, but ambitious wife. So, he made every effort within his means to make her happy. He didn't believe in showing off like Matilda. He suggested wearing the same dress which Matilda wore when she went to the theatre. He suggested wearing natural flowers instead of jewels. However, when he failed to convince her, he was ready to make necessary sacrifices. He sacrificed 400 francs that he had saved to buy a gun for hunting, to buy a suitable costume for her. Even in bad times, he stood with his wife. He was self-respecting and contributed all the money, 18000 francs left by his father, to buy a substitute necklace. He worked in the evenings putting the books of some merchants in order to pay off his debts. He also did copying work at five sous a page at night. His hard work and savings helped them to pay off all their debts in ten years.

Question 6. What is the role of Madame Forestier in the story 'The Necklace'? OR Draw a character sketch of Madame Forestier in your own words.
Answer: Madame Forestier plays quite an important role in the plot of the story ‘The Necklace’. She was a rich friend of Matilda. She was a schoolmate at the convent. Though quite rich, Madame Forestier never gave an image of an arrogant and snobbish lady. When Matilda told her that she needed jewels to adorn herself for the ball, she at once obliged her. She opened her jewel box and asked her to make her choice. She happily lent her a superb diamond necklace of her choice. If Matilda didn’t want to visit Madame Forestier, it was not her fault. Matilda's inflated ego prevented her from going there. She suffered so much when she returned the necklace. Matilda suffered because she couldn't enjoy all delicacies and luxuries like her rich friend. Madame Forestier could snub Matilda for returning the necklace rather late. She told her, “You should have returned them to me sooner......” But she was a sympathetic lady. She showed her sympathy when she came to know of all miseries that Matilda suffered because of the necklace. Alas! Matilda didn't take Madame Forestier into her confidence about the lost necklace. Madame Forestier was gracious enough to forgive her. After all, the jewels she lent to Matilda were false.

Question 7. What was the single mistake that ruined the Loisels’ lives and brought them so much sufferings? Could they have avoided such a situation? OR How did a false necklace bring unnecessary struggles and sufferings to Loisels? Could a better understanding have avoided them? Give a reasoned answer.
Answer: It is true that a single mistake can change the course of one's life. This is exactly what happened to Matilda. Wearing a suitable costume and adorning herself with borrowed jewels didn't bring any reversal of fortunes for Loisels. But hiding the fact that she had lost Madame Forestier's necklace and not taking her into confidence was indeed a big blunder. It was the greatest mistake that Matilda had ever made in her life. She unnecessarily brought suffering to them for nothing. They had to pay 36000 francs to buy a replacement of Madame Forestier's necklace. For ten long years, Matilda had to work like an ordinary maid doing all her household work herself. Mr Loisel had to do extra works in the evenings and nights to save money. Of course, the Loisels could have averted such an unfortunate situation. Madame Forestier was an obliging, helpful and forgiving lady. She was rich but not arrogant. She would have easily forgiven her for losing her necklace. After all, the jewels were false. And much was done and suffered just for nothing!

Question 8. The course of the Loisel’s life changed due to the necklace. Comment.
Answer: Madame Forestier's necklace changed the life of Loisels. Matilda borrowed a superb diamond necklace from Madame Forestier as she didn't want to give a poverty-stricken image amidst rich ladies. She lost her necklace at the ball-party. When her search failed, they decided to replace Madame Forestier’s lost necklace by buying a similar diamond necklace for her. The new diamond necklace value was about 40000 francs. Mr Loisel had 18000 francs with him. They borrowed the rest of the money and bought the new necklace and returned it to Madame Forestier. Loisels had to work very hard and lead a miserable life to pay off the debts. They sent away their maid and rented some room in an attic. Mrs Loisel did all the washing, cooking, rubbing and cleaning herself. Mr Loisel worked in the evenings for some merchants. He also did copying at five sous a page. In this way, they could pay all their debts in ten years. Mrs Loisel had become a crude woman of a poor household in these years.

Question 9. Was Matilda's dream fulfilled at the ball? Why did all men notice and wanted them to be presented to her?
Answer: Matilda — grandeur, delicacies and luxuries — prepared the ball so thoroughly — befitted a grand occasion — didn't want to present a poverty-stricken image — amidst rich ladies and gentlemen — her husband buy — costume — occasion — borrowed jewels — Madame Forestier — adorn herself like — graceful and distinguished lady — proved — a grand success — the ball — dream was fulfilled — the centre of attraction — all ladies as well as gentlemen — present there. Matilda — danced with enthusiasm — intoxicated with pleasure — loved to be admired — appreciated — victory at the ball — complete and sweet to her — the prettiest of all — elegant and gracious — smiling — full of joy — men noticed — asked her name and were eager to be presented to her — attractive — appealing to them — couldn't avoid the temptation of noticing her.

Question 10. How did Matilda and her husband struggle and suffer to pay off all their debts? What struggles, sufferings and sacrifices they had to make to become debt-free? What unfortunate changes came with the passage of the time in their lives? Comment.
Answer: Big mistake — changed — course of Matilda's — her husband’s lives — unnecessarily spent — whole savings of 18000 francs — his father — had to borrow the rest of the money — just imagine that 36000 francs — lost to replace a false necklace — could have avoided all this had they taken Madame Forestier — confidence before buying the replacement. Ten long years, the beautiful young lady — work like an ordinary maid — sent away the maid — changed — lodgings — rented — rooms in an attic — Matilda — all the washing of the dishes and the soiled linen — took down the refuse — the street each morning — clothed like an ordinary woman — did all the shopping herself — her basket on — her arm — haggled to the last sous to save some money. The husband — worked — in the evenings — put the books of some merchants in order — did some copying work at five sous a page — miserable life continued for ten years — they paid off all the debts on them.

Question 11. What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?
Answer: Matilda — never reconciled — her fate — young and pretty — born in a family of clerks — unhappy with her lot — thought — she was meant to enjoy all delicacies and luxuries of the world — over ambitious — dreamt of a grand house — marvellous dishes — good dresses and jewels — borrowed a superb diamond necklace — the ball for her rich friend, Madame Forestier — lost the necklace — replaced by another similar necklace — worth 40000 francs — had to borrow money — had to lead a miserable life to pay off the debt. Could have avoided the ruin — her rich friend Madame Forestier — her confidence — Madame Forestier would have asked her not to worry — jewels were false — a blunder — hide it from Madame Forestier. 

Question 12. Imagine Mme. Forestier writes a diary entry after having met Matilda, knowing the truth and seeing the transformation in her friend. Write a short diary entry as Mme. Forestier about your encounter and how you felt. You may begin like this: Today, I had a surprising encounter with my dear friend, Matilda, who once used to be filled with dreams and aspirations...
Answer: 8 November 19XX, Saturday 9 p.m.
Dear Diary,
Today, I had a surprising encounter with my dear friend, Matilda, who once used to be filled with dreams and aspirations. I did not even recognise her at first. She looked old, tired and poorly dressed, and her hands were rough from hard work. When she told me that she had lost my necklace and had spent ten years paying for a new one, I was shocked. My necklace was only an imitation, worth at most five hundred francs!
I felt deeply sorry for her. If only she had told me the truth, she would have been spared so much suffering. Her pride and her fear of looking poor cost her the best years of her life. I will return the real diamonds to her. Today taught me how dearly people pay for appearances.
Jeanne Forestier

Question 13. Matilda used to compare her poverty with the luxuries of her rich friends. She didn’t like to visit her friends, as that would leave her depressed. Imagine yourself as the writer of the story “The Necklace” and develop a conversation between Matilda and her husband if Matilda demands one of the things that she saw at her rich friend’s place.
Answer: Matilda: Loisel... We need a new refrigerator. Ours is not working well. This time, we will buy the one that I saw at my friend, Forestier’s house. It was so big and had multiple functions. It was amazing.
M. Loisel: Oh Matilda, I would rather get our old one repaired at the earliest if it is not working well, dear.
Matilda: No... That’s a very old model, Loisel. It doesn't work nicely. Also, it’s many years old now. We need to change it. I want the same model that I saw at Forestier’s house.
M. Loisel: But dear... we can’t afford the new model. I don’t earn that much. Mr. Forestier is a rich person. He can buy anything. But I am a clerk and I need to spend reasonably.
Matilda: Oh! okay, let’s get the same old one repaired. We can't change our sorrowful destiny.
M. Loisel: Don't be sad, my dear. One day, I will also buy a new one.

Question 14. Develop a monologue from Matilda's perspective. Explore her feelings towards wealth, appearances, and the role of material possessions in society.
Answer: I often find myself lost in thoughts of wealth and luxury. The lavish gatherings, the exquisite jewelry, the exquisite gowns — all of them seem so disconnected from my everyday existence. In our world, appearances carry great importance. People assess you not on your character but on what you own. Things that are materialistic appear to have all the answers. A dress or a necklace has the power to transform an outfit. They represent a life I've always desired, so they're more than just objects.
But maybe I could have been satisfied at last if I already had that necklace. But that's the harsh reality. I'm caught in this never-ending cycle of wanting.

Question 15. “No legacy is so rich as honesty.” —William Shakespeare Evaluate the given quote in the context of the lesson, ‘The Necklace’. How do you think the lesson reflects the importance of honesty?
Answer: The quote by William Shakespeare, "No legacy is so rich as honesty," resonates strongly with the story "The Necklace."
In the story, Matilda's life takes a tragic turn due to her lack of honesty. She borrows a necklace from her friend, Madame Forestier. After losing the necklace, she is once again unhappy. This suggests that material possessions cannot guarantee long-lasting happiness and that greed can lead to ruin. Matilda and her husband went into debt to replace it, living in hardship and poverty for years. She may have prevented the devastating results if she had been honest and admitted the loss right away to her friend. The story reflects the importance of honesty, as it shows that dishonesty can lead to immense suffering. It serves as a reminder to value honesty and truth in all aspects of life.

Question 16. Matilda goes home after meeting Mme. Forestier after ten years and shares the fact with M. Loisel that the necklace was a false one. Write the dialogue between Matilda and M. Loisel.
You may begin like this:
Matilda: I don’t know how to tell you this, but I met Mme Forestier today, and she told me that her necklace was ______
M. Loisel: What! I can’t believe my ears. That huge debt was for nothing!
Matilda: ______
M. Loisel: ______
Answer: Matilda: I don’t know how to tell you this, but I met Mme. Forestier today, and she told me that her necklace was a fake one. It was just an imitation worth around five hundred francs.
M. Loisel: What! I can’t believe my ears. That huge debt was for nothing!
Matilda: Yes, dear. I couldn't believe it either when she told me this. She herself was shocked while she looked at me and my drastically changed appearance. She couldn't even recognize me.
M. Loisel: Alas! In all this struggle, my beautiful wife lost her charm, and I lost all my savings.

Question 17. Read the following statement: “If you tell the truth, it becomes a part of your past. If you tell a lie, it becomes a part of your future.” How does Matilda’s life change after she tells a lie about the necklace? Explain in light of the statement given above and with the help of examples from the text. (Delhi Gov. 2021)
Answer: Matilda's life underwent a drastic change after she told a lie about the necklace to Mme. Forestier. When Matilda lost the necklace, she lied to her friend saying that the clasp of the necklace was broken accidentally and she had to get it repaired. In this way, she got some time to replace the necklace by buying a new one that looked exactly like the lost one. However, her lie became a part of her future struggles and poverty as she and her husband had to pay a sum of thirty-six thousand francs. The couple had to change their lodgings, rent rooms in an attic and cut down on their expenses and domestic help. They were left with no savings at all and had to work hard to live an economic life. Had she told the truth to Mme. Forestier, she would have known that the necklace was a cheap imitation worth five hundred francs. The truth would have saved her future.

Question 18. Imagine that M. Loisel, from The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant, writes a diary entry, exploring the theme of class and social status, and the nature of social mobility, in the context of his own experience. Write this diary entry, as M. Loisel, in about 120 words. (CBSE SQP 2023)
Answer: 13 December 19XX, Monday 8 p.m.
Dear Diary,
Today, I recall my experience of class and social status and the predicaments it brought to me and my wife Matilda. Both my wife and I were happy until one night we fell into this ugly trap of upward social mobility which leads to the destruction of houses. This whole circle of social mobility, from end to top, is quite vicious. The rich get richer while the poor get poorer. The middle class gets entirely stuck in between and tries to make ends meet with its little bucks but pretends to be classy. Matilda too was a victim of this fake pretence and this gave us a very tough time for several years when she lost the borrowed necklace. Had she not tried to pretend to be upper class that night, we would have been living a different life. People should never lose their happiness for such unattainable dreams.
M.
Loisel

Question 19. Those who are satisfied with what they have are happy in life. Those who aspire more than what they can afford ruin their life. Matilda was one such person. If she were content with her life she would have led a happy life. Elaborate on the basis of the chapter ‘The Necklace.’ (CBSE 2023)
Answer: There is no doubt in the fact that acceptance of one’s reality leads to utmost peace. Pretence often ruin lives and it ruined that of Matilda's. Matilda was such a beautiful girl who could have earned every luxe in her life due to her loving husband had she waited for her time to come. Sadly, she was full of pretence and always desired for more than she could afford. When her husband brought her the party invitation, she desired to wear an expensive dress to it. After that, she desired to even wear a diamond necklace on top of it which she borrowed from her friend. She could have never afford any of these but could have spent her life with peace in a small house with her family. Instead, due to her greed, she lost everything to buy the necklace she lost at the party. Unfortunately, the necklace was not even real diamond but artificial.

Question 20. A character arc is the transformation or development of a character throughout a story and refers to the changes a character undergoes as a result of their experiences, challenges, and interactions with other characters. In the light of the above information, trace the character arc of Matilda.
Answer: At the beginning, Matilda is a pretty but discontented young woman. She feels she was born for luxuries and suffers because of her modest home and her husband’s small income.
Borrowing a diamond necklace for the ball gives her a night of glory, but its loss changes her life. To replace it, she and her husband take huge loans, and she does all the hard household work herself for ten years. She becomes rough, strong and old before her time.
At the end, she learns that the necklace was fake. Her arc moves from vanity and dissatisfaction to hardship and maturity, showing the heavy price of pride.

Question 21. Read the following quote. “We are too involved in materialistic things, and they don't satisfy us. The loving relationships we have, the universe around us, we take these things for granted.” - Mitch Albom Matilda was never satisfied with her life and desired more. The given quote reflects her character. Justify.
Answer: Mitch Albom’s words describe Matilda perfectly. She was a pretty young woman with a loving husband who tried hard to make her happy. Yet she was never satisfied. She longed for elegant dinners, frocks and jewels and wept for days after visiting her rich friend.
When her husband brought her an invitation to a ball, she wanted a costly dress and then borrowed a diamond necklace. She took her husband’s love and sacrifices for granted. Her obsession with material things led to the loss of the necklace and ten years of poverty. Had she valued the relationships she had, she could have lived a contented and happy life.

Question 22. ‘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)
Answer: Matilda always craved 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 prettiest woman 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 lost the precious necklace. Economically, the Loisels’ situation worsened because M. Loisel had to borrow a huge amount of money to replace the lost 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 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 a 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.