Though written in the late nineteenth century, "The Diamond Necklace" translates effortlessly into the present day with relatable life lessons that support the deception of appearance. Through irony and symbolism, Guy de Maupassant's tale shows how appearances are often deceptive through the necklace, Madame Forestier and Mathilde's life. Although unknown to Mathilde, the lost necklace is the least of her worries. More importantly, his deteriorating character through conversation with Madame Forestier exposes the deceptive appearance of both women. Because of this ethical accident, Mathilde and her husband face extreme poverty while living in the shadow of their once comfortable life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Mathilde's only coveted item, the necklace, constitutes the pinnacle of deceptive appearance through its fake diamonds and accompanying unrealistic personality. Wishing to portray an image other than her middle-class status, Mathilde uses the necklace to portray a deceptive reality to other partygoers and herself by believing that she too automatically deserves this status because of her beauty. He believes that the appearance of expensive objects is symbiotic with happiness and fulfillment in his life, only to find that this plastic sense of reality consumes his constant thoughts and desires. Maupassant shows this desire by writing: “He had no clothes, no jewels, nothing. And he loved nothing else; she felt made just for that. She would have loved to be liked, to be envied, to be seductive and sought after. (5). Furthermore, appearance and perception often complement each other, since both are subject to personal opinion and therefore deceptive. Mathilde’s thoughts on attending the party are later revealed, as Maupassant writes: “No; there is nothing more humiliating than looking poor among so many rich women” (37). Further explaining the connection Mathilde made between the necklace and self-esteem, the story continues with irony as the necklace that Mathilde sought to demonstrate her self-worth and appearance ended up destroying her beauty over the course of 10 hard years while repaid the debt of the series. . Maupassant shares the details by writing, "Mme. Loisel seemed aged now. She had become the stout, hard, rude woman of a poor family" (104). Ultimately, the power that Mathilde thought was gained from the dress and necklace was based exclusively on how others would perceive her, showing that this person came from a temporary satisfaction with her life rather than with objects. Maupassant still plays with irony, since the very object Mathilde sought to improve the 'appearance takes away her perceived beauty at the end of the story, as Smith mentions, "Mathilde loses her youthful freshness and beauty when she becomes a housewife with a tough character, doing everything the family cleans herself and fights with the shopkeepers for every penny as he struggles to settle for the least amount of money possible each month. ” Maupassant shows Mathilde's contrasting life and personality as a result of the loss of the necklace. With the necklace Mathilde constituted a powerful and successful figure at the ball; without the necklace she is simply a housewife burdened by the reality of poverty. Pierce explains this point in the story: "At the Ministry ball, Madame Loisel's success is the direct result of her appearance of wealth and high social standing, while, in reality, she is relatively poor and of a lower class."Reinforcing the prevailing theme of deceptive appearance, the necklace is not only a symbol of Mathilde's perceived social prosperity, but also the key to her social success and worth in her self-centered eyes. Madame Forestier continues the theme of deceptive appearance through her relationships with Mathilde and ownership of the fake necklace when her wealthy lifestyle would suggest otherwise. Since Madame Forestier's jewelry box represented her higher social class, Mathilde assumed the diamond necklace was real. Maupassant shares his excitement by writing, “Suddenly he discovered, in a black satin box, a superb necklace of diamonds, and his heart began to beat with boundless desire” (48). However, the fact that Madame Forestier would buy a fake necklace suggests that she believes that appearance is deceptive and that the power that resides in the perception of any object is based on distorted opinions. Maupassant injects humorous irony through the deception of appearance that both women encounter by later writing: “Oh, my poor Mathilde. But mine were fake. At most they were worth five hundred francs” (128)! Although Mathilde ultimately ruins her lifestyle by not telling Madame Forestier that she replaced the necklace, Madame Forestier denies the reality that the necklace Mathilde borrowed was actually counterfeit. Adamson shows Maupassant's motive in withholding the damning news of the necklace towards the end, mentioning, "By writing of `his treasure,' 'a superb necklace of diamonds,' he misleads the reader into believing that the necklace is indeed precious." By leading the reader to believe in the deceptive value of the fake necklace, Madame Forestier's reaction and comments on the necklace show a double deception, on the part of the poor and the rich. As Steegmuller explains, "But even a somewhat careful reading of the famous story shows that the relationships between the two women and between the heroine and her husband are vague and unconvincing." This distant relationship shows the contrast between the women's perception of each other and their true reality and inner appearance. Finally, the life lessons from Mathilde's life and family provide much insight into how appearances can be incredibly deceptive. Echoing modern times, the applicable life lessons from “The Diamond Necklace” remind the reader of the unstable surface on which life is based. Maupassant echoes this concept towards the end of the story when referring to the lost necklace, writing: “How singular is life, how changeable! What little thing does it take to save you or lose you” (107). At the beginning of the story, a passerby would describe the outward appearance of Mathilde's life as almost perfect, complete with a loving husband, sufficient food, and sufficient means to enjoy life's small pleasures. But the interior reality of Matilde's life demonstrated the opposite, as Maupassant writes: “She suffered intensely, feeling herself born for every delicacy and every luxury. He suffered from the poverty of his home, from the worn walls, the abraded chairs, the ugliness of the fabrics” (3). This leads to ultimate ruin for Mathilde, as her happiness is fleeting and dependent on the perception of others in addition to her unsatisfied desire for the finer objects in life. Mathilde's selfish desires also caused pain and turmoil for her husband, as Maupassant later writes: "He compromised the end of her life, risked his signature without even knowing whether it could be honored" (96). Smith also shares the deceptive appearance that Mathilde wished to portray to her friend by writing: “Rather than face the shame of going to tell Madame Forestier of the loss, they buy a replacement. The price is huge. Now one begins 2013.