The Necklace — Guy de Maupassant

Read the prescribed text in the official Pearson anthology.

Explore how de Maupassant uses contrasts and changes of pace in The Necklace.

In your answer, you should consider:

• the contrast between Mathilde's ambitions and her actual circumstances
• the sequencing of the ball, the years of hardship and the final revelation
• the writer's use of language and structure

Support your answer with close reference to the text, including brief quotations.