The Diamond Necklace - Mathilde Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Diamond Necklace - Mathilde - Essay Example Mathilde is truly happy only once in her entire life: at the ball. But, it becomes clear as the story progresses, that her happiness had a price all too high. On the night of the party her new dress and borrowed jewels give her the appearance of belonging to the wealthy world she aspires to. Because she believes herself rich for one night, she becomes rich in others’ eyes as well.  Fully at ease among the wealthy people at the party, Mathilde feels that this is exactly where she was meant to be—if it hadn’t been for the mistake of destiny. Her moment of happiness, of course, is fleeting, and she must spend the next ten years paying for the pleasure of this night. The saddest thing is that, despite all the hardship she is forced to endure during the next ten years, the memory of the night still lingers in her mind as the one perfect moment in her gray life. The necklace, beautiful but worthless, represents the power of perception and the split between appearance s and reality.