what was the cause of matilda's ruin how could she have avoided it

Matilda’s ruin in Guy de Maupassant’s short story The Necklace was caused by her dissatisfaction with her modest life and her vanity , which led her to borrow a necklace she could not afford to lose.

What caused her ruin?

• Matilda was born into a lower‑middle‑class family but believed she deserved a life of luxury, fine clothes, and jewels.

• To impress at a high‑society party, she borrowed a diamond‑looking necklace from her wealthy friend Madame Forestier.

• She lost the necklace and, instead of confessing, she and her husband spent years in crushing debt to buy a replacement, which aged and impoverished them.

How could she have avoided it?

• She could have accepted her circumstances and chosen contentment over appearances, staying within her means and not borrowing the necklace.

• She could have told the truth to Madame Forestier immediately; the necklace was actually fake, so the loss would not have cost them a fortune.

• She could have prioritized honesty and humility over pride, which would have spared her and her husband ten years of grinding poverty and suffering.

In short: Matilda’s ruin came from pride, envy, and secrecy; she could have avoided it by being honest, grateful, and realistic about her life.

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