class 10 English - Very Important & Question Anwers

Short Answer Type Questions (2-3 Marks)

Word limit: 30-40 words

Q1. Why was Matilda (Mme Loisel) always unhappy?

Ans: Matilda was born into a family of clerks but felt she was born for all the delicacies and luxuries of life. She suffered from the poverty of her apartment and her simple lifestyle. She was constantly dreaming of elegant dinners, shining silver, and exquisite food, which made her resent her real life.

Q2. How did Mr. Loisel react when he got the invitation to the ball?

Ans: Unlike his wife, Mr. Loisel was delighted. He had gone to great trouble to obtain the invitation because it was a very select event and he thought it would make his wife happy to attend such a grand party.

Q3. Why did Matilda go to Mme Forestier? What did she borrow?

Ans: Matilda had a beautiful dress but no jewelry to wear with it. She didn’t want to look “shabby” among rich women. On her husband’s suggestion, she went to her rich friend, Mme Forestier, and borrowed a superb diamond necklace.

Q4. What was the “terrible news” Matilda had to give her husband after the ball?

Ans: After returning from the ball, Matilda discovered that the diamond necklace was no longer around her neck. They searched everywhere—in the folds of the dress, in the cloak, and in the streets—but the necklace was lost.

Q5. How did the Loisels manage to replace the necklace?

Ans: They found a similar-looking necklace at a shop in Palais-Royal for 36,000 francs. Mr. Loisel used 18,000 francs left by his father and borrowed the rest at high interest rates from moneylenders.

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Long Answer Type Questions (5 Marks)

Word limit: 100-120 words

Q1. Describe the transformation in Matilda’s life after the loss of the necklace.

Ans: The loss of the necklace brought a “frightful” change to Matilda’s life. To pay back the huge debt of 36,000 francs, the Loisels dismissed their maid and moved to a small attic. Matilda, who once dreamed of luxury, had to do all the heavy housework. She washed the dishes, scrubbed the floors, and carried water herself. She dressed like a common woman and haggled with grocers for every penny. Her husband worked evenings and nights doing extra clerical work. It took them ten years to pay off the debt. By the end, Matilda looked old, hard, and coarse—a complete contrast to the charming beauty she once was.

Q2. Give a character sketch of Mr. Loisel. Was he a supportive husband?

Ans: Mr. Loisel was an honest, contented, and deeply caring husband. He was satisfied with his simple life and enjoyed his “pot-au-feu” (soup). He sacrificed his own needs for his wife’s happiness; for example, he gave her 400 francs to buy a dress—money he had saved to buy a gun for hunting. When the necklace was lost, he didn’t scold her. Instead, he spent his life’s savings and worked himself to the bone for ten years to pay off the debt. He remained loyal and hardworking throughout the crisis, proving that his love for Matilda was far deeper than her love for material things.

Q3. “Honesty is the best policy.” How would things have been different if Matilda had been honest with Mme Forestier?

Ans: The tragedy of Matilda’s life was caused by her pride and lack of honesty. If she had gone to Mme Forestier immediately and confessed that she had lost the necklace, she would have discovered the truth: that the necklace was fake (paste) and worth only 500 francs. Her honesty would have saved her and her husband from ten years of poverty, misery, and hard labor. Her fear of being judged as “poor” led her to a mountain of debt. The story teaches us that hiding the truth out of vanity can lead to a lifetime of regret.

Q4. Discuss the irony in the ending of “The Necklace”.

Ans: The ending of the story is one of the most famous examples of situational irony. Matilda spent ten years of her life and lost her beauty, youth, and happiness to replace a diamond necklace she believed was worth a fortune. At the end, she meets Mme Forestier and learns that the original necklace was made of imitation diamonds and was worth no more than five hundred francs. The irony lies in the fact that the Loisels sacrificed everything for an object that had no real value. Their “triumph” of replacing it was actually a hollow victory that ruined their lives for nothing.

Q5. What is the message Maupassant wants to convey through Matilda’s story?

Ans: The story is a powerful lesson against vanity and greed. It warns that one should be content with what one has and not chase after a false social status. Matilda’s obsession with looking rich led to her becoming truly poor. The author also emphasizes that small mistakes can have big consequences. A single evening of “triumph” at a ball led to a decade of suffering. Most importantly, the story highlights the importance of communication and honesty. If Matilda had valued her relationship and truth more than her ego, she could have avoided her downfall.