The Necklace And Della Comparison Essay
So many similarities and so many differences, but all so interesting. Two women, Della, from New York City and Madame Loisel, she is from Paris, France are both very similar characters, yet they are from two different short stories. Della is from “The Gift of the Magi” by O’Henry and Madame Loisel or Mathilde from “The Necklace”. Both of these short stories share very similar plots, but they are also very different. Starting with “The Gift of the Magi”, the story takes place in New York City. The main characters are Della and her husband Jim. They live happily in an apartment under poor conditions. Della sells her hair to buy Jim a gift and in the end Jim also gets Della a gift, it is called The Combs. They are an expensive set of combs that Della has wanted for a while.
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Now, “The Necklace”, it is taken place in Paris, France. The main characters of “The Necklace” are Madame Loisel and Monsieur Loisel. They are husband and wife and they live in an apartment under poor conditions also. Both of these short stories have very similar and different plot lines as said before. Therefore, I will be comparing and contrast both of their plots. In “The Gift of the Magi” Della, a woman that lives in New York City with her husband around 1908 is very poor. She wants to do something nice for a special someone and give Jim a gift. “ Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him” (Henry 525). She could not afford much with a 20 dollar budget per week. She set off to find Jim a present. Della was desperate to get a gift for Jim so she did the unthinkable after reading a sign saying “Mme. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds” (Henry 526). She cut off her hair and sold it for 20 dollars. She set off again, but more rich. She had $21.87 to spend on Jim and she was proud. Della “ravaged” the stores and searched for along time until “ she found it at last” (Hurst 526). It was the perfect gift for Jim and it was a platinum fob chain. Della absolutely thought that Jim would love his present and he did. Both of the Dillingham’s sold their most prized possessions. “They are the Magi” (Henry 530). In “The Necklace” there are so many differences in their plots. Madame Loisel and Monsieur Loisel start out rich enough to survive. They live in Paris, France in a small flat. Madame and Monsieur Loisel were invited to a party, and Madame Loisel wanted some jewelry, but she did not have anything that was very eye opening. Her husband suggested to go to Madame Forestier because “You certainly know her well enough for that, don’t you think?”(Maupassant 611). She said that she did and set off to go to Madame Forestier’s home. Madame Loisel was greeted into her home asked if she could borrow her jewelry for the party that they are going to attend. They looked for quite a long time, and finally “All at once, in a box lined with black satin, she came upon a whelming desire. Her hands trembled as she picked it up. She fastened it around her neck over her high-necked dress and stood there gazing at herself ecstatically”(Maupassant 611). She went to the party very egotistical, and she danced very happily. “She danced enraptured - carried away, intoxicated with pleasure, forgetting everything in this triumph of her beauty and the glory of her success, floating in a cloud of happiness formed by all this homage, all this admiration, all the desires she stirred up - by this victory so complete and so sweet to the heart of a woman”(Maupassant 611). After the party Madame and Monsieur Loisel got a cab ride home. After a while she realized that she had lost the necklace. They searched everywhere until they give up. They had to repay their debts and ten years later she finally did. 36,000 francs to pay for a new necklace, but when she went to return the necklace to Madame Forestier, she said that it was a fraud. Although “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Necklace” are completely different short stories they share very similar qualities.
Both of the main characters are husband and wife. “Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim” (Henry 525). “Then one evening her husband arrived home looking triumphant and waving a large envelope” (Maupassant 609). In “The Gift of the Magi” Della and Jim start off poor and giving, then they become richer and getting. In “The Necklace” Madame and Monsieur Loisel start off rich enough and getting, then they become poverty stricken and giving. Their plots are opposites of each others. Another similarity that they adore jewelry or expensive things. “She threw her arms around her friend’s neck, kissed her ardently, and fled with her treasure” (Maupassant 611). “But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes and smile and say: ‘My hair grows so fast, Jim!’” (Henry 529). This is when both of the women main characters received their jewelry from somebody else. In “The Necklace” it was a beautiful necklace, and in “The Gift of the Magi” it was The Combs. As you can see, there are many similarities between the very different short
stories. “The Gift of the Magi” by O’Henry and “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant are very interesting and all around great short stories. They share many similarities and many differences. They consist of two main characters each. “The Gift of the Magi” being Della and Jim and “The Necklace” being Madame and Monsieur Loisel. All very different characters, yet very similar in what they do in the stories. A great thing about what both stories portray throughout the story are their morals. The Golden Rule, treat people how you want to be treated, well in this case it would be life. Thus, stating that you should treat and cherish life to your personal best each and every day.
Now, “The Necklace”, it is taken place in Paris, France. The main characters of “The Necklace” are Madame Loisel and Monsieur Loisel. They are husband and wife and they live in an apartment under poor conditions also. Both of these short stories have very similar and different plot lines as said before. Therefore, I will be comparing and contrast both of their plots. In “The Gift of the Magi” Della, a woman that lives in New York City with her husband around 1908 is very poor. She wants to do something nice for a special someone and give Jim a gift. “ Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him” (Henry 525). She could not afford much with a 20 dollar budget per week. She set off to find Jim a present. Della was desperate to get a gift for Jim so she did the unthinkable after reading a sign saying “Mme. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds” (Henry 526). She cut off her hair and sold it for 20 dollars. She set off again, but more rich. She had $21.87 to spend on Jim and she was proud. Della “ravaged” the stores and searched for along time until “ she found it at last” (Hurst 526). It was the perfect gift for Jim and it was a platinum fob chain. Della absolutely thought that Jim would love his present and he did. Both of the Dillingham’s sold their most prized possessions. “They are the Magi” (Henry 530). In “The Necklace” there are so many differences in their plots. Madame Loisel and Monsieur Loisel start out rich enough to survive. They live in Paris, France in a small flat. Madame and Monsieur Loisel were invited to a party, and Madame Loisel wanted some jewelry, but she did not have anything that was very eye opening. Her husband suggested to go to Madame Forestier because “You certainly know her well enough for that, don’t you think?”(Maupassant 611). She said that she did and set off to go to Madame Forestier’s home. Madame Loisel was greeted into her home asked if she could borrow her jewelry for the party that they are going to attend. They looked for quite a long time, and finally “All at once, in a box lined with black satin, she came upon a whelming desire. Her hands trembled as she picked it up. She fastened it around her neck over her high-necked dress and stood there gazing at herself ecstatically”(Maupassant 611). She went to the party very egotistical, and she danced very happily. “She danced enraptured - carried away, intoxicated with pleasure, forgetting everything in this triumph of her beauty and the glory of her success, floating in a cloud of happiness formed by all this homage, all this admiration, all the desires she stirred up - by this victory so complete and so sweet to the heart of a woman”(Maupassant 611). After the party Madame and Monsieur Loisel got a cab ride home. After a while she realized that she had lost the necklace. They searched everywhere until they give up. They had to repay their debts and ten years later she finally did. 36,000 francs to pay for a new necklace, but when she went to return the necklace to Madame Forestier, she said that it was a fraud. Although “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Necklace” are completely different short stories they share very similar qualities.
Both of the main characters are husband and wife. “Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim” (Henry 525). “Then one evening her husband arrived home looking triumphant and waving a large envelope” (Maupassant 609). In “The Gift of the Magi” Della and Jim start off poor and giving, then they become richer and getting. In “The Necklace” Madame and Monsieur Loisel start off rich enough and getting, then they become poverty stricken and giving. Their plots are opposites of each others. Another similarity that they adore jewelry or expensive things. “She threw her arms around her friend’s neck, kissed her ardently, and fled with her treasure” (Maupassant 611). “But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes and smile and say: ‘My hair grows so fast, Jim!’” (Henry 529). This is when both of the women main characters received their jewelry from somebody else. In “The Necklace” it was a beautiful necklace, and in “The Gift of the Magi” it was The Combs. As you can see, there are many similarities between the very different short
stories. “The Gift of the Magi” by O’Henry and “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant are very interesting and all around great short stories. They share many similarities and many differences. They consist of two main characters each. “The Gift of the Magi” being Della and Jim and “The Necklace” being Madame and Monsieur Loisel. All very different characters, yet very similar in what they do in the stories. A great thing about what both stories portray throughout the story are their morals. The Golden Rule, treat people how you want to be treated, well in this case it would be life. Thus, stating that you should treat and cherish life to your personal best each and every day.