Compare and Contrast Guy de Maupassant The Necklace and Raymond Carver Neighbours
In The Necklace and Neighbours, both couples are envious of their neighbours or friends lives. In the Necklace, Mathilde Loisel is jealous of the luxuries of high class persons; she is particularly jealous of her friend Jeanne Forrestier that after visiting her, she feels depressed, pg. 5, lines 9-12, She had a rich friend, a comrade from convent days, whom she did not want to see anymore because she suffered s much when she returned home. She would weep for the entire day afterward with sorrow, regret, despair and misery. Similarly, in Neighbours both Bill and Arlene Miller are jealous of the life that their neighbours, Harriet and Jim Stone live; the going out to dinner, entertaining at home, and the travelling because of Jims work.
Also, in both stories, something goes wrong. In the Necklace, Mathilde loses the diamond necklace she has borrowed from Mrs. Forrestier and Arlene in Neighbours locks the key of the apartment inside on the apartments door.
In the Necklace, Mathilde wants an expensive life. She goes as far as wanting a new dress to go to the dinner to which she and her husband are invited to and she doesnt want to use the dress that she wears to the theatre. Mathilde also wants jewels to go with the dress hence the reason she goes to Mrs. Forrestier for jewellery in which she chooses what looks like the most expensive jewellery there. Also, in Neighbours, both Arlene and Bill, after receiving the keys to the Stones apartment, they both take time sampling what they want like drinking from the Stones bottle of alcohol on pg. 117, section 15, lines 12- 14, He finished watering, set the pitcher on the rug, and opened the liquor cabinet. He reached in back for the bottle of Chivas Regal. He took two drinks from the bottle, wiped his lips n his sleeve, and replaced the bottle in the cabinet. In contrast, Mathilde didnt wish to take up the life of someone else, she just wants her life to be different from what it is now, to what shes always imagining it of being. However, Arlene and Bill wish they are the Stones, living their life of travelling, dining and entertaining.
In the Neighbours, the Millers acts perversely which is deliberately acting in a way different from what is regarded as normal. When they get into the Stones apartment, they change; their personalities change and they become a whole new person like on pg. 119, lines 47-52, He rummaged through the top drawers until he found a pair of panties and a brassiere. He stepped into the panties and fastened the brassiere, then looked through the closet for an outfit. He put on a black and white checkered skirt and tried to zip it up. He put on a burgundy blouse that buttoned up the front. He considered her shoes, but understood they would not fit.
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