1.

Introduction

Do you ever read short story that has a complicated plot structure? It
makes us want to reread again until we got clear explanation about plot of the
story. The story entitle The Diamond Necklace by Guy De Maupassant is one of
short story that has complicated plot structure. At the first expression, it look like
love story because at the beginning of the story the writer mention there are girl
was one of pretty and charming young creatures who sometimes are born from it
we can conclude it is love story, but when we reread again the exactly meaning of
story is about unsatisfied woman about her life. I choose this story for being my
analysis because it make me confuses to understand about the plot structure in this
story. It uses the symbolic meaning, imagery and an irony in the story. That is why
I choose this story.

2. Synopsis
The girl was one of those pretty and charming young creatures who was
born named Mathilde Loisel was married to a little clerk of the Ministry of Public
Instruction. They live poor, which Mathilde don not like. One evening, her
husband reach home with a large envelope in his hand. The envelope is about the
invitation to the ball, which they rich people will be. Madam Loisel look unhappy
with the invitation because she do not have gown. Mathilde buy a gown from her
husband saving intended to buy gun for him hobby. The day of the ball drew near,
Mathilde has pretty gown, but Madam Loisel seemed sad because her do not have
a piece of jewelry. She borrowed diamond necklace from her friend Madam
Forestier. At the ball, Madam Loisel look prettier than any woman there. When
she arrived home after the ball, Madam Loisel discover that the diamond that she
borrowed from her friend has gone. She and her husband try to find it, but they
never find it. Madam Loisel and her husband try to replace the diamond with the
same one like Madam Loisel has gone, for thirty-four thousand francs, from the
original price forty thousand francs. She used her husband inheritance, borrowed
from the other and work for odd job for ten years. After one decade, Madam
Loisel seem Madam Forestier. Madam Loisel look old than Madam Forestier,
Madam Loisel tell to Madam Forestier that the necklace that she return was a
replacement, Madam Forestier is shocked and tell her that the necklace she lent
her was fake, worth at most five hundred francs.

3. Review Theory
The literacy element that would be analyze in short story The Diamond
Necklace by Guy De Maupassant are plot structure of the story, character and
characterization, point of view, character revelation, and theme.
3.1 Plot Structure
Plot is the literary element that describes the structure of a story. It
shows arrangement of events and actions within a story. According to
Perrine (1959:61), for example, defines plot as the sequence of incidents
or events of which a story is composed. While Connolly (1955:6) call it
the arrangement of details and incidents in a story. Aristotles concept that
divided plot has beginning, middle and an end.
At the beginning, there are exposition and rising action. Exposition
is part of plot where the character are introduce, setting, and the condition
of the characters. However, rising action is part of story that begins to
develop the conflict.
At the middle, there is turning point of the story that call as climax.
Usually the main character comes face to face with a conflict. The main
character will change in some way. The climax usually leaves readers on
edges of their seats.
At the end, there are falling action and resolution. Falling action is
result from the climax. In the falling action the tension are decrease. On
the other hand, resolution is part of plot structure when the problem solve
and indicate the end of the story.

3.2 Character and characterization

According to Kennedy (1983:45) tries to define character as an

imagined person who inhabits a story.

According to Abrahams (1971:20) defines character as literary

genre: a short, and usually witty, sketch in prose of a distinctive type of
person. The genre was inaugurated by Theophrastus, a Greek Author of the
second century B.C, who wrote a lively book called Characters. Further
Abrams quotes a definition of characters: the person, in a dramatic or
narrative work, endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are
expressed in what they say, i.e. the dialog, and what they do, i.e. the action.
The grounds in a characters temperament and moral nature for his speech
and action constitute his motivation.

According to Bowen (1946:250), the term creation of character

(or characters) is misleading.

3.3 Point of View

According to Francis Connolly (1955:8) states that one of the chief means
the short story writer employs to organize his action is point of view, i.e.
they way an author chooses to tell his story. It can be a first-person
observer, a first-person observer-participant, a third person with a limited
range, and a third person with unlimited range (the omniscient point of
view). Connolly proposes hiss distinction as follows:

- In the omniscient point of view the story is told by the author

using the third person, and his knowledge and prerogative are
limited. He in free to go wherever he wishes, to peer inside the
minds and hearts of his characters at will and tell us what they
are thinking or feeling.
- In the limited omniscient point of view the author tell the story
in the third person, but he tells it from the viewpoint of one
character in the story.
- In the first person point of view, the author disappears into one
of the characters, who tells the story in the first person. This
character may be either a major or minor character, protagonist
or observer, and it will make considerable difference whether
the protagonist tell his own story or someone else tell it.
- In the objective point of view, the author disappears into a kind
of roving sound camera, which can go anywhere, but can
record only what is seen and heard. It cannot comment,
interpret, or enter a characters mind.
 3.4 Character revelation

The character can also be revealed in many ways, and conversation or

dialogue is used both to carry the story and to picture the character.
According to Perrine (1959;86) an author may present his characters either
directly or indirectly. In direct presentation he tells us straight out, by
exposition or analysis, what the character is like.

3.5 Theme

Theme is what a story is about. The theme of fiction is its controlling idea
or its central insight (Perrine, 1959:137). Perrine further states that it is the
unifying generalization about life stated or implied by the story.

4. Analysis
4.1 Plot
a. Exposition
This short story tell about the girl was one pretty and charming young
creatures who sometimes are born named Matilde Loisel who is married to
a little clerk of the Ministry of Public Instruction. She dressed plainly
because she could not dress well, but she was unhappy as if she had really
fallen from a higher station; since with woman there is neither caste or
rank, for beauty, grace and charm take the place of family and birth. She
had no gowns, no jewels, nothing
.
b. Rising Action
One evening, her husband reach home with a large envelope in his hand.
The envelope is about the invitation to the ball, which they rich people will
be. Madam Loisel look unhappy with the invitation because she do not
have gown. Mathilde buy a gown from her husband saving intended to buy
gun for him hobby. The day of the ball drew near, Mathilde has pretty
gown, but Madam Loisel seemed sad because her do not have a piece of
jewelry. She borrowed diamond necklace from her friend Madam
Forestier. At the ball, Madam Loisel look prettier than any woman there.
When she arrived home after the ball, Madam Loisel discover that the
diamond that she borrowed from her friend has gone. She and her husband
try to find it, but they never find it. Madam Loisel and her husband try to
replace the diamond with the same one like Madam Loisel has gone, for
thirty-four thousand francs, from the original price forty thousand francs.
She used her husband inheritance, borrowed from the other and work for
odd job for ten years.

c. Climax
After one decade, Madam Loisel seem Madam Forestier. Madam Loisel
look old than Madam Forestier, Madam Loisel tell to Madam Forestier that
the necklace that she return was a replacement, Madam Forestier is
shocked and tell her that the necklace she lent her was fake, worth at
most five hundred francs.

d. Falling Action
Madam Loisel realized that the necklace that she has gone it was fake and
worth at most five hundred francs.

e. Resolution
Finally, Madam Loisel borrowed money from the other and work odd to
replace the diamond that she has gone, it make Madam Loisel become rich
for a moment, but after she return the necklace she become poor again.
The effort of Madam Loisel to return the necklace is useless because the
necklace is fake and worth at most five hundred francs.

4.2 Character and Characterization

There are 3 character in this story. There are Madam Loisel, Monsieur
Loisel, and Madam Forestier.
- Madam Loisel is round and major character in this short story.
This short story mostly tell about Madam Loisels life like she
become unhappy with her status and tell about her attitude.
Madam Loisel is selfish person.
- Monsieur Loisel is flat and minor character. In this short story,
Monsieur Loisel described as kind person, generous, and
hardworking.
- Madam Forestier is flat and minor character. She described as
kind, generous, and rich woman.

4.3 Point of View

The point of view that use in this short story is limited omniscient. The
author tell the story in third person (using pronoun she, he, they,).
 - She had no dowry, no expectation, no way of being known,
understood, loved, married by any rich and distinguished man.
She dressed plainly because she could not dress well,
- He had no thought of that. He stammered.
- Then they went from jeweler to jeweler, searching for a
necklace like the other, trying to recall it, both sick with chagrin
and grief.
The narrator know about the character, but that is limited. There is
a restricted when he describes about the characters. He writes what
he is thinking and knowing in his mind. The author knows
everything about this character, but he shows no knowledge of
what other characters are thinking or feeling in deep their heart.

4.4 Character Revelation

In The Diamond Necklace, the narrator revealed the character of the
story used both directly and indirectly.
- Madam Loisel
The narrator revealed Madam Loisel character directly by
saying the girl was one pretty and charming young creatures
who sometimes are born, as if by a slip of fate, into a family of
clerks. She had no dowry, no expectation, now way of being
known, understood, loved, married by any rich and
distinguished man; so she let herself be married to a little clerk
of the Ministry of Public Instruction.
- Monsieur Loisel
The narrator revealed Monsieur Loisel character indirectly by
his action in the story. Very well! I will give you four hundred
francs. And try to have pretty gown. It tell the reader that
Monsieur Loisel want to please her wife.
- Madam Forestier
The narrator revealed Monsieur Loisel character indirectly by
his action in the story. "Oh, my poor Mathilde! How you are
changed!" Madame Forestier, deeply moved, took her hands.
Madam Forestier happy can see Madam Loisel again. They
discuss about the jewelry that Madam Forestier lead to Madam
 Loisel is not real, but Madam Loisel replace it with the real
jewelry.
4.5 Theme
The theme of this story is about the social conflict. It proven when Madam
Loisel is never satisfied with her life and married to a little clerk of the
Ministry of Public Instrucytion. She from middle-class, but dreams to be
better. She do not want to come to the ball because she do not have gown
and jewelry.

5. Conclusion
In conclusion, the plot structure of the story The Diamond Necklace are:
in exposition, there is the girl was one of those pretty and charming young
creatures who sometimes are born named Mathilde was married to a little
clerk of the Ministry of Public Instruction. In the raising action, Madam
Loisel lost the necklace that she borrowed from her friend, Madam
Forestier. In the climax, Madam Forestier tell about the diamond that she
lead to Madam Loisel was fake and it was worth at most only five hundred
francs. In falling action, Madam Loisel realized that the necklace that she
has gone it was fake and worth at most five hundred francs. In the
resolution, Madam Loisel effort to brought back the necklace that she
borrow from her friend, Madam Forestier is unless because the diamond
was fake and it was worth at most only five hundred francs. In this short
story, there are 3 character, Madam Loisel, Monsieur Loisel, and Madam
Forestier. This story used the limited omniscient point. In the character
revelation, Madam Loisel is a selfish person and she always unsatisfied
with her life. the theme of this story is about social conflict.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Koesnosoebroto, Sunaryono Basuki. 1988. The Anatomy of Prose Fiction. Jakarta:

Dapartement Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan.