In the world that we as people all live in everyday, there is much chaos. Almost everyone has their own points of view, their own belief system and their own way of thinking. Most of which is determined by the environment, in which they have been raised and have lived in. The Necklace written by Guy De Maupassant and Paul's Case written by Willa Cather illustrate all too well how a person's social environment can and does shape that person. There are several specific examples cited in both stories that vividly show how it is exactly that this is the case.

The Necklace is about a young woman, Mathilde Losiel, who was not well off, but was also not poor. She spends most of her days dreaming of more. One day her husband comes home with an invitation to a dinner party hosted by the Chancellor of Education...