The major theme of `The necklace' is materialism. The main character, Mathilde, in this story was `those pretty and charming girls'. She was very discontented with her life. She yearns to enjoy all the luxurious that people in a higher station in life are enjoying. She is `feeling herself born for all the delicacies and all the luxuries.' She feels she deserved to own much material possession. She is materialistic as `she had no gowns, no jewels, nothing. And she loved nothing but that. Mathilde is ashamed of her situation in life that she did not like to go and visit her friend, Mme. Forestier, because she suffered when she came back. She is so envious her friend who appeared to be rich.

When her husband brings home an invitation to a ball very excitedly, she is rude and inconsiderate to Loisel. She throws the invitation aside...