The internal and external conflicts in the story "The Necklace" enhance its meaning by representing the lesson the author wishes to convey about vanity.
<h3>Internal vs external conflict</h3>
A conflict is a clash between two opposing forces in a story. We say the conflict is internal when it takes place inside the character's mind, caused by his or her own feelings, doubts, etc. On the other hand, we say the conflict is external when it occurs between the character and an outside force, such as another character, society, etc.
In "The Necklace," a short story by Guy de Maupassant, we have both kinds of conflict. Both enhance the meaning of the story by representing the lesson the author wishes to convey about vanity and dissatisfaction. Let's take a look below:
- Internal conflict - Mathilde Loisel's dissatisfaction with her life and financial situation. Her vanity makes her discontent, dreaming of more - more clothes, more jewelry, more furniture.
- External conflict - Mathilde loses a necklace she believes to be made with real diamonds. She had borrowed it from a rich friend. She works hard for 10 years to pay for the new necklace she bought to replace it. Due to the hard work, her youth and beauty are all gone.
As we can see, the internal conflict in the story leads to the external one. The irony lies in the fact that Mathilde loses her youth and beauty precisely because she was a vain person. Her vanity is the cause of her downfall.
Learn more about conflict here:
brainly.com/question/1658512
#SPJ1
