Saturday, June 13, 2009

What is Maupassant known as a master of?

Guy de Maupassant is known as the master of the short story. While he did write some novels, Maupassant was able to solidify himself as one of France's greatest short story writers. He was known for being able to write detailed short stories that provided social commentary on the times. One of his most famous short stories is "The Necklace," which criticizes the social pressures the female protagonist comes in contact with and ultimately result in her downfall. Maupassant was able to create memorable characters and stories with just a few pages, and the short story "The Necklace" is an excellent example of this. The female protagonist is desperate to attend a party that will help advance her socially, and borrows a necklace from a friend to appear more wealthy. She loses the necklace and spends years trying to earn money to replace it. After she loses everything, she learns the necklace was fake anyways. With such a simple, short story, Maupassant provides relevant social commentary and a moral.

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