Surprise

Surprise: Yes or No? Some critics have said that, “The problem with surprise or trick endings is that they can only be read once for enjoyment. After you know the secret, these stories lose all interest. In the short story “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, it can be read more than once with more interest. My first example that I ascertained from a second read of the story came to light as the marvelous revelation of character, and how much they contrasted. “‘ Ah, a good homemade /beef stew! There’s nothing better…’ she would visualize elegant dinners with gleaming silver…” This quote makes it evident how contrasting the two main characters start out as at the beginning of the story. The second example to support my thesis reveals that the main character, Mathilde, is very dynamic over the period of time in which the short story takes place. These two quotes “She was one of those pretty, charming young women…” and “She had become the sort of strong woman, hard and coarse…” this shows exactly how throughout the story her personality flips a complete 180, while her husband barely changes any.
The last example I have is of the extreme love that Mathilde and her husband shared. In the quote “Her husband worked in the evenings, putting a shopkeeper’s ledgers in order, and often at night as well, doing copying at twenty-five centines a page” this showed how much he loved her, that he would do anything to help her pay the debt. As you can see, this was a very enjoyable read the second time around.