In Guy De MaupassantÆs ôThe Jewelry,ö the author provides us with the tale of a seemingly happily married couple who live within their means. The only complaint of M. Latin, the husband, is that his wife, loves the theater and has too much passion for ôfalse jewelry,ö (De Maupassant, p. 2). When his wife dies, M. Latin discovers her large collection of what he thought were fake jewels are actually real ones, worth 400,000 francs to him. He immediately quits his job, goes to the theater ôwithout being bored by the performanceö for the first time, and remarries within six months, (De Maupassant, p. 6). Though he believed his wifeÆs jewelry was false, it was actually her fidelity that lacked any realness. His second marriage is to ôthe most upright of spouses,ö but she ômade his life miserable,ö (De Maupassant, p. 6). De MaupassantÆs main point seems to be that appearances, whether in jewelry or people, can be quite deceiving.
M. Latin is happier after six years of marriage than he was on the day of his wedding. His only complaints against his modestly charming and pretty wife are her constant need to go to the theater and her passion for wearing fake jewels. He eventually begs off going to the theater with her, though she continues to wear her fake jewels and even plays with them at home with her husband. When she returns home from the Opera, sick, M. Latin discovers his wife has contracted pneumonia and she dies within eight days. When he becomes in debt due to his despair at living without his beloved wife, he thinks of selling her false jewelry collection. At this point he discovers the jewels are real and knows his wife must have been unfaithful to be rewarded with such expensive jewels, ôUntil night fall he cried without stopping,ö (De Maupassant, p. 5).
M. Latin eventually begins to enjoy his inheritance, attending the theater and enjoying its performances for a change. He wines and di
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