The False Gems

By Guy de Maupassant

Page 289

Complete the following literary terms:1. Point of view (R9) –

Third person limited: there is no all-knowing narrator who tells the thoughts and feelings of all the characters. The narrator tells the thoughts and feelings of the main character, Monsieur Lantin.

2. Characterization (the young wife) p.289 – Describe the young woman. What do

you think will happen to this young woman? Will the woman turn out to be as she seems?

3. Setting – The story is set in Paris in the late

1800s.

4. Characterization (Monsieur Lantin) p. 290 – “My dear , as you cannot..”

Evaluate Lantin’s behavior toward his wife. What would you like and/or dislike about having a spouse like him?

5. Characterization (Madame Lantin) – Page 290 “What can I do…”

Do you agree that Madame Lantin’s love of jewelry is a “weakness”? Explain.

6. Symbol 290-291 – What does the jewelry symbolize?

7. Plot - p. 291Why does Monsieur Lantin have less

money to spend after his wife’s death?

8. Characterization ( Monsieur Lantin) – page 292 last paragraph

Why is Monsieur Lantin so upset when he realizes that his wife must have received her jewels as presents?

9. Conflict – p.292 last p.What is the conflict of the story? How

does Monsieur Lantin’s knowledge that the jewels are real complicate his conflict?

Monsieur Lantin is struggling with an internal conflict about how to go on, both economically and emotionally, after his wife’s death. Now he must struggle with his memory of her as he realizes he may not have seen his wife as she really was.

10. Characterize Paris –From the story, characterize

the city of Paris.

Sophisticated city – theatre, receptions for government workers, and many jewelers…

11. Characterize (Monsieur Lantin) end of story

How does Lantin change after becoming wealthy?

He eats at expensive restaurants; he looks at the possessions of other wealthy people with disdain; he exaggerates the amount of money he has and says he inherited it; he enjoys leisure activities that he has never enjoyed before.

DO YOU STILL SYMPATHIZE WITH HIM?

12. Characterization (the young wife)Reread pages 290-291 in which the wife is examining her jewels. Now that we know what we know, what do you think she was thinking?

She may have been thinking about their true value and the fact that her husband does not know the jewels are real. She may have been thinking about the person who gave her the jewels and the fact that her husband does not know about that either.