The Necklace By Guy de Maupassant
I feel like January is always a difficult month. Everyone is just coming off of the holiday excitement. We all bought presents, traveled, prepared meals, paid bills, etc. I currently feel the financial pinch of the post-holiday season. I revisited this short story recently and was struck by how relevant it still remains. This story first appeared in French newspapers in 1884 and I believe it holds great literary value in 2013. We should not wish for new circumstances. We should not lose ourselves in material items. We should realize that objects hold no real power over our lives. Read or reread this story with me and let me know what you think.
I have taught this story to ninth graders. They were very receptive!