Exploring parallels between The Necklace and the fairy story Cinderella
(Note: As with many old fairy stories that have been retold many times, there are variations. Look for the older Perrault or the Brothers Grimm versions, rather than the modern Disney retelling.) 1. First, read Cinderella and write a short (50 word) summary of the plot. 2. Now look closely at the characters and plots of both stories and complete the comparison chart. (a) Character The Necklace Cinderella Cinderella is forced to live a lifestyle (of poverty and hardship) below that which is hers by right of birth. Cinderella is beautiful and good. Mme Loisel acquires a beautiful ball gown to wear to the Ministry party. Mme Forestier lends Mme Loisel her necklace, so she can go to the party. Cinderella is modest and humble and doesn’t push herself forward when the Prince comes to the house to ‘test’ the shoe on the step‐sisters. © www.teachit.co.uk 2009
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Exploring parallels between The Necklace and the fairy story Cinderella
(b) Action The Necklace Cinderella M. Loisel manages to get a sought‐after invitation to take Mme Loisel to a smart social function at the Ministry. Mme Loisel is the ‘belle of the ball’ and is noticed by the Minister. Cinderella loses her slipper on the stairs as she rushes away from the ball. The slipper is returned to her by the Prince. Even poorer than before, Mme Loisel has to do all the difficult and dirty housework, spoiling her ‘pink nails’ and taking on the appearance of a ‘hard uncouth housewife’. (c) What is the moral of the story? (Hint: think about what behaviour is rewarded and what behaviour is punished.) The Necklace © www.teachit.co.uk 2009
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Exploring parallels between The Necklace and the fairy story Cinderella
3. Follow up a) Make a bullet‐pointed list of 
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the similarities and the differences between the two stories. Use your points from the chart and add any others you can think of. b) Highlight the three most significant things in your list of differences. How do these variations from the original Cinderella story affect your reaction to The Necklace? c) How do you feel about the ‘message’ or moral of The Necklace? How might your reaction change if you were the opposite gender? Extension/discussion points 4.
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Find out about other cultures’ fairytales and folktales that are similar to Cinderella. What ‘modern’ stories, films or TV programmes follow the basic storyline of Cinderella? How do you explain the popularity of the story across cultures and across time? If you were to update The Necklace to reflect your own culture and times, what details would you have to change? Make a list with two columns, one for original details and one for the modern day/different culture’s equivalents. 8. Would the moral of the story still be valid in a modernised version or would it seem out of date or irrelevant? Explain your answer. Creative writing (choose one of the following) 9. Write an updated story, setting it in modern times and in a culture of your choice. 10. Re‐write the ending of the story to make it more positive and to have a different moral. Start by brainstorming some ideas for what would make a ‘happy’ ending. Then for each of your ideas, note down at what point in the story you would have to change the plot. For example, you might decide that they would not have to get into debt to replace the necklace ‐ because Mme Loisel told Mme Forestier the truth about losing her necklace. Choose one idea and rewrite the story from the relevant point. 11. What happened after the events on the Champs Elysees? Continue the story. © www.teachit.co.uk 2009
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