What is the theme of the necklace?

"The Necklace" is a short story written by Guy de Maupassant. The central theme of the story is the consequences of vanity and materialism. The main character, Mathilde Loisel, is portrayed as a woman obsessed with wealth and social status. When she borrows a diamond necklace to wear to a high society party, she loses it and spends years working to repay the debt for a replacement necklace, only to find out in the end that the original necklace was just a fake, leaving her in a worse situation than before. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of prioritizing material possessions and social appearances over more meaningful aspects of life.