What are some important things Mathilde said in "The Necklace"?

Mathilde complains about her level of wealth and says she needs better clothes for the ball.

Mathilde’s husband seems to accept their lot in life, and their economic status. Mathilde wants more. She feels as if she was born into the wrong life, and she should never have been of such low status as to marry a clerk. She was meant for wealth and happiness.

When Monsieur Loisel brings his wife tickets to a fancy ball, he expects her to be thrilled. Instead, she reacts petulantly. She immediately begins crying about her wardrobe. Surprised, he asks her what is the matter.

"Nothing. Only I have no gown, and, therefore, I can't go to this ball. Give your card to some colleague whose wife is better equipped than I am."

Instead of being happy that her husband acquired tickets to such a spectacular affair, she complains and forces him to give up all of his savings to buy her a dress. Then she is still not happy, telling him that she needs a jewel to wear with it too. He tells her flowers are in fashion, but she will not accept that.

"No; there's nothing more humiliating than to look poor among other women who are rich."

He suggests she borrow one from her friend, and she is happy with that suggestion. Madame Loisel goes to her friend Madame Forestier. They went to school together, but Madame Forestier is wealthy and of higher status. She gladly consents to lend Mathilde a jewel, and makes some suggestions. Mathilde instead chooses what she thinks is a big diamond.

Mathilde loses the necklace. Instead of telling her friend, she and her husband decide to buy another one to replace it. Years later, Madame Forestier does not recognize her friend. Mathilde explains what happened.

"I brought you back another exactly like it. And it has taken us ten years to pay for it. You can understand that it was not easy for us, for us who had nothing. At last it is ended, and I am very glad."

At this point, the irony of the situation sets in. Madame Forestier tells Mathilde that the necklace was fake. She has spent the last ten years of her life paying back a debt she never really incurred. If she had just told the truth, she would have still had her beauty and her modest but comfortable life.