In Guy Maupassant’s compelling short story “The Necklace,” Mathilde the protagonist is narcissistic. Narcissism is the exorbitant admiration of one and oneself’s physical appearance; which can cause an increased need for approval. As portrayed in the story, Mathilde was preoccupied about not wearing jewels to the party, "No . . . there's nothing so humiliating as looking poor in the middle of a lot of rich women." This quote depicts her aggravating seek for approval from others and how insecure she was about herself. Mathilde was never satisfied with the material objects she possessed and was only fulfilled when what she owned was approved by the standards of society. Furthermore, she was more obsessed with her physical than her inner beauty.
