The Necklace Lesson Plan

What is the significance of La Mère Sauvage’s real name and nickname?

La Mère Sauvage is a nickname the older woman was given. La Mère means elderly mother. Sauvage means savage or wild. She is introduced to us by this nickname, which can lead the reader to believe the old woman is literally savage. The nickname is a kind of foreshadowing, indicating something wild, or violent, is coming. It is intentional that her first name is revealed in the end, after her violent act: her first name is Victoire, which means victory. This casts her in a different light. She may be wild, or savage, but she is also a victor in the fight against Prussian occupation.

Many of the...