The Necklace

I wouldn't say that Mathilde deserved the punishment, but I have to say that she was responsible for creating her own punishment.... she inflicted it upon herself. Had she been honest with her friend, she would have found out that the necklace was paste, and Madame Forestier likely would have told her not to worry about it. Sadly, Mathilde didn't face her friend and tell the truth, thus, she never learned the truth until it was far too late. Mathilde mistakenly believed that a wealthy woman would never wear anthing but the genuine article because her own dreams were consumed by wealth and possessions.