Obsession Of The Obsessed Essay, Research Paper
Webster’s Dictionary states the definition of obsess as “to think about something
unceasingly,” similarly, obsession, according to the same text is defined as “the domination
of one’s thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea or desire.” The protagonist’s in both
short stories, The Necklace, by Guy de Maupassant, as well at Solid Objects, by Virginia
Woolf illustrate these words as they are defined. Mathilde, in The Necklace is inherently
obsessed with materialism, wealth, and class, whereas John, in Solid Objects, becomes
preoccupied with various objects commonly perceived as trash in order to provide
knowledge and insight into his life. Though their respective fixations differ, the obsession
itself, similarly led both characters to their ultimate demise within society, one losing any
hopes of wealth and status, and the other losing a brilliant career as a politician. While the
plots of both stories illustrate the obsession it is the author’s style and use of symbolism
that provides insight into the protagonist’s motives and thoughts.
Both were obsessed with material items they perceived would lead to ultimate
happiness. Mathilde struggled to find peace in her life as a result of her natural beauty and
grace, that she was “born for every delicacy and luxury.” Though “fate had blundered”
she was left by the wayside to endure a middle class life with only daydreams to remind
her of the elitist company she thought she deserved. It was these daydreams and fanciful
desires of fine china, tapestries, and “antique silks” that troubled her to the point she could
not be satisfied. She could not be pleased with a meal, no less and invitation to a ball
because materially she had that pleased her or met her expectations. After her husband
humbly sacrificed all the money he had been saving to purchase a gun to buy her a dress,
she still felt terribly middle class for she had no jewels to wear, she refused to settle for
flowers. She begs a favor from a companion of hers, Madame Forestier to lend her some
jewelry. After looking through a “large box” of assorted jewelry she was unable to find
anything that could possible suit her desires, so she begs her friend for something else.
When she discovered the diamond necklace “her heart began to beat covetously,” for she
knew this would beckon the attention of everyone at the ball. At the ball she was in fact
the center of attention, “drunk with pleasure” for she had fulfilled her fantasy; at least for a
time. The moment she lost the necklace Mathilde’s world was turned upside down and
any hopes of ever living the life she felt worthy of were dashed. Her lust for fine things
was halted on account of her obsession and she had aged herself dramatically. Loisel, her
husband, had risked his entire life with loans and agreements to purchase the replacement.
Thus any aspirations of living her fantasy were dashed not only because of her
greed, but because desire, or obsession, had preoccupied her to the point where
satisfaction could not be met under the terms she had been raised with. Mathilde could
have very well gone to the ball without buying a new dress and wearing fancy jewelry, but
it wasn’t enough for her. Her mind had always told her she was worth more and deserved
more and true to her character she conformed to that. Suffering the consequences of her
obsession she lost her natural beauty and became “like all the other strong, hard, coarse
women of poor households,” for she now truly was poor. She was forced to give up
everything that gave her some semblance of an upper class life. The servant no longer
came so Mathilde had no choice but to take on the “hateful duties” that she had brought
upon herself. Had she only looked at her life before the ball for what it really was and
found contentment in her status poverty could have been avoided. The was much wealth
in Mathilde’s life and her marriage but obsession blinded her to reality thus dominating her
life.
Unlike Mathilde, John was not born into his obsession; he created it and they
shared similar circumstances. Though he was to be a brilliant political figure it can be
inferred that he wasn’t satisfied. Not that he wanted more, just that he wanted a little
clarity. He digs through the sand as if to dig for meaning in his own life, only to find “ full
drop of solid matter.” Solid, where John, in his life, may not be. This piece of glass, “so
definite an object compared with the vague sea,” troubled him. He wondered about it and
as it sat on his mantelpiece it always prompted some reminder of the knowledge it held,
though John found it difficult to synthesize the glass with his own life. He began to seek
out more objects; next finding a piece of china so “vivid and alert” that John was
profoundly affected. The china was found on his way to a meeting with his constituents,
but that was soon forgotten for he had to have the broken china that was beckoning him.
Again, as with the glass, he placed it on the mantelpiece, and went about in search of
more. He neglected his responsibilities, losing his election; but was not saddened in the
least. John’s companion Charles, fully aware of the reality that had befallen his friend,
goes to console him. However John needs no consolation, just more objects. His desire
for these fascinatingly rare objects obsessed him and everyday he would go out with his
bag and his stick, searching through “rubble heaps” looking for more. One of the last
pieces he came across before the tragic end of the story was heavy, unearthly piece of
iron. He was captivated by its similarity to the glass, that again he placed it alongside the
mantle piece.
Though his “taste more severe” and disappointments more numerous, John still
had “some gleam of hope” that more were out there. Like Mathilde, John “was no longer
young.” Thus the point where he has lost control of his career and his life in search of
these strange objects. In one last conversation with Charles in regards to why John
sacrificed his political career, it is obvious that neither one of them are discussing the same
thing. John is lost to reality, consumed by his desire for more objects. What had started
out as a profound glance into his own life, ended and now John is lost completely. Unlike
Mathilde his intentions were not to be accepted into some elitist group, but to mind clarity
and peace within his own. It can be inferred that John longed for such clarity in his
child-like actions as well as the objects he was obsessed with. He was puzzled by these
objects and found it impossible to unlock the vast array of knowledge they beheld.
Perhaps he was looking to deeply into these objects using his intellect as an adult rather
than seeing them as a child would. Though many of John’s actions resemble that of a
child his reality in the adult world is contradicted, thus making it difficult to see the objects
and the clear simple insight they provide. John is torn between the two worlds, but is
disillusioned as a result of his obsession.
No doubt the authors provided much of this insight and enlightenment into the
protagonist’s lives through their personal writing styles as well as the symbolism within
the objects. In Maupassant’s The Necklace, the protagonist becomes obsessed with riches
that could possibly open the door and let her into the elitist society she felt she had a place
in. This belief of a life better than “middle class drudgery” (Short Stories pg. 168) shapes
the center of her personality. Maupassant creates Mathilde as a poor woman trapped in a
world beneath her, which is something very real that many readers can relate to. Every
human being longs to be a part of some upper class group, but the majority does not act
upon it nor are over come to the point that it occupies their current reality. So in
Maupassant’s story the “slice of life” (Masterplots 2, 1907) reality is presented and
readers respond to Mathilde’s actions by looking within themselves.
Though Maupassant used Mathilde’s character to provide meaning to his story, he
also used symbolism to provide further depth and meaning towards her character.
Mathilde longed to be delivered from her dull, dreary, and mediocre life. Rather than
seeking deliverance in the pleasant things that already surrounded her like a husband that
cared so much that he would sacrifice his last cent for her happiness, or one servant that
took care of the necessary cleaning and up keep of their home. Instead she wanted more.
The only deliverance she could obtain that would make her content was in material wealth
and everything that money could buy. She could have easily been satisfied with one
servant, but she dreamed and wanted more, because she felt she deserved more. The
necklace represents a large portion of who Mathilde is, thus becoming the core of the
story. The necklace is at the heart of her personality, not only representing her greed, but
her artificiality as well. (Short Story, 168) Mathilde defines herself by her obsession for
material things, and by doing so she feels everyone else will define her as well, placing her
in the society she feels she deserves. When Mathilde came upon the necklace as she
eagerly searched through Madame Forestier’s jewelry, she “remained in ecstasy of herself”
knowing that with this necklace she will be able to hide, for at least one night, the true
reality she lives. Sadly, it only took one night for reality to set in and her whole life to
change. Thus the necklace defines her character.
As Maupassaunt’s style provided insight to Mathilde’s reasoning and character so
did Virginia Woolf’s in Solid Objects. Woolf has a remarkable stream of consciousness
form of writing that is clearly seen in this story. This stream-of-consciousness enables the
reader to enter in to what John may be thinking as he discovers these objects. Thoughts
so clear as he digs through the sand to uncover a small piece of glass, staring at it in
wondrous awe, much like a child would towards something so magnificent. As he
inconspicuously places it into his pocket delightfully, Woolf illustrates this by following
the action and giving the glass life and personality. This style allows the reader to perceive
why John is so fascinated with these objects.
Though Woolf’s stream-of-consciousness opens the door into John’s simplistic,
child-like world, it is the objects themselves that provide greater meaning. The solid piece
of glass, as the narrator describes, confuses him. It “is so concentrated, so definite” where
John, in his life, may not be. He is fascinated by it and slowly, it’s “truth, concealed, and
misunderstood,” (Guignet, 377) causes him to abandon his reality and his life in hopes to
reveal truth and provide for him the clarity he feels he lacks. This one object causes him,
both consciously and unconsciously to devote himself and what seems like his life to
search for other “specimens of the reality.” (Guignet, 377) Hoping that with each new
found object he’ll be able to unlock the knowledge and truth within the previous one, and
finally, within himself. Again, this is seen with the next object that works itself into the
depths of his mind. The china, in comparison to the glass is so vivid and so full of life, life
that John is beginning to lose. He is unable to fathom how it was brought into the world,
especially for him to be so lucky to find it. As he takes time to ponder over this object,
hoping to find some answers, he is losing his life and his career. Too much of his time is
spent pondering and searching for objects, that any hope of regaining ground as a
politician are disappearing before his eyes. As he alienates himself from society, so he
alienates himself from his objects, still unable to connect the concealed truth hidden within
them.
John is very mislead in his search for objects, for he started looking too deeply
into them when the truth they held was right there staring at him. The last piece he
discovers, a piece of iron resembling a meteorite reflects the absolute loss John has
suffered. “[A]lien to earth,” John also is more alienated towards himself than he was
before he began this journey. The narrator adds that the iron “radiates” cold much like
John has become cold and life-less, completely preoccupied and consumed with his
obsession. This was a very difficult time for John because he struggled with every effort
to unlock the truth within these objects, but he was unable to. Still thinking the next one
may be the key, he is convinced that there must be others. If only he had taken the
opportunity to take the obvious, simple truths the objects held could he have salvaged his
life and his work. The child in him wanted to, however his beliefs in society taught him
otherwise. They taught him that in order to unlock the truth he needed more and he kept
looking for more, though many never met his expectations. At the end of the story, John
is so consumed that he takes on the identity of the iron, radiating cold and alone, lost to a
world obsessed with trash.
Tragically, in the conclusions of both stories, Mathilde and John were left worse
off the they began because they let their obsessions take control of their lives. Mathilde
threw away her youth and beauty, left to face the dark and harsh reality of misery. John
left behind a brilliant career to search for meaning that he could not grasp. Unable to
grasp reality they were led to their ultimate disaster with help from the authors use of
symbolism and style. Both Maupassant and Woolf placed real life scenarios with tragic
situations, forcing the reader to not only feel for the characters, but compare the
protagonists to themselves and learn from their experiences.