PART A: What does the conversation between Mathilde and her husband in paragraphs 10-13 reveal about the characters' different points of view regarding the party?

Question

A. The conversation illustrates that both characters are concerned about how the other will behave at the party.
B. The conversation shows the different ways each character believes the party will demonstrate their social status.
C. The conversation emphasizes the different opinions each character has of the Minister of Education and his wife.
D. The conversation highlights the different levels of experience each character has in attending parties thrown by society's prominent members.

PART B: Which TWO quotations best support each character's point of view? Select one quotation for each character.

A. Mathilde: "What do you want me to do with this?" (Paragraph 11)
B. Monsieur Loisel: "Every one wants one; it's very select, and very few go to the clerks." (Paragraph 12)
C. Monsieur Loisel: "It looks very nice, to me . . ." (Paragraph 15)
D. Mathilde: "I don't know exactly, but I think I could do it on four hundred francs." (Paragraph 24)
E. Mathilde: "…there's nothing so humiliating as looking poor in the middle of a lot of rich women." (Paragraph 32)
F. Monsieur Loisel: "How stupid you are!" (Paragraph 33)

Answer 1

PART A: Answer: B. The conversation shows the different ways each character believes the party will demonstrate their social status.

The conversation between Mathilde and her husband reveals a fundamental difference in their viewpoints regarding the party. Mathilde is focused on the party as a chance to showcase their social status and to appear in a way that befits her aspirations, while Monsieur Loisel seems more pragmatic, understanding the party's significance in terms of social inclusion but not necessarily in the same status-oriented way that Mathilde does.

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PART B: Support Quotations

• For Mathilde: E. Mathilde: "…there's nothing so humiliating as looking poor in the middle of a lot of rich women." (Paragraph 32)

This quotation exemplifies Mathilde's concern about social status and her fear of being perceived as poor among the affluent attendees.

• For Monsieur Loisel: C. Monsieur Loisel: "It looks very nice, to me . . ." (Paragraph 15)

This quotation reflects Monsieur Loisel's more practical and content perspective regarding their circumstances, indicating that he is less concerned with appearances and more with the essence of enjoyment at the party.