Summary of “The Umbrella” by Guy De Maupassant

Madame Oreille and her husband are not wealthy, but they live comfortably within their means. Madame Oreille, however, has an unusual obsession with saving money, and this trait defines her entire personality. She’s known for being extremely frugal, bordering on miserly. She cuts costs wherever she can, often at the expense of comfort or convenience. Her thriftiness even irritates her husband, Monsieur Oreille, who is more easy-going and would like to enjoy life more.

One area where Madame Oreille’s stinginess is especially apparent is with household items. She refuses to spend money on anything she deems unnecessary, and she always looks for the cheapest options available. This attitude extends to her possessions, particularly the umbrella, which becomes the central symbol in the story.

One day, Monsieur Oreille’s boss invites him to an important social event. Monsieur Oreille is a clerk, and he knows that making a good impression at this gathering could potentially help his career. He asks his wife to buy him a new umbrella, as their current one is old and tattered. Madame Oreille refuses, saying it’s a waste of money. She insists that the old umbrella will do just fine, despite its worn appearance.

Monsieur Oreille tries to reason with her, pointing out that it would be embarrassing to attend such an important event with a shabby umbrella. But Madame Oreille is stubborn and refuses to budge. Finally, after much arguing, she agrees to buy a new umbrella but insists on getting the cheapest one possible.

The new umbrella is purchased, but Madame Oreille continues to complain about the cost, even though it was relatively inexpensive. She insists that they must take great care of it so that it will last a long time. This mindset leads to an amusing situation at the event Monsieur Oreille attends. He is so worried about keeping the umbrella in good condition that he barely enjoys himself. Throughout the evening, he checks the umbrella repeatedly to make sure no one steals or damages it.

However, despite his best efforts, something unexpected happens. Monsieur Oreille leaves the event in a rush and forgets the umbrella. When he realizes it’s missing, he panics. He knows how furious his wife will be if he comes home without it, especially since she had been so reluctant to buy it in the first place.

Desperate, Monsieur Oreille hurries back to the event venue, hoping the umbrella is still there. Unfortunately, it is gone. Someone has either taken it or the staff has moved it elsewhere. Monsieur Oreille is devastated and fears the wrath of his wife.

When he arrives home without the umbrella, Madame Oreille is, as expected, furious. She berates him for his carelessness and blames him for wasting money. She demands that he find a way to get the umbrella back, but there’s nothing he can do. The umbrella is gone for good.

As days pass, Madame Oreille’s anger doesn’t subside. She continues to bring up the incident and makes Monsieur Oreille feel guilty for losing something so valuable, even though it wasn’t an expensive item in the first place. Eventually, Madame Oreille decides that the only solution is to file an insurance claim for the lost umbrella. She believes they should be compensated for their loss, even though the umbrella was cheap and not particularly valuable.

Monsieur Oreille reluctantly agrees, though he’s embarrassed by the whole situation. They file a claim with their insurance company, and after a short investigation, the company compensates them for the umbrella. However, the compensation is for much more than the umbrella originally cost. Madame Oreille is thrilled by this turn of events, as they end up making a profit.

But the story doesn’t end there. Madame Oreille’s greed leads her to make an even more audacious decision. Now that they’ve received money for the lost umbrella, she decides that they should buy an expensive, high-quality replacement. She justifies this by saying that since the insurance company has given them more than they spent, they can afford a better umbrella.

They purchase a much fancier, more expensive umbrella, and Madame Oreille is satisfied. Ironically, the woman who was once so frugal that she wouldn’t even consider buying a new umbrella now proudly owns an extravagant one. The story ends with a sense of irony and humor, as the Oreilles, who were initially obsessed with saving money, end up spending more than they ever intended on a luxurious item they didn’t really need.

The Umbrella by Guy De Maupassant Analysis

Character Analysis

Madame Oreille is the central character of the story, and she embodies the theme of frugality taken to an extreme. Her obsession with saving money defines her personality, and it drives the plot forward. She is so focused on cutting costs that she becomes miserly, even at the expense of her own comfort and the happiness of her husband, Monsieur Oreille. Her thriftiness borders on the ridiculous, as she refuses to buy new items, clinging to old, worn-out possessions even when it’s clear they need replacing.

Madame Oreille’s character is a representation of how an obsession with money can distort a person’s values and priorities. Her refusal to buy a new umbrella, despite her husband’s reasonable request, shows how her frugality has become irrational. This irrationality is highlighted further when she insists on purchasing the cheapest umbrella available, despite knowing it might not serve them well in a social setting. Her frugality leads to unnecessary stress and conflict, demonstrating how an excessive focus on saving money can sometimes result in more problems than it solves.

Monsieur Oreille, on the other hand, is a more easy-going character. He is willing to spend money on things that improve their lives, but he often finds himself at odds with his wife’s extreme thriftiness. His character represents a more balanced approach to money, where practicality and comfort are valued alongside savings. However, his reluctance to stand up to his wife’s frugality also shows how her attitude dominates their household.

Themes

One of the key themes in The Umbrella is the absurdity of greed and extreme thriftiness. Maupassant uses Madame Oreille’s character to illustrate how an obsession with saving money can lead to irrational behavior. Madame Oreille’s refusal to buy a new umbrella, her insistence on getting the cheapest one, and her reaction to losing it all highlight the lengths to which she will go to save a few coins. This extreme thriftiness becomes absurd when she decides to file an insurance claim for the lost umbrella, and even more so when she ends up buying an expensive replacement with the money she receives.

The theme of appearances versus reality is also central to the story. Madame Oreille is deeply concerned with how things look to others, despite her outward display of frugality. This concern with appearances drives much of the story’s action, particularly in the way the Oreilles handle the umbrella situation. Madame Oreille’s insistence on maintaining a facade of thriftiness leads her to buy a cheap umbrella, but her vanity and desire to impress others eventually push her to buy a much more expensive one. The irony here is that in trying to maintain an image of frugality, Madame Oreille ends up spending more money and acting against her own principles.

The story also explores the concept of irony. The events of the story are deeply ironic, particularly in the way Madame Oreille’s extreme thriftiness leads her to spend more money than she ever intended. The final twist, where the Oreilles end up with a luxurious umbrella despite their initial reluctance to spend money, underscores this irony. The story suggests that sometimes, in trying too hard to save or impress, people end up doing the exact opposite.

Moral and Social Critique

Maupassant’s story is not just a humorous tale but also a critique of the societal values of his time. In the 19th century, when Maupassant was writing, there was a strong emphasis on appearances and social status. Madame Oreille’s behavior reflects these societal pressures, as she is deeply concerned with how others perceive her. Her obsession with saving money and maintaining a facade of frugality can be seen as a commentary on the societal expectations placed on individuals to appear respectable and successful, even if it means sacrificing their comfort or happiness.

The story also critiques the notion of insurance and compensation. Madame Oreille’s decision to file an insurance claim for the lost umbrella, and the fact that they receive more money than the umbrella was worth, highlights the absurdity of the system. Maupassant seems to be suggesting that the pursuit of compensation, driven by greed, can lead to illogical and even unethical behavior. The fact that Madame Oreille uses the money to buy a more expensive umbrella, rather than simply replacing the lost one with a similar item, shows how the desire for more can corrupt a person’s values.

Literary Devices

Maupassant uses several literary devices to enhance the story’s themes and humor. Irony is the most prominent device, as the story’s events unfold in a way that is both unexpected and contrary to the characters’ intentions. The irony of Madame Oreille’s frugality leading her to spend more money is central to the story’s message.

Symbolism is also used effectively in the story. The umbrella itself is a symbol of Madame Oreille’s frugality and the conflict it causes in her life. Initially, it represents her refusal to spend money, but as the story progresses, it comes to symbolize her vanity and the lengths she will go to maintain appearances. The final, expensive umbrella symbolizes the triumph of vanity over thriftiness, highlighting the irony of the situation.

Maupassant’s use of humor is another key element of the story. The absurdity of the characters’ actions, particularly Madame Oreille’s, is presented in a way that is both amusing and critical. The humor serves to make the story’s moral and social critique more palatable, allowing the reader to engage with the serious themes in a lighthearted way.

The Umbrella by Guy de Maupassant is a masterful exploration of human nature, using humor, irony, and symbolism to critique greed, vanity, and societal pressures. Through the character of Madame Oreille, Maupassant illustrates the absurdity of extreme thriftiness and the lengths people will go to maintain appearances. The story serves as both an entertaining tale and a thought-provoking commentary on the values and behaviors that drive people to act irrationally. In the end, Maupassant’s story reminds us that sometimes, in our efforts to save or impress, we may lose sight of what truly matters.