Matilda's ruin was caused primarily by her dissatisfaction with her modest life and her desire for a luxurious lifestyle. She was unhappy with her financial status and longed for wealth and luxury, which led her to borrow a valuable necklace to appear affluent at a high-society event. When she lost the necklace, she and her husband went into severe debt to replace it, resulting in years of hardship and poverty. She could have avoided her ruin by being content with her life and accepting her modest circumstances. Specifically:
- She could have refrained from borrowing the necklace and instead worn something she already owned or attended the event without extravagant jewelry.
- If she had been honest and confessed the loss to her friend, Madame Forestier, they might have found a less costly solution, as the necklace was actually a fake and not very valuable.
- Cultivating contentment and gratitude for her current life, rather than longing for material wealth, would have spared her the disastrous consequences of her actions.
In short, Matilda's ruin was caused by her pride, materialism, and dishonesty, and could have been avoided by contentment, honesty, and accepting her situation.
