First, the first part of the seven "dreams"
Mathieu Derder thinks that he is beautiful in appearance and outstanding in personality, and longs for the luxurious life of the upper class, hoping that he can be "liked, admired, attracted and sought after". But her background and family conditions made it impossible for her to realize her wishes. So she had to dream: she dreamed of a quiet hall and decoration, a spacious living room and furnishings, chatting with her closest boyfriend in a small room with beautiful fragrance, a beautiful dinner, shiny silverware, luxurious wall hanging and delicious food on expensive plates. "Dream" listened to the guests with a charming smile while eating the wings of pink bass or grouse. Unfortunately, these dream life scenes are in sharp contrast with her status and family. The contradiction between dream and reality made her feel so miserable that she would "often cry all day" after visiting a rich classmate and coming home.
Seven "dreams" describe Mathilde's vanity, luxury and longing for aristocratic life in the upper class from the aspects of food, clothing, housing and transportation. The word "dream" has been used seven times, which vividly shows her pursuit of pleasure and vanity. The root of her pain lies in her pursuit of bourgeois luxury life.
Second, the complex psychology after getting the invitation
When she saw the invitation to the dance, she first "threw it on the table in annoyance"; Turning to "looking at her husband with angry eyes", she was impatient; Then sad, tears, grief. The invitation gave her a chance to show her face in high society. She really wants to seize this opportunity and have an affair with the upper class. But the shabby clothes worried her. Her family told her that she couldn't get what she wanted and her husband didn't "understand" at all, so she was "annoyed", "angry" and "sad" and tried to dig up her husband's savings. Through the description of this series of movements and demeanor, she vividly depicts her complex psychology of being eager to attend the dance, annoyed that she doesn't have a suitable dance dress, and resented her husband's poverty.
Third, psychological changes before and after borrowing necklaces
The day of the party is coming, but Mathilde looks "depressed", "uneasy" and "sad" because she has nothing to wear. Finally, she decides to borrow some jewels from her friends. She was dazzled by all kinds of exquisite jewelry sent by her friends. "I don't know which one to put." She put on her jewelry and tried it left and right in front of the mirror, reluctant to take it off. When she found the exquisite diamond necklace in the blue satin box, she was so excited that her heart jumped out and picked it up and put it around her neck. "She stood in front of the mirror, lost in thought for a long time." The preciousness of the necklace made her afraid to ask for it. She was "hesitant and anxious" and proposed "only borrow this one". With the permission of her friend, she jumped up, put her arms around her neck and kissed her warmly. These psychological descriptions vividly describe Mathilde's anxiety at first because she didn't have jewelry, and then she was extremely excited because she borrowed jewelry. A petty-bourgeois woman's vulgar psychology under the command of vanity is vividly portrayed.
Fourthly, the four "intoxicated" parts in dance.
She finally succeeded. "She is more intoxicated with her beauty than all the female guests"; "intoxicated with the glory of success"; "intoxicated in the clouds formed by people's praise and envy for her"; Drunk in the most beautiful and sweetest victory that women think.
With four words "intoxicated", Mathilde's psychological state of being excited to near madness when she finally got her wish was written, which showed her self-confidence that she was quite beautiful and had the capital to jump out of a mediocre family and climb into the upper class, and fully revealed her personality characteristics of pursuing luxury life and being vain. This vanity is caused by the requirement of capitalist society to regard women as playthings, which indicates the inevitability of Mathilde's tragedy.
"Memories" in five or ten years of hardship.
When Huthilde went through all the hardships to pay her debts, she "changed from a poor family to a stout and hardworking woman". However, even on such a hard day, she often "sits by the window alone, thinking back to the dance of that year." How beautiful and charming she was that night! " Ten years of hard work has not completely abandoned her vanity, which shows how deep her vanity is!
It is through this profound and delicate psychological description that the author reveals the inner world of the characters, highlights their personality characteristics and makes their images vivid and vivid. Through this vivid character, the novel satirizes and criticizes the vanity and pursuit of pleasure of the petty bourgeoisie and condemns the bad values of capitalist society.