READER RESPONSE TO SOCIAL INJUSTICE IN GUY DE MAUPASSANT’S THE NECKLACE

Abstract

This research explores the response to the issue of social injustice represented in the story The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant. The story illustrates the struggles of the lower middle class and the harsh consequences of social demands. Using reader response theory as the main framework, this study aims to examine how various readers understand and interpret the social injustice represented in the story. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to respondents after reading the text. In this research, social injustice is understood as the unequal distribution of power, which results in systemic disadvantages for certain social groups. Social injustice in this short story is analyzed through the lens of class inequality, gender expectations, and social pressure, all of which shape Mathilde's experiences and choices. This research will prove that reader response analysis not only reveals the diversity of interpretations but also emphasizes the importance of literary works as a reflection and a means to question social injustice.