Group 2 - Einstein 12

A PIECE OF STRING
Guy de Maupassant
Synopsis
One day, Hauchecorne bends down to pick up a piece of string. His enemy,
Malandain, sees him do this. When a peasant claims to have been robbed,
Malandain accuses Hauchecorne.

Hauchecorne proclaims his innocence. In the morning, the pocketbook is found

on the side of the road. Hauchecorne points to this as proof of his innocence,
but the villagers still think he was the culprit.

Hauchecorne realizes that his reputation as a crafty old man has turned the
villagers against him. He can't convince them of his innocence. He dies
repeating, "A little bit of string."
Author-dependent
 Historical -
Biographical

Franco-German War, also called Guy De Maupassant (1850 -

Franco-Prussian War, (July 19,
1870–May 10, 1871), war in
which a coalition of German
His stories are characterized by
states led by Prussia defeated
economy of style and efficient,
France. The war marked the end
effortless dénouements
of French hegemony in
(outcomes). Many are set during
continental Europe and resulted
the Franco-Prussian War of the
in the creation of a unified
1870s, describing the futility of
Germany.
war and the innocent civilians
who, caught up in events beyond
their control, are permanently
changed by their experiences.
1893)
● Was of noble birth
● Naturalism and realism
was his field
● During his time as a clerk
in the navy department,
Gustave Flaubert took
him in and acted as his
literary guardian.
Guiding his debut in
journalism and
literature.
THEME # 1

Naturalism which emphasizes observation and the

scientific method in the fictional portrayal of reality,
wherein he shows the events that have occured during the
Franco-Prussian War.
Text-dependent
 Formalist/New Criticism
Exegesis Explication
He began to tell the story of the
string. No one believed him. Disbelief Short story
They laughed at him.

He talked of his adventure all day

Simile and
long; he stopped strangers to tell Importunate
them about it. hyperbole

"It is nevertheless the truth of

the good God, the sacred truth,
Innocence imagery
M'sieu the Mayor. I repeat it on
my soul and my salvation."
 Theme # 2

You can’t use facts or reality to reason with people who

have been conditioned to believe that the lie is the truth and
the truth is the lie.
Reader-dependent
Reader Response

HATRED DECEPTION DISHONOR

Malandin’s hatred and Malandin deceive Hauchecorne became

despise towards people into thinking a laughingstock in
Hauchecorne lead him that Hauchecorne really town. He died with no
to falsely accuse did steal the missing one believing that
Hauchecorne. pocketbook. he’s innocent.
 THEME # 3

People are quick to believe the bad things they hear about
a person. Words are so powerful that it can destroy
someone’s life.
 GRAND THEME

There’s no use in proving your innocence to ignorant

people. Innocence is the hardest thing to prove because
people tend to believe the negative things rather than the
positive things about a person. So instead of proving your
innocence, just show them acts of kindness. As long as you
and God knows that you did nothing wrong, it is enough.