A Piece of String
– Guy de Maupassant
Detailed Summary
“A Piece of String” is a powerful short story that explores how false accusations and public mistrust can ruin a person’s life. The story is set in a small French village named Goderville, where peasants have come for market day.
An honest but slightly miserly man named Maitre Hauchecome finds a piece of string on the road and picks it up, believing that anything useful shouldn’t be wasted. Unfortunately, he is seen by his enemy, Malandain, a harness maker. When a pocketbook with money goes missing later, Malandain accuses Hauchecome of stealing it.
Though the pocketbook is later found and returned by someone else, Hauchecome cannot clear his name. The villagers mock and insult him, believing he used someone else to return it. Despite all his efforts to explain the truth, nobody believes him. He becomes obsessed with proving his innocence, repeating his story to anyone who would listen.
The constant suspicion and humiliation drive him into depression and sickness. Hauchecome dies heartbroken, still claiming with his final breath:
“A piece of string… a piece of string… look– here it is, Your Honour, the Mayor.”
Theme
- Social prejudice and mistrust
- The pain of false accusations
- How society can destroy an individual
- The fragility of reputation
- Psychological torment of injustice
Textual Questions and Answers
a. Why were the peasants and their wives coming to the town?
They were coming for the market day in Goderville to buy and sell goods.
b. How does Hauchecome behave when he notices Malandain watching him?
He becomes ashamed, hides the string in his pocket, and pretends to look for something else.
c. What does ‘find’ refer to in the sentence “He concealed his find quickly”?
The “find” refers to the piece of string that Hauchecome picked up from the ground.
d. What did the peasants discuss at the tavern?
They talked about crops, their sales, weather conditions, and village matters.
e. What did the public crier announce?
He announced that a black leather pocketbook containing 500 francs and papers was lost and asked the finder to return it.
f. Why did the Mayor summon Hauchecome to his office?
The Mayor believed Hauchecome had stolen the pocketbook, based on Malandain’s accusation.
g. Why did Hauchecome feel terrified?
He was shocked and confused by being falsely accused and was afraid for his reputation.
h. What did the Mayor say when Hauchecome showed the piece of string?
The Mayor did not believe Hauchecome and said Malandain wouldn’t mistake string for a pocketbook.
i. How did people react when Hauchecome told his story about the string?
They laughed and mocked him, thinking he was lying. No one believed his story.
j. Why did the person who found the pocketbook take it to his employer?
He was illiterate, so he gave it to his employer to handle the matter properly.
k. Did people believe Hauchecome’s story after the pocketbook was found?
No, they still doubted him. They believed he had arranged for someone else to return it to escape punishment.
l. “At any rate you are mixed up with it.” – What did the horse dealer mean?
He meant that even if Hauchecome didn’t steal the pocketbook, he was still somehow involved in the incident.
m. What was the impact of the injustice on Hauchecome?
He became mentally disturbed, obsessed with proving his innocence, and eventually fell ill and died in shame.
n. What were Hauchecome’s last words? Explain their significance.
His last words were, “A piece of string, a piece of string…” showing that even in death, he was desperate to prove his innocence. It highlights the emotional destruction caused by societal mistrust.