Consider Mathilde's motives throughout the text. What role does greed play in this story?

The role greed plays in the story is changing Mathilde into a tired, poor old woman for not taking her husband's amount of money into consideration. Mathilde wanted to rise above her social status so badly that she asked for expensive things without regard for her poor husband, the karma for this was being worked to the bone for 10 years. Making her miserable and looking older than she really was.  

      The first piece of evidence is when the text says "He grew slightly pale, for this was exactly the amount he had been saving for a gun, intending to get a little shooting next summer on the plain of Nanterre with some friends who went lark-shooting there on Sundays. Nevertheless he said: "Very well. I'll give you four hundred francs. But try and get a really nice dress with the money."" This shows that Mathilde didn't take her husband's feelings and wants into account when she asked for a new expensive dress. All Mathilde wanted was to seem rich at a party of people she would never see again. When her husband already tries very hard to get this ticket it still isn't enough for her.  

         The second piece of evidence is when the text states ""I brought you another one just like it. And for the last ten years we have been paying for it. You realize it wasn't easy for us; we had no money Well, it's paid for at last, and I'm glad indeed." Madame Forestier had halted. "You say you bought a diamond necklace to replace mine?" "Yes. You hadn't noticed it? They were very much alike." And she smiled in proud and innocent happiness. Madame Forestier, deeply moved, took her two hands. "Oh, my poor Mathilde! But mine was imitation. It was worth at the very most five hundred francs!... "" This shows that all that work that Mathilde did for 10 years was pointless. She threw away her youth for a necklace that was truly only worth 500 francs. Because of Matilde's greed to seem rich she suffered, doing hard labor just to pay of a debt they didn't even have to have. If Mathilde hadn't been so greedy to not be satisfied with a nice dress and the invitation, she would have never had to be in this situation.

       In conclusion because of Mathilde's greed and desire to be rich without regard for her husband she paid for it, she had to do hard work for years. In the end it turned out to not even be necessary, she had wasted 10 years of her life and her youthful beauty.

Explanation:

the answer is the second one.