Stories that seem to have nothing in common can be misleading. Ivan Dorin's short story "Outside Edges" and Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace", have settings roughly 200 years apart, take place on opposite sides of the world, and still depict many similarities. These stories manifest themes of how one can become estranged from the outside world and their surroundings. Stubbornness, obsession and ambition are themes revealed by the authors through use of devices such as character, setting, and plot which will all be explored.
             As different as they are, Mme. Loisel, the main character in "The Necklace", and David, the main character in "Outside Edges", possess many of the same qualities, but it is these qualities that will lead to their alienation from everything else. The main characters of these stories are very contrasted. Mme. Loisel is a married woman who makes little money and struggles to get by, while David is a young boy who we do see grow throughout the story but starts off as only a little child. The stubbornness of these characters is revealed through certain events in the stories. When Mme. Loisel realized that she has no jewelry to wear to the ball and decides she cannot attend without any, her husband suggests that she, "...Might wear natural flowers. It's very stylish at this time of the year," (Maupassant, page 4). Mme. Loisel rejects his idea without considering it. The though of not looking as wealthy as the other woman at the ball is unacceptable to her. David is stubborn in his own way as well. He argues with his father about skating across Canada and his father insists that it would be impossible since Canada is not covered with ice. To this, David answers, "I could have a Zamboni drive along in front of me", (Dorin, page 49). As the reader is introduced to these characters, their stubbornness is perceived to be more innocent than it really is.
             The settings of the stories are very important to develop
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