Reader's response - "Girl with a Pearl Earring" final

SUMMARY

One Sunday, when Griet went home her parents tell her that she smells like linseed oil, she doesn’t tell them it is because she has spent a lot of her time at the attic helping Vermeer. Instead she tells about the new painting, van Ruijven with a flute. Vermeer is not happy with van Ruijven’s request of having a painting with Griet, but he agrees to paint her alone. When Griet comes to the studio Vermeer has problems in finding the right pose for Griet because he doesn’t want to paint her as a maid, but just like the Griet he had meet at her house. Vermeer also thinks Griet should take off her cap, but she refuses the request. Instead, she finds a cloth that she uses to wrap her head and hide all her hair. It is a secret painting, only Maria Thins, van Ruijven and van Leeuwenhoek, but Griet suspects that Cornelia might know too. One day, while Vermeer was painting Griet he notices that something is missing, but he cannot really figure out what it is. However, Griet knows right away what Vermeer will ask her when he sees Catharina’s pearl earring. Griet doesn’t want to wear the earring, but Vermeer convinces her saying the earring will bring the light and complete the painting. Cornelia sees when her father finishes Griet’s painting, so when her mother comes to back home she takes her to the studio and shows her the painting. Catharina is very upset and asks Cornelia to call Vermeer at Guild. Maria Thins, Catharina and Vermeer are at the studio discussing the situation, until Griet is called to joy them. At first, Catharina accuses Griet for stilling her pearl earring, but Catharina knows what really upsets her is not the earrings. So she tries to destroy the painting, but Vermeer is faster and holds Catharina’s hand. Griet just leaves the house and run as fast as she can without looking back. A few years later, Tanneke comes to Meat Hall where Griet now married to Pieter works with his stall, to ask her to come to her mistress house. Griet is not really sure if she should go, but she decides to accept Catharina’s request. When she gets to the house Catharina and van Leeuwenhoek are waiting for her, and for her surprise Vermeer in his will request that the pearl earrings go to Griet. At first, she doesn’t want to take them, but Catharina insists and Griet accepts. She doesn’t know how to explain to Pieter about the earring so she sells them and she will tell him that the money is from Vermeer’s to set the debt they had with Pieter, the father. Although, the extra coins she will keep in a secret place and never spend it.

PART I LIKED

When Catharina figures out Vermeer painted Griet, she gets very upset and asks Cornelia to call Vermeer home. The whole situation is very dramatic, but Griet seems calm and keeps doing her house chorus. Catharina tries to destroy the painting, but Vermeer stops her before she causes any damage or even hurt herself (page 215). I like this moment because as a reader I am on Griet’s side and I want to see her having a happy ending. So when she walks away from the house without looking back, it gave me hope that she will be happy with Pieter.

CONFUSING PART

On page 214, Catharina asks Vermeer why he never painted her or any of the children, and he answers that they are not part of this world. Why does he mean with this answer?

QUESTIONS

Why is so important for Griet to hide her hair?

On page 186, van Leeuwenhoek says Griet to be careful and remain herself, but she doesn’t understand what he means with this. So he says to Griet that the women in Vermeer’s paintings get trapped in his world and they can get lost there. What does he mean with women getting trapped in Vermeer’s world?

INTERPRETATION

I think Griet had to go through all the drama at Vermeer’s house to see that Pieter was the right choice for her. It is true that we cannot really choose who our hurt will beat faster for, so I can imagine how hard this situation for Griet was. Probably, she was right in saying to Pieter she was too young to think in marriage, but when Vermeer sees her hair she thinks there is nothing precious to hide anymore. So it was the moment that she realized she was becoming a woman.

Even though, I know this book is a fiction, after reading it I could imagine Vermeer having a real muse posing for one of his most famous paintings. Griet is a great character, full of interesting thoughts that were not always welcome when she shared with her parents or Maria Thins. However, Vermeer seems to be the only one who appreciated Griet’s observations about his paintings or general things that were happing in their lives.