CP, GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING
Exam questions:
An art magazine has invited readers to contribute an article recommending a fictional book about an artist. Write about Girl With a Pearl Earring saying why the book is interesting and what impression it gives us of the artist and his world.
Write your article.
Though Girl with a Pearl Earring appears to be about one man and woman, there are several relationships at work. Which is the most difficult relationship? Which is the most promising? Write an essay for your tutor discussing this question.
Write your essay.
You are a member of a Book Club that has asked readers to submit reports on books where a young person is an important protagonist. You should consider these questions: Do you think Griet was typical of other girls her age? In what ways? How did she differ? Did you find her compassionate or selfish? Giving or judgmental?
Write your report.
INTERIORS, by Daniel Brint
Girl with a Pearl Earring is a novel set in rooms – or perhaps, to be more accurate, interiors.
The book opens in Griet’s house, soon moves into the Vermeer’s where she inhabits the areas of her work and her bedroom. From the crucifixion room, to the studio, kitchen attic and dining room, Griet’s days involve going from one to the other. We see her in the market, in her family, at home, visiting her brother – in church. The only time we find her outside is when she’s is moving between these places, time spent outdoors is generally functional – an errand, some shopping, buying meat, getting ingredients for paint. Griet always walks for a reason, only occasionally stopping long enough for Pieter to kiss her.
What does this focus on interiors say about the world the writer describes? Firstly, it is a closed world where people live strictly according to their social status and wealth. When Vermeer says that he never thought he would learn anything from a maid, he is not being ironic – he’s serious. Griet is told by family and friends to remember her place in the social scale of things – not to have ideas above her station.
Secondly, the world of interiors creates tension and difficulties between the characters who live in close but formal proximity. The book is full of envy, jealously, distrust, lechery and manipulation.
Lastly, the interiors are the subjects of Vermeer’s paintings themselves – people caught in the instant of some ordinary action – looking out of a window, writing, picking up a musical instrument, yet the paintings constantly suggest the complex world in which the protagonists are located.
The main interior of the novel however is Griet herself, her imagination, sensibility, artistic awareness and insight are destined to remain an interior world. Her class and gender deny her any outward expression of these things – someone who can equal a painter as great as Vermeer with her sense of composition, colour, shade and touch, will spend her days cutting meat in the town market.
Exam questions:
An art magazine has invited readers to contribute an article recommending a fictional book about an artist. Write about Girl With a Pearl Earring saying why the book is interesting and what impression it gives us of the artist and his world.
Write your article.
Though Girl with a Pearl Earring appears to be about one man and woman, there are several relationships at work. Which is the most difficult relationship? Which is the most promising? Write an essay for your tutor discussing this question.
Write your essay.
You are a member of a Book Club that has asked readers to submit reports on books where a young person is an important protagonist. You should consider these questions: Do you think Griet was typical of other girls her age? In what ways? How did she differ? Did you find her compassionate or selfish? Giving or judgmental?
Write your report.
INTERIORS, by Daniel Brint
Girl with a Pearl Earring is a novel set in rooms – or perhaps, to be more accurate, interiors.
The book opens in Griet’s house, soon moves into the Vermeer’s where she inhabits the areas of her work and her bedroom. From the crucifixion room, to the studio, kitchen attic and dining room, Griet’s days involve going from one to the other. We see her in the market, in her family, at home, visiting her brother – in church. The only time we find her outside is when she’s is moving between these places, time spent outdoors is generally functional – an errand, some shopping, buying meat, getting ingredients for paint. Griet always walks for a reason, only occasionally stopping long enough for Pieter to kiss her.
What does this focus on interiors say about the world the writer describes? Firstly, it is a closed world where people live strictly according to their social status and wealth. When Vermeer says that he never thought he would learn anything from a maid, he is not being ironic – he’s serious. Griet is told by family and friends to remember her place in the social scale of things – not to have ideas above her station.
Secondly, the world of interiors creates tension and difficulties between the characters who live in close but formal proximity. The book is full of envy, jealously, distrust, lechery and manipulation.
Lastly, the interiors are the subjects of Vermeer’s paintings themselves – people caught in the instant of some ordinary action – looking out of a window, writing, picking up a musical instrument, yet the paintings constantly suggest the complex world in which the protagonists are located.
The main interior of the novel however is Griet herself, her imagination, sensibility, artistic awareness and insight are destined to remain an interior world. Her class and gender deny her any outward expression of these things – someone who can equal a painter as great as Vermeer with her sense of composition, colour, shade and touch, will spend her days cutting meat in the town market.
Girl with a Pearl Earring -Tracy Chevalier http://www.skoool.ie/skoool/examcentre_sc.asp?id=3549
Plot Summary
Griet is a young girl whose family live in Delft in the Netherlands and who are poor. Her father has been blinded from an accident in his job as a tile painter and so she is forced to take up work as a servant girl for the painter Vermeer and his family. Part of her job is to clean his studio without moving anything. Griet meets the grandmother Maria Thins who is a very shrewd lady. Griet is allowed home on Sundays to visit her family. Catharina is Vermeer’s wife and she dislikes Griet.As time goes on Griet begins to love her lifestyle in the Vermeer house and forget her old life with her own family.At one stage her family are put in quarantine because of the plague. Griet goes shopping to the market and to buy meat. Pieter the butcher’s son begins to fall in love with her. Agnes who is Griet’s sister dies of the plague. All the time Griet describes her growing fascination for the artist Vermeer, and how they meet several times while she is cleaning his studio. He stops painting for a while until one day he arrives into the studio while Griet is cleaning and he sees her against the backdrop of the light from the window. After this incident he begins to paint again. Griet begins to help him with his work painting unknown to his wife. Maria Thins discovers that Griet is helping him but keeps it a secret because she is happy that he is producing something. Griet’s family are Protestant. After some time it becomes apparent to all including his wife that Griet is helping Vermeer in his painting. Catharina is pregnant. One day when she visits her parents her mother announces how she has heard rumours that Vermeer is going to paint her. Eventually Vermeer begins to paint Griet herself. Van Ruijven who is the rich patron of Vermeer orders him to paint a picture of himself and Griet. Vermeer discreetly refuses and instead paints one of Griet on her own for Van Ruijven. All the time Vermeer’s wife is pregnant and unaware of the fact that he is painting Griet. She is warned by a close friend of Vermeer to keep her own identity intact and not give all of herself to the painter.It is Griet herself who realizes what the painting is missing to make it perfect- a pearl ear ring. When she realizes about the ear ring and the consequences of this these words begin to ring in her ears. She knows she will be ruined when his wife discovers about the pearl earring. Maria Thins helps both Griet and Vermeer unknown to his wife Catharina. Vermeer makes her wear the two earrings even though she is in severe pain. Cornelia is the daughter who is always trying to create trouble for Griet. Cornelia informs her mother about the painting, Her mother is furious and summons Griet to give an account. She attacks her husband for not painting her, and tries to damage the painting with a knife. He manages to save the painting. Griet turns on her heel and walks out of the house considering all the possible alternative things that she can now do- go back home, go and see her brother Frans, go off on her own somewhere go to Van Ruijven’s house. After this incident Catharina loses the child that she was expecting.The story concludes many years later with Tanneka a servant from the Vermeer household coming to the meat stall to summon Griet to meet the mistress. Griet is married now to Pieter and they have children. Griet goes back to the house after ten years. He is dead and Catharina is left a widow. She discovers that the painting is with Van Ruijven’s daughter and that he is now dead also. Catharina informs her that her husband died two months ago and Catharina tells her about their poverty. He had asked that Griet should have the pearl ear rings. Catharina announces that she has never worn the ear rings. Griet goes and barters the earrings for twenty guilders and does tell her husband about the ear rings.
Genre
The story is told in the first person narrative voice by Griet who is the main protagonist of the plot. She uses an honest and sincere style of writing and this lends an air of realism and authenticity to the story. The style is vivid and descriptive.
Cultural Context
The novel is set in mid seventeenth century in the Netherlands. It deals with a middle class family and their relationship with a young peasant girl who comes from the working classes. The Vermeers are a Catholic family and it is clear that they live a specific area called Papists Corner.Griet’s first impressions of the inside of the Vermeer household is how it is dominated by a great deal of Catholic paintings.
Theme or Issue
ArtAt the centre of this story is the famous painting of Vermeer entitled Girl With A Pearl Earring. The whole issue of art and its fascination is central to the plot. Vermeer takes a lot of time trying to do his paintings and it is clear that Griet becomes a huge source of inspiration for him in his work. She is sensitive to his nature and his style of painting and facilitates him a lot in his work to such an extent that he manages to finish many paintings.Poverty/MoneyIt is because of a lack of money that Griet is forced to work as a serving girl for the Vermeer family. When she begins to earn some money this offers her a good deal of independence and we see how she grows apart from her family as a result. It is money again which forms a primary consideration in her mother’s mentality when the time comes for Griet to get married. She is advised to marry the butcher’s son because he has a steady income. Even though Vermeer himself belongs to the middle classes they are still not well off because they rely so much on the sale of his paintings. He is dependent on the patronage of Van Ruijven even though secretly he despises him.WomenThere are different types of women represented in this story. Catherina Vermeer’s wife is pregnant nearly all the time. She is seen as a woman who is long-suffering but who clearly loves her husband. Griet by contrast comes from a very different background, which is working class. She is a determined character and clearly changes when she begins to work in the Vermeer household.Cornelia is a spoilt child of the Vermeers who is spiteful and vindictive when she does not get her own way.
Aspects of Story
Plot Summary
Griet is a young girl whose family live in Delft in the Netherlands and who are poor. Her father has been blinded from an accident in his job as a tile painter and so she is forced to take up work as a servant girl for the painter Vermeer and his family. Part of her job is to clean his studio without moving anything. Griet meets the grandmother Maria Thins who is a very shrewd lady. Griet is allowed home on Sundays to visit her family. Catharina is Vermeer’s wife and she dislikes Griet.As time goes on Griet begins to love her lifestyle in the Vermeer house and forget her old life with her own family.At one stage her family are put in quarantine because of the plague. Griet goes shopping to the market and to buy meat. Pieter the butcher’s son begins to fall in love with her. Agnes who is Griet’s sister dies of the plague. All the time Griet describes her growing fascination for the artist Vermeer, and how they meet several times while she is cleaning his studio. He stops painting for a while until one day he arrives into the studio while Griet is cleaning and he sees her against the backdrop of the light from the window. After this incident he begins to paint again. Griet begins to help him with his work painting unknown to his wife. Maria Thins discovers that Griet is helping him but keeps it a secret because she is happy that he is producing something. Griet’s family are Protestant. After some time it becomes apparent to all including his wife that Griet is helping Vermeer in his painting. Catharina is pregnant. One day when she visits her parents her mother announces how she has heard rumours that Vermeer is going to paint her. Eventually Vermeer begins to paint Griet herself. Van Ruijven who is the rich patron of Vermeer orders him to paint a picture of himself and Griet. Vermeer discreetly refuses and instead paints one of Griet on her own for Van Ruijven. All the time Vermeer’s wife is pregnant and unaware of the fact that he is painting Griet. She is warned by a close friend of Vermeer to keep her own identity intact and not give all of herself to the painter.It is Griet herself who realizes what the painting is missing to make it perfect- a pearl ear ring. When she realizes about the ear ring and the consequences of this these words begin to ring in her ears. She knows she will be ruined when his wife discovers about the pearl earring. Maria Thins helps both Griet and Vermeer unknown to his wife Catharina. Vermeer makes her wear the two earrings even though she is in severe pain. Cornelia is the daughter who is always trying to create trouble for Griet. Cornelia informs her mother about the painting, Her mother is furious and summons Griet to give an account. She attacks her husband for not painting her, and tries to damage the painting with a knife. He manages to save the painting. Griet turns on her heel and walks out of the house considering all the possible alternative things that she can now do- go back home, go and see her brother Frans, go off on her own somewhere go to Van Ruijven’s house. After this incident Catharina loses the child that she was expecting.The story concludes many years later with Tanneka a servant from the Vermeer household coming to the meat stall to summon Griet to meet the mistress. Griet is married now to Pieter and they have children. Griet goes back to the house after ten years. He is dead and Catharina is left a widow. She discovers that the painting is with Van Ruijven’s daughter and that he is now dead also. Catharina informs her that her husband died two months ago and Catharina tells her about their poverty. He had asked that Griet should have the pearl ear rings. Catharina announces that she has never worn the ear rings. Griet goes and barters the earrings for twenty guilders and does tell her husband about the ear rings.
Genre
The story is told in the first person narrative voice by Griet who is the main protagonist of the plot. She uses an honest and sincere style of writing and this lends an air of realism and authenticity to the story. The style is vivid and descriptive.
Cultural Context
The novel is set in mid seventeenth century in the Netherlands. It deals with a middle class family and their relationship with a young peasant girl who comes from the working classes. The Vermeers are a Catholic family and it is clear that they live a specific area called Papists Corner.Griet’s first impressions of the inside of the Vermeer household is how it is dominated by a great deal of Catholic paintings.
Theme or Issue
ArtAt the centre of this story is the famous painting of Vermeer entitled Girl With A Pearl Earring. The whole issue of art and its fascination is central to the plot. Vermeer takes a lot of time trying to do his paintings and it is clear that Griet becomes a huge source of inspiration for him in his work. She is sensitive to his nature and his style of painting and facilitates him a lot in his work to such an extent that he manages to finish many paintings.Poverty/MoneyIt is because of a lack of money that Griet is forced to work as a serving girl for the Vermeer family. When she begins to earn some money this offers her a good deal of independence and we see how she grows apart from her family as a result. It is money again which forms a primary consideration in her mother’s mentality when the time comes for Griet to get married. She is advised to marry the butcher’s son because he has a steady income. Even though Vermeer himself belongs to the middle classes they are still not well off because they rely so much on the sale of his paintings. He is dependent on the patronage of Van Ruijven even though secretly he despises him.WomenThere are different types of women represented in this story. Catherina Vermeer’s wife is pregnant nearly all the time. She is seen as a woman who is long-suffering but who clearly loves her husband. Griet by contrast comes from a very different background, which is working class. She is a determined character and clearly changes when she begins to work in the Vermeer household.Cornelia is a spoilt child of the Vermeers who is spiteful and vindictive when she does not get her own way.
Aspects of Story
Tension
Tension in this novel occurs when Griet knows that he will paint her and that she will be forced to wear his wife’s earrings. It increases when Cornelia informs Catharina about the painting.
Climax
The climax of this novel occurs in the confrontation between Griet and Catharina and also Vermeer and Maria Thins. Catherina accuses Griet of stealing her pearls but knows this is not true at the same time. Catherina tries to damage the painting with a knife but Vermeer grabs it from her hand. Griet walks away from the scene.
Resolution
This occurs with the inevitable separation of Griet from the Vermeer house. She decides to marry the local butcher’s son. Ten years later she is informed by Catharina that Vermeer is dead and that he has left her the ear rings in his will. She never tells her husband but decides to pawn them instead.
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