The choice that Griet made at the end of the novel interested me. I will not give away her final choice, but I will tell you that it was not the obvious choice that her character would make. I think this show show much her character really has changed throughout the novel.
At the end of the novel Catharina gives Griet the pearl earrings, saying she has not been able to wear them since the day she saw the painting. I believe this is Catharina’s way to rid herself of everything that would have reminded her of Vermeer’s betrayal and of the time Griet spent as a maid in the household.
I really enjoyed this novel which surprised me because I did not expect a historical fiction novel to be so entertaining and interesting. The most intriguing thing of the novel was the style that it was written in, and I recommend this novel to anyone just so one can read this style for themselves. The novel was very well written and did not over dramatize characters to make it more interesting, but stayed with the true personality of each character which made it more compelling to read.
I do wish that the ended had been more substantial, with a definite ending point in the story, but the conclusion was a bit unclear, so the reader is left to wonder what happens next and what will happen for the rest of Griet’s life.
My final thoughts on the characters is that they all were in relationships built on false half-truths that complicated these relationships. These relationships changed the characters from who they were in the beginning of the novel to who they became at the end. This story really shows the development of a character and how humans evolve throughout experiences and throughout time.

Thanks for reading the blog and I hope you enjoyed it!

This last section of the novel proved to be very interesting. The style of the novel impresses me because nothing is too obscene nor is any action too sudden. The simple details give the book a style different from any I am familiar with. In this section of the novel the tension between the characters built up to a point where one of the character’s facade’s broke down.
Vermeer has finished his painting of Griet, which has caused much grief in her case. On page 198 she states how she was, “so surprised by this request that my mouth remained open of its own will. I blinked back tears. Virtuous women did not open their mouths in paintings. It was as if he had been in the alley with Pieter and me. You have ruined me, I thought. I licked my lips again”. At this point of the novel Griet has realized Vermeer’s selfish intentions and has become scarred by what Vermeer is posing her to be. Her head scarf, mouth position, and stare do not give off the impression of a virtuous girl. What I found sad was Griet’s heartbroken reaction because of her feelings for Vermeer.
Once this painting was finished, Catharina finds it drying in the studio, with Griet’s face wearing her earrings. In a moment of anger and resentment towards her husband and Griet she addresses the real problem. Catharina turns to Vermeer and asks, “why… have you never painted me?” (214) where he responds “You and the children are not a part of this world… You are not meant to be”. This confrontation really brings attention to the separate two worlds that had been known but not spoken of. This really creates conflict within the household because Catharina is finally told where she belongs in her family, and this conflicts with her character.

Though there is one last section in the novel, which is the epilogue, I find the novel pretty much concluded. I had hoped that the novel would have ended on a happy note, but if anything it seems it will end melancholy. This section ends with Griet leaving the Vermeer household after Catharina’s outburst with a variety of options laid out in front of her.

“I could go back to my parents.
I could find Pieter at the Meat Hall and agree to marry him.
I could go to van Ruijven’s house-he would take me in with a smile.
I could go to van Leeuwenhoek and ask him to take pity on me.
I could go to Rotterdam and search for Frans.
I could go off on my own somewhere far away.
I could go back to Papists’ Corner.
I could go into the New Church and pray to God for guidance” (216).

These numerous choices do not give any hint to what choice she will make, but I am very curious about her final choice and what effect it will have on the rest on her life.

Now that I am fully into my novel (for my reading sections are set up by the years Griet stays in the Vermeers house and are not of equal page length) I have a well developed understanding of the plots and characters in the novel.  As I predicted, the relationships between the characters became tainted and twisted. Griet catches the interest of Vermeer’s best patron who has insisted Griet is in Vermeer’s next painting. van Ruijven (the patron) has a reputation for making girls his after he demands a painting of them. This stirs up conflict between Vermeer and van Ruijven which is obvious to Maria Thins who states, “My son-in-law is no willing to  paint you with van Ruijven than you are willing to sit with him” (Chevalier 157). She points out how Vermeer has become possessive over Griet and the two develop an unspoken relationship that Vermeer’s friend, Van Leeuwenhoek, notices and warns Griet to, “watch out for yourself,my dear…you must know that he’s painting you to satisfy van Ruijven. Van Ruijven’s interest in you has made your master protective of you… do not get caught in their battle. You could be hurt” (Chevalier 185). His warning seems to be a foreshadowing to the end of the novel and the resolution of the love triangle.

Meanwhile, Catharine is carrying another child as her husband becomes closer to Griet. I believe her need for a big family is because of her distant relationship with her husband. I feel that this lack of attention she receives drives her crazy inside, so she seeks for an excess of love from other sources, her children. This separation between the two worlds of her family, her and the children from Vermeer and his painting grow throughout the novel, and burst open in the end of the section when Vermeer finally makes it clear to his wife that, “you and the children are not a part of this world.. you are not meant to be” (Chevalier 214). He recognizes the separation between his family, which further upsets Catharine causing her to have a miscarriage.

I hope the end of the novel will provide some happiness for all characters in some form, and that Griet is able to recover from the shocking events that occurred the day Catharine found the painting.

Above, is the trailer for the movie version of Girl with a Pearl Earring, starring Scarlett Johnson as Griet.

Click on this for a timeline concerning events from the 1600s – 1700s. On the left hand side of the page is a column with numerous years listed. You can click on the different years to get an in-depth explanation of events during that time, verses the general explanation of the page listed. Griet lived in an era where religious ideals and tolerance were changing. This affected the treatment of each other, the religious classes, and the introduction of new ideas. The Plague unfortunately occurs in this century too which in the story mercilessly kills Griet’s younger sister.

This imovie creation showcases Vermeer’s artwork and displays his pieces so one can understand his subjects and style of painting.

Delft, The Netherlands

Dear Readers,

Getting farther into the novel I have realized there are an abundance of characters. The main character, Griet, is sent to live with a large Catholic family, each recognized by name. The family is actually the kin of the painter Johannes Vermeer, whom Griet becomes the maid for. In order to prevent confusion, the list below shows each character and who they are in relation to Griet.

Griet- the main character, a teen protestant dutch girl who lives a conservative lifestyle

Father- Griet’s father, a tile maker who went blind in a kiln accident. It is because of his disability Griet is send to earn money for her family.

Mother- Griet’s mother is an opinionated woman whom sees the change that is happening to Griet throughout the novel

Agnes- Griet’s younger sister who she is quite close too. Anges passes away when the plague hits Delft.

Frans- Griet’s brother who works as an apprentice in a tile factory. Griet grows farther from him as his interest turns to possessions and money than the benefit of his hard work.

Johannas Vermeer- A famous painter who expresses interest in Griet. He is her master and creates many lifestyle changes when Griet moves into the house.

Catharina Vermeer- Johannas’s wife. She has many children in order to compensate for her husbands distance. She dislikes Griet, though Griet is her personal maid.

Maria Thins- Catharina’s mother. She is a kind and clever old woman who knows the happenings in and around her house, even if the rest of her family remains unaware.

Cornelia- One of the daughters who is mentioned a great deal in the novel. She causes a lot of mischief  for Griet. 

Tanneke- The other maid in the Vermeer household. Her master is Maria Thins and she holds a grudge against Griet for the special treatment she sometimes receives.

Pieter the son- The son of Pieter the father, Griet’s suitor

Pieter the father – The Vermeer’s butcher, the father of Pieter the son

In this section of the novel, it has become apparent that character conflict is arising. Griet has suppressed feelings towards Vermeer, which show to her suitor, Pieter the son, on many occasions. Griet has also been accused of changing her morals and values by her family due to the time she spends in the Vermeer household. 

Griet also causes conflict between her mistress and the other family members. The growing jealously of Catharine creates trouble in Griet’s day -to- day lifestyle and tension between her mistress and master. I believe the developing problem will be the classic love triangle between Griet, Vermeer, Catharine and Pieter the son.

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I really enjoy the style that the novel is written in. The formal style is compatible with the in-depth descriptions of  Vermeer’s paintings. The characters develop specific relationships with each other, that create interest and layer emotions in order to further explain the characters in the novel. I was surprised on how much I enjoyed reading the novel to this point, and I hope that the conflict between the characters will continue to thicken, because there is great interest in the character’s actions.

Reading Sections:

Part One:     1664   (pg 3-86)

Part Two:     1665   (pg 87-169)

Part Three:   1666   (pg 173- 216)

Part Four:     1676   (pg 219 – 233)

Hey there Readers!

The picture above is the very famous piece called Girl with the Pearl Earring, by a Dutch artist named Johannes Vermeer. There is little know about the allusive artist, though it is clear the Girl with the Pearl Earring is his masterpiece, often called the Mona Lisa of the North. The novel based off of this painting creates fictional terms under which the painting was painted. It follows the story of the girl in the painting and how she ends up modeling for Vermeer. It also touches on possible conflicts the earrings in the painting pose as well as the reasons for technical aspects of the craft of painting  such as the girl’s cap and the slightly open mouth.

In the mid 1660s Delft, a city in Holland, still held religious tensions between Catholics and Protestants, though Catholics were moderately accepted. The Protestants were known as a more somber group of people as is the main character.  This also could create conflict between Vermeer’s family, Protestants, and the main character. The girl may also have dilemmas with her own family about her new job and the new experiences she encounters in this new environment. 

So far in the novel, the characters have been introduced as well as some basic conflict about social views and being torn between duty and family. I believe that the novel will progress with emphasis on the development of different relationships between the girl, her family,Vermeer and his family. The novel is already touching upon the idea of change and progression. For example the girl is already introduced to many Protestant paintings in the house on the day of her arrival, which stirs some unease in herself.