| Girl with a Pearl Earring tracks the coming of age of a teenage girl, Griet, given as a servant to the family of famous painter, Vermeer. The novel revolving around the painting Vermeer created of "The Girl with a Pearl Earring," the entire plot builds up to the modeling and painting of Griet, the maidservant become an artist's canvas subject. There is a tension between Griet's duty to support her family, as her father's work accident has permanently blinded him, and a desire to remain close to those who love her, and steadfast to her origins. This is Griet's first encounter with men, the prospects of marriage to a butcher's son, an unattainable artist, and a queasy physical harassment by the nobleman and benefactor to Vermeer. A jealous wife, obstinate and nosy Vermeer child, and the queasy benefactor, entrap Griet in a web of danger. The motivations for her final choice reveals the complications of even simple life, and the duties we have to our families and morals. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book? - thoughtful Time/era of story - 1600-1899 - Life of a profession: Poverty, surviving Yes Kind of living: - general poverty story Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Job/Profession/Status story Yes Main Character Gender - Female Profession/status: Ethnicity/Nationality Main Adversary Identity: - Female Age: - a kid Profession/status: How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 5 () Europe Yes European country: - France Water? Yes City? Yes City: - dirty, grimy (like New York) - wealthy Misc setting Writing Style Sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - vague references only - descript of kissing - licking - impregnation/reproduction - rape/molest Weird Victorian/Shakespearean English? Yes Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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