-Religion
Protestants and Catholics always have had conflicts since the beginning of
European history. In the novel, Chevalier created in the beginning and immediate boundary between Griet and the house of Vermeer
with the two different religions. Upon entering her bedroom, Griet is horrified and disgusted with the crucifixion painting
hanging at the foot of her bed. Historically, Vermeer lived in Delft, whose population was mostly Protestant. The house that
Griet serves at in the story, was located next to a "secret" worship place for Catholics at the time.
-Art
Art is almost one of the main focuses of the novel. The novel revovles around
Vermeer's creation and the reader sees and explores the paintings from Griet's point of view. Griet learns the ways of creating
paint, of mixing colors and seeing the world through an artists' eyes. The way Griet made paint in the novel was the same
way Vermeer and other painters created their mediums. Chevalier also incorporates not only the Girl With a Pearl Earring but
other drawings such as the Woman in the Red Dress and others. Research was also done on Vermeer's studio in order to create
the setting where Griet served her master.
-Gender Roles
Gender roles of men and women were also important both during the time of
history and in the novel. Women were considered care-takers of the house and family. Catharina as well as Mria Thins represents
this. Catharina eventually bears eleven kids for Vermeer. The continual influx of kids represent how women were the providers
of offspring. Maria Thins, the mother of Catharina, was both historically and in the noval caretaker of all. Vermeer lived
off of Maria's income, only producing paintings two to three times a year. In the novel, Maria, to Griet, seems to be the
highest ranking samily member in the house; Griet goes out of her way to obery Maria. Also, Maria is the one who steals Catharina's
pearl earrings for Griet to wear. This act against a family member shows how even in blood, their is a class and an order
that is followed.
The male job in the family is represented by Pieter the father and Griet's father. Pieter
the father is a butcher, making an income for him and his son, Pieter jr. The role of the male in history was indeed to be
the one who provided the money while the woman would invest it in the house. Griet's father, at a young age, was apprenticed
in the way of creating tiles. This trade, he passed down to Griet's brother, Frans. Being the only son in Griet's family is
sent off at age thirteen to a factory in order to pick up his father's trade. Young men taking after their father's profession
was also not uncommon during the historical age that this novel took place in.
-Economics
Economics always lingered on the edge of a knife. Life and properity could
be going well until one accident of event happens and all is destroyed. One example of this tedious living would be Griet's
lifestyle. Griet's father lost his job as a tile painter a year before becoming a maid for Vermeer. Griet's father lost his
sight as well as some moving ability. In this condition, Griet's family fell into poverty and needed an income to keep food
coming on the table. While Griet walks toward Vermeer's house for the first time, she has almost a half-expectant feeling
towards her situation. Job accidents and sudden poverty was not uncommon; Griet identifies herself with the other countless
young women who left home to serve and raise money for their families'.
-Social Class
The social class is well-defined both in the novel and is the time period. The poor were
never associated with the higher class; Griet's humbleness towards her serving family shows the rude attitude of the higher
class to the lower class. Age does not matter; Cornelia who is about eight during Griet's stay is most disrespectful.
Griet, though, cannot complain for if she were, she would be kicked out and Griet's family would fall into even deeper
poverty.
The lower status of Griet could also be represented with Griet's whole idea of dress. Peasants
never showed hair, or many physical features. Peasants wore brown, white, black; plain colours that had them blend into society,
while the wealthy wore their hair in beautiful styles and stylish dresses. Griet herself is uncomfortable wearing a yellow
and blue bonnet for Vermeer to paint her in, showing the strict dress rules.
Even though Griet's master, Vermeer, is well-respected, he is also forced to listen to
his patron, van Ruijven. One because Vermeer recieves money from Ruijven but also, Ruijven is higher in ranking in society
than Vermeer is. So, when Ruikjven demands a portriat of Griet to be painted, Vermeer himself refuses but his will is bound
and a portrait is created.
With lower class represented by Griet and higher class by Vermeer, a person coming from
the middle class would be Pieter the father and the son. Both men are well-respected in the town of Delft for, they are butchers.
Butchers provide food, an essential to survival. Butchers are just one of the few from middle class folk. Other shopkeepers
and store owners are respected and paid a fair amount. Marrying someone from the middle class was a way to in a sense "move
up" in rank. That is why, at the end of the novel, Griet doesn't run to her family, they are poor and famished. Instead, she
runs to Pieter the son, who provides her with a home family and most importantly, money and a life.
