It was not a town where gossip stayed put but a town where gossip spread faster than wildfire. “It was not a house where secrets could be kept easily” but a house where very few could be trusted and ”he [Johanas Vermeer] had decided to trust [Griet].” A humble and modest girl, Griet, only 16 years old, is sent to the famous painter Johannes Vermeer’s home to serve as their faithful maid. Her father, a former master tile painter, was blinded by a factory accident and her younger brother Frans is sent off to an apprenticeship. Griet must leave the comfort of her small home and leave behind the love of her parents and younger sister. The only thing that she takes with her is a tile painted especially for her by her father—one of the only unflawed works of masterpiece that her father brought home. Tracy Chevalier's story takes you back in time and you feel that you are walking next to and working alongside Griet as she narrates the story through her point of view.
Based on a true story, The Girl with the Pearl Earring highlights the social world of 17th-century Delft, Holland. As the story unfolds, Chevalier’s story highlights the status of women in the 17th century and how their role affects society. By depicting Griet’s everyday struggles, Chevalier highlights the status of women in society and how they are troubled by the overarching patriarchy. Griet is flawless and her beauty is sure to take away anyone’s breath. Famous painter Johannes Vermeer insists that Griet is what their home needs—her organization, her patience, her honesty, her caution, her care, her loyalty. Despite contrary beliefs, serving as the maid of the most honored painter in town isn’t all that wonderful. Griet frequently catches Master Vermeer intently staring, as if to say something more. Only to escalate, Vermeer requests for more without Griet's– or anyone’s for that matter– consent. Additional problems exist for Griet outside the walls of Vermeer’s home. However, this book does not fail to highlight that the overarching patriarchy wouldn’t be possible without a woman’s feministic characteristics. The more you read, the more you will want to read. The Girl with the Pearl Earring highlights common struggles of girls– yet it is so unfamiliar, so set-off, so unrealistic when we read it.