"Girl With A Pearl earring" (pg 169 - 233)

Summary:

“You smell of linseed oil” Griet’s father said to her on Sunday. Her parents did not know that she was being painted by Vermeer. She told her parents about the other paintings that he was working on. Pieter never told Griet that she smelled of Linseed oil. When Pieter and Griet made love, she did not look at his face or his hands. He wanted to see her hair but she did not let him. She was to set in the chair again for Vermeer so that he can paint her. Sometimes she would take the other woman’s spot when they were not present. Vermeer wanted to paint Griet differently, not like a maid. He wanted to paint her just like the first time he saw her at her mother’s kitchen. Vermeer told Greit to take of her cap so he can paint her, but she refused; but one day Vermeer saw her with out her cap. So Vermeer gave her some pieces of cloths to tie it around her heard to cover her hair. Vermeer suggested her to wear his wife’s pearl’s, to complete his painting of her. Van Leeuwenhoek told Griet that Vermeer liked her and that she should take care to remain her self. Catherina was again 6 months pregnant. When the painting of Griet was finished, Cornelia some how found out and told her mother about it. Catharina was very upset and angry when she found out about it, and asked Vermeer why he had not painted her. Griet was afraid and left their house and never cam back. Greit married Pieter and was working at the meat shop. Griet had two sons, who were kicking and playing with a bone. One day Tanneke came to the meat shop to tell Griet that Catharina wanted to see her. When Greit went to Catharina’s house she had eleven children, some she recognized and others she did not. Catharina gave the pearl earrings that belong to her to Greit, because after Vermeer death he wrote a note to gave the pearl earrings to Griet.  

Part I liked:

I liked the part when Griet received the pearl earrings, because after she left Vermeer’s house, she thought he just painted her for Van Ruijven’s pleasure and never really cared about her. But now that she knew he wrote the letter to Van Leeuwenhoek to give her the earrings, she actually knew that he liked her and cared for her.

Interpretation:

Griet experienced many things as a young girl. Her life was full of love, hate, jealousy, hardship, and other experiences throughout her work as a maid at Vermeer’s house. As Griet becomes closer to Vermeer she did not realize how dangerous the situation can get and what she is in to. This eventually led Griet to leave the house. It was a good and a bad thing for Griet to leave the house. She did not have to work as a maid anymore and was happy to live with Pieter.

" Girl With A Pearl Earring" pg 110-169

Summary:

Now that Griet sleeps in the attic, she noticed she loved staying there, even though she does not like being locked in at night. She had a little freedom to wonder around the studio and look at Vermeer’s paintings. She was able to help Vermeer, to wash and grind colors. Although Griet was scared if Catharina knew about her helping Vermeer, but she felt save since Maria Thin knows that she helps Vermeer to paint faster. Tanaka became mean and sloppier because she started to get even more jealous about Griet being in the attic and so was Catharina. Griet found out that Tanneke is royal to Catharnia and maria Thins, because once Tanneke saved Catharina from getting hit by Catharina’s brother William who was violent just like his father. She had found out the even Maria Thin was beaten by her husband and that is why her husband and her were separated. One Sunday Pieter had visited the church to meet Griet’s family. Pieter would come some times and became friendly with Griet’s parents. Griet realized that even when she talks to Pieter, she thinks about Vermeer. Griet’s mother invited Pieter to eat with them, and Griet knew that they had to eat less to serve Pieter. Pieter and Griet finally came close to each other, and Griet got her first kiss from Pieter while saying bye to Pieter after he had ate. When Vermeer was finished painting the bakers daughter, the baker and his family came to look at the painting and bought it from Vermeer. Then Vermeer stared to paint Van Ruijven’s wife. Griet had posed for Van Ruijven’s wife when she could not make it to the studio for some reason. Griet deicide to change something in the studio because she did not like the way Vermmer had set it up to paint, she was worried if he would say anything to her. Vermeer had not said anything to her, but made her change in his paintings. Griet had asked Vermeer if his paintings were of Catholics. Vermeer told her it depends on how the people see it, and not about a religious figure. Griet learned that Vermeer was protestant before he had married Catharina. Griet had started to also think about Pieter when she went to the meat shop and did not see him there, she felt sad. Cornelia stole Griet’s comb and placed her mothers with Griet’s. At the markets people were talking about Greit that Vermeer will paint he with Van Ruijven. Vermeer told Griet to set in his studio because he was going to paint her. 

Part I liked:

I like the part when Griet went to buy meat at the meat shop with Maertge and had tiers because she did not see Pieter, which shows that she does like Peiter. Peiter’s father saw her and knew that she like also has feelings for Peiter.

Questions:

If Van Ruijven is the patron for Vermeer, who buys most of his paintings and is richer then Vermeer; why does Van Ruijven’s wife wears Catharina’s pearls doesn’t she have her own pearls?

Interpretation:

As Griet started to know more about Vermeer and Pieter, she is confused about who she likes. Griet like's Vermeer because of his paintings, it brings an imagination to her, where she feels she can escape and feel free to talk about colors and how it is used in Vermeer's paintings. With Pieter, she likes him because of his blue eyes and his charming looks, but not just because of that, Pieter was a nice man, who showed interest in her and is welling to marry her. When Griet is with Pieter she felt she was back in her same old life again how it was before, so  Pieter also make her feel comfortable in some ways. Griet would ask both Vermeer and Pieter, about things that she felt was wrong or wanted to know more about. Both Vermeer and Pieter gave her a place to be her self then with other people that surrounds her.  

Revision for Composition # 6

           In history, the government had too much control over its people. They corrupted and exploited the society to benefit themselves in some ways. Bad intentions and evil doings of the government can lead others to also follow and believe what the government does. But sometimes the society does know that they are being manipulated by the government. I believe it is true that corrupted governments do face their consequences and suffer for their crimes that they had done to the society.

            Both Adolf Hitler and King Louis XIV were the most famous political leaders in history. When Hitler rose to power in Germany, he had corrupted and exploited the Germans with false accusations. Hitler committed evil acts towards the Jewish people. King Louis XIV the “sun king” had taken advantage of his society by making the people pay more taxes.

            Hitler killed millions of Jews, just because he felt that the whites were superior to any other race. Hitler put many Jewish families in prison with little food to eat. He tortured them, and used poison gas to kill them. Most of the German society also agreed, believed and supported Hitler’s ideas towards the Jewish race. Even though Hitler felt he was right about his actions he really was not. Countries like the United States were against Hitler’s actions and wanted to help the Jewish society in German that were held in prison. In the end Hitler had shot himself because he realized that he failed to complete his mission and everyone was against him.

            King Louis XIV lived in a mansion, with a lot of servants and maids. King Louis got most of his wealth from his people, by making them pay taxes. Louis did not use the tax money to help his people, but to benefit himself. King Louis took advantage of the majority of the poor people, so the poor got poorer and the rich got richer. Later Louis had decided to escape his kingdom because he knew that people were against him and are welling to change the law, to lower taxation. But eventually he was captured and executed because of his evil actions towards his people.   

            This is why the government, people, or even the society who uses their power towards others or individuals, will pay for their consequences for evil doings when the right time comes.

"Girl With A Pearl Earring" pg 67 - 110

Summary:
When Griet went to the meat shop, Pieter told her about her family’s illness. Greit was upset when she heard that her sister Agnes was more ill because of the plague. The next Sunday Griet went to visit her brother Frans to tell him about the plague. Frans was angry because no one had told him about the plague. Since the plague continued in her neighborhood, she was not allowed to go home until the quarantine was over. Griet cleaned up the studio, but this time she was able to move things, because Vermeer was finished with his things until he will use it again. Now that she had to move things around the studio, she was not comfortable in that room. Van Ruijven and his wife had come to Vermeer’s house to see Van Ruijven’s wife portrait. Van Ruijven was asking questions about Griet wanting to know more about her and wanted to be accompanied by her. Finally when Griet heard from Pieter that the quarantine was over, she hurried home to see her family and found out that Agnes had died. Greit was not able to do her work properly then before, because she was not able to get over Agnes. Everyone in Vermeer’s family knows what had happened to Agnes, and did not really blame Greit, for her being careless at her jobs. Even though Catherina knows the death of Agnes, she does not show her any kind emotions to Greit, but acts usual as before. Griet found herself comfortable and felt warmth from Aleydis and Cornelia seems to feel bad for Griet and offers her a doll that they no longer play with. Catherina had given birth to another boy Franciscus; after he was born they all prayed and blessed for the baby and Catherina. Once again Vermeer stared to paint again and this time it was a painting of the baker’s daughter. Griet learned how to grain colors for Vermeer’s paintings. She was to sleep in the attic because now the nurse moved in for few days. 

Part I Liked:

Now that Griet is sleeping in the attic she is able to give more time to herself and also with him. She had learned how to grind colors and felt comfortable with the environment she was working in. She felt no need for her to explain, with her helping Vermeer to Maria Thins, because Maria Thins figured out that he paints faster that Griet is helping him. 

Question:

1). Does Vermeer really care about Griet, or was he just inspired by her colorful imagination?

2). Why Tracy Chevalier choose to put years instead of chapters ?

Interpretation:

Griet was able to help Vermeer to paint faster. By helping Vermeer with grinding the colors, she was able to learn more about him and the colors he uses in his paintings. She is now involved with his paintings as well;  when ever he needed anything she would get it for him. Griet has learned how to talk properly and to make long things short, with out having to say too much, with Vermeer, Maria thins, Catherina and all the other members in the house hold. She is facing challenges each day, but she has also learned how to resolve them in some way. 

Revision for Compostion #5

            An individual’s characteristics and development can change by the society they live in. Many times social practices were accepted and perhaps even good, became unacceptable and harmful in the society when time changes. Every society, at any point has some bad things that need to be changed. Behavior of individuals is very much influences by the culture of the society, so we must differentiate between wrong doings of individuals due to evil intentions and cultural pressure. The book “1984” by George Orwell and “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley shows how the society had corrupted and changed once thoughts and ideas. Even though the individual knows it is not right. 

           

            In the book “1984” by George Orwell shows how the character Winston who wanted to change the way he lived and wanted a privet and a free way of life. Winston even wishes that he could be a prole because the proles were living a better life without police observation then the people in the "Big Brothers" society. He secretly hates the Party and wants to rebel by writing in a diary about his thoughts. Winston knows that one day he will be caught and killed. When Winston was finally caught he had gone to prison, he was tortured and was brainwashed. Winston wanted to escape and rebel “Big Brother” but he couldn’t because of the society he lives in had shaped and developed him to love big brother and believe what they told him which he had before criticized.

           

            In the book “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley shows how the society made everyone equal even though they weren’t “everyone belongs to everyone else”.  It shows that there is no individualism and that it does not excites. The government uses a process by forming modern civilization, by taken away history and education. Everything was made and produced by technology. The character Bernard is really more interested in excelling socially than in defining his individuality. Bernard’s popularity increased after he discovered John, but before that Bernard was lonely, insecure, and isolated. When he returns with John, he uses his popularity to participate in all of the aspects of World State society that he had criticized before.

                       

            Another character from “Brave New World” John used ideas from Shakespeare which helped him to understand his own complex emotions and reactions, which help him, realize why he should criticized the World State’s values and John understood his own ideas against the government. But in the end even he failed to change the society and his own way of life, when the World State confronted him of “orgy porgy” which he would never participate in. But the society influenced him to attempt the “orgy porgy” even though he did not want to. Both the characters in the novel resulted of an insanity created by the world around them.

           

       Both “Brave New World” and “1984” show how environment shape’s individual’s growth and development. Individuals are established by the place and culture they live in. The society can change the way individual’s think, and it can also change their ideas to what the society believes. The importance for individuals is the way they feel about their society and how it changes them. Change can be frightening because it could end up being for the worst. But there are time’s when change can be for the best and that is why people fight for it.  

"A Modern Problem" (Computer LAB)

Since we are now in the twenty century, there is a higher rate of men and women working. Working has been the main goal for people who are seeking for a better life. So many times husbands and wives want to keep their jobs, but there are always arguments of who should not stay home and take care of the children.

In the short story, “A Modern Problem” shows how two couple Jane and Michael, share their feelings and thoughts about one another, in their new family life. Jane argued why she should return to work and Michael argued why Jane should not go to work. Both of them had their own reasons and opinions about why they feel their opinion is right. Jane tells us why she wants to work; she wants to keep her job, board at home, and found an affordable daycare for her kids. She also admits that she is not a good mother to her children because she is frustrated at home. Her overall reason is that she wants to help her family by going back to work and use the extra money for her children.

Michael, Jane’s husband in the other hand does not feel his wife should go back to work. He feels that Jane should stay home and take care of her twin’s girls. He also feels that their 3 year old twin, are too young to be left alone at day care. He felt that Jane had a responsibility as a mother, which is to take care of her children. He understands that Jane does not feel happy staying home all day, but he thinks that she will be board at work as well. Michael also feels that they do not need the extra money for the family, because he feels that he can manage the family. Although he does want her to work, but until their kids go to school full time. He had said that Jane is not being realistic, and that she is not thinking about what is best for her children.

In my opinion Jane is realistic and she does think about her children, because as a fact she had found a good daycare for her children and though about buying things for her family with the extra money. Even she knows that she is not a good mother, maybe it could be best for her to send the kids to daycare where they will have more things to do, and get educated in an early age. I feel that Jane had planed her goals ahead, when she was in college and now she wants to use her education skills and privilege for helping her family.

Both Jane and Michael needs to saddle things in order for them to be happy. They both have to communicate with one another about what they should do as a result of their problem. I believe that they should first try Jane’s idea for about 2 months and see how it works for them, and if that does not work they should try something else, for example, maybe Michael can stay home in the morning and work at night, while Jane work in morning and stay home at night. This might help them or any other couple who are dealing with the same issue.

Readers Response: "Girl with a Pearl Earring" (pg 1- 67)

Summary:

 A 16 year old girl named Griet, lived with her family in a small poor house. Griet was the oldest from her sister Agnes and her bother Frans. She lived in a neighborhood where only Protestant lived. Her father was not able to work and lost his trade, because he had an accident when working in the tile factory, and lost his eye sight. She was to work as a maid for, the Vermeer’s family who were Catholic. Johannes Vermeer who was a painter, and his wife Catharina had haired Griet to do the housework, laundry, clean the studio, and take care of Catharina’s six children who were, Aleydis the youngest, Maertge the oldest, Cornelia the second oldest, Lisbeth and their little brother Johannes. Catharina was jealous of Griet, because Griet was allowed to go to the studio. But Griet had founded out why Catherina was not allowed to go to the studio, because Catharina was clumsy and had broken a box which belonged to Van Leeuwenhoek. Griet would get paid eight stuivers a day, and only came home Sundays to meet her family and go to church. Her father had told her about the patron named Van Ruijven who bought most of Vermeer’s paintings. When Griet was on her way to Vermeer’s, she had stood in the center of an eight pointed star inside a circle, which made her feel as her center of a new beginning and her new life. While she had stayed with the Vermeer’s family she had seen may paintings that were not her masters painting. She had figured out how every was and how she should behave and act with them. She noticed that Tannekke the other maid who have being working with the Vermeer family and Catharina were both jealous of her, and Cornelia had a change of mood sometimes she is nice and most of the time she is mean. Griet had met someone new in the meat shop his name his Pieter, who she gets her meat from. Griet had heard from Pieter that her sister was ill because of the Plague.  Griet was sad and hopeless because she was not able to do anything. 

 Part I liked:

When Griet finally met and talked to Vermeer, in the studio while she was cleaning. He had shown her the camera obscura which had pictures that he uses them to draw. It shows that Vermeer knew that she was good with colors, because when he and his wife first saw her at her house kitchen chopping vegetable, she had placed the chopped vegetable on the plate with colors of the different vegetables and presented them nicely for the soup. Griet had asked him “But why do you look at it, sir, when you can look at your own painting.”….  “But you use your eyes to see.” Vermeer felt that someone like Griet cares the way he does is paintings and admires it, then the way others do.

 Questions:

Will Giret love Pieter?

Why was the camera obscura not in Vermeer’s studio?

Interpretation: For Griet working as a maid in a wealthy Catholic family, was a new beginning of her life. Her life totally changed from a normal teen living with her family in a poor home to ,working as a maid for a painter. There were jealousy from Catherina and Tanekke, which she had to face most of the time, but was not able to do anything. She had turned her back to her sister in the meat shop, which she had never expected to do. She had realized that she loves colors and is happy only in the studio when she is with Vermeer. Her life totally changed even when she came home on Sundays to visit her parents, is like she had forgotten were things where in her house. She is facing a situation which she had never faced before. The question is will her change bring her happiness or will it not?  

Revision of Composition #4

            Sometimes we can not figure out the true value of someone, until we get to know them. Most of the time we judge people by their appearance; just like it is said “ don’t judge a book by it’s cover” we are blind at first, but later when we know more about someone, we realize their true values.

            Once in my life, I knew someone who lived in the same building as me. He was about 66 or 76 years old. He was old, chubby, and anger looking man. He lived on the 3rd floor and my family and I lived on the 4^th. When ever I used to play with my sister, he would come and tell my mother to keep us quiet because we would make a lot of noise. I felt annoyed by him, because he would always complain.

            One day I saw him sitting outside by himself, looking at me and said “hi, how are you”, and I said “hi, I am fine, thank you” and so we started to talk. As we talked, I found out that he used to be a cop. He told me about his life and his experience as a cop. He also told me, when ever I play, I should play quietly or go outside and play. He said he needed rest since he had gotten old. Sometimes I used to see him around and felt bad that my sister and I made a lot of noise and then I would try not to make noises.

             I realized that he was not so mean looking person after all, and I started to see his true value. He had help and protected his community and his own family, because he was a sworn police officer, and he did his duty well as a citizen. I like the fact that he made me think about my own future. Until this day, I never judge people by the way the look but by whom they are inside. I want to help people and the communities just like him when I grow up.  

"One of These Days"

 Summary:

Aurelio Escovar, is a poor dentist who does not have a degree. One early morning he was polishing some false teeth. His eleven year old son announced that the mayor wanted to get his infected tooth pulled. Escover refused to see the mayor, even though the mayor wanted to shot him. Escover was not scared at all, he also had a gun to shot the mayor if the mayor attempts to. But when the mayor arrived at the room, Escover had treated and examined him, and pulled his wisdom tooth without anesthesia, and said “Now you’ll pay for our twenty dead men.” The mayor told the dentist to send him the bill. 

The part I liked:

When the dentist’s eleven year old son said “He still hadn’t changed his expression. He says if you don’t take out his tooth, he’ll shoot you.” To me it shows that the mayor has power to do and get what ever he wants. The mayor felt that the dentist was poor and he would be unable to do anything. But the dentist did have something to protect himself also; he had his own gun too in his table. The dentist said “Tell him to come and shoot me.” Which shows that even though he was not powerful, he did have some power when he pulled the mayors tooth without  anesthesia.

Question:
what is the author trying to tell us?
why was Aurelio Escovar the dentist mad at the mayor? 

Interpretation:
The author may want his readers to think about the historical period in Colombia were the government took action by wrong doings. Many times people with power can corrupt the peopel in its community then protect it. In the story, it shows that the mayor is not a good guy, and had done something corrupted to his community, which is why the dentist did not want to see him. The title "One of These Days," to me means, that the dentist  was waiting for this day to come were he can take revenge. knowing that one day he will be able to stop the corruption. The dentist had been sarcastic to the mayor and reminding the mayor of the bad things he had done currently to the people of his society.

The Stage Description, of "One of These Days" by Irani, Mizan, and Wilkin

 Aurelio Escovar is a skinny and a confused looking dentist, wearing a collarless striped shirt, closed at the neck with a golden stud, and pants held up by suspenders. He has an eleven year old son who tells him that the mayor wants the dentist to pull his wisdom tooth. The ceiling of his poor and old office is filled with dust and spider web with spider's eggs and dead insects. He looks bored and has nothing to do, so he is deciding to polish false teeth and then a gold tooth, while pumping the drill with his feet. He has a wooden chair and a table with a drawer where a revolver is kept. Opposite to the chair a straight short cafe curtain is hanging on the window. The pedal drill and a glass case with ceramic bottles are on the table. The Mayor is in uniform having the left side shaved but not the other side because of tooth ache is laid on the chair. There is also a small washing basin with a spittoon beside it attached against the wall; a wooden door is standing all alone by itself in the end of the room.