Griet Destiny

Griet runs from the house, not looking back. She runs to be free from the scandal, the shame and the humiliation. She runs from the jealousy and the scheming. She runs from her life. When she is done running, she arrives at the center of her town, which has eight paths. For her each path represents a different future. While pondering which path to go down, the answer strikes her. She runs down her chosen path and hopes it will lead to a better life than she has. The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier is book set during the Renaissance, in the 1660’s. The Renaissance was an age best known for its interest in art and science. During this time many famous painting, plays, and inventions were made. Some extremely important artists, explorers
Although Griet’s destiny is somewhat predetermined, she has some control and alters her destiny through the decisions she makes over the course of her life.
Griet’s destiny is partially determined and one can see this because Griet is forced to do or be many things during her life. One example of this is when Griet is forced to be a maid. In this case, Griet is influenced by the destiny of her father. Her father loses his eyesight in a tragic accident near a furnace. Once he loses his eyesight, he is unable to work and make much money. So, she had to work as a maid to provide for her family even though she doesn’t want to. In the book, Griet says to her sister, “You know I don’t want to leave. I have to … We need the money. We have nothing now that Father can’t work” (Chevalier 9). Usually. if someone is forced to do something and it is because of forces beyond their control, one can say it is fate. Here, Griet is forced to be a maid because of her father’s accident. She is quiet, innocent, and never thought about being a maid. But, in the end she has to become a maid because her family is poor. Therefore this part of Griet’s life is already determined. Another example where Griet’s destiny is
One example that demonstrates how Griet has complete control over her destiny is when she decides to help Vermeer paint by making paint. For Griet, a maid, it is very unusual to help the master in his specialized trade. She could’ve easily refused by making an excuse as it is not a typical job for a maid. However, Griet plays along and learns how to help Vermeer. This is odd, because painters in the Renaissance only took on male apprentices once the family paid the painter a large sum of money. But here, Vermeer is teaching Griet who is a girl, and poor. It is highly unusual for Vermeer, a illustrious painter, to have Griet, a poor, uneducated maid as his assistant. When one of Vermeer’s friends visits him and sees Griet helping him, he is surprised and a little baffled. When the friend asks Griet what she is doing, she replies, “Grinding colors, sir. He[Vermeer’s friend] turned to my master. ‘An assistant! What other surprises do you have for me? Next you’ll be teaching her how to paint your women for you’” (Chevalier 130). The fact that Vermeer’s friend was surprised by his assistant, Griet, shows that Griet’s situation was unusual and this weird decision significantly changed the rest of her life. If she had decided not to help him, she would have never gotten involved with his career and never would have been painted. Also, once she