The magnetism of this tale is not its ability to surprise us with plot twists but to show the complex and fascinating interplay among people of different stations and sensibilities. Chevalier demonstrates her considerable skill in presenting Griet to be at the same time naive and intelligent, hemmed in by her lack of status and strong of spirit.

However, the few sexual passages in this book do seem off-kilter to its mostly placid and intelligent tone. They were necessary to illustrate Griet’s awareness of her allure, as well as her low self-image, which betray her confident narrative. But it would have been better to allude rather than to describe what seems mildly lurid. My first thought was, “Well, here’s the ‘PG-13’ portion of the book which calls attention to itself.” The placid tone Chevalier has painstakingly created is now jarring, a rant against the sufferings inflicted upon women by bestial men throughout time.

Now, to write a response to the book consider what theme, message, or idea the author was conveying. Did you find that the plausibility of the tale was intersting?

Do you feel that Griet’s efforts to articulate her emotional feelings about the master Vermeer were conveyed? She is explicit in almost every other emotion, but never about her growing romantic feelings toward Vermeer. Yet it is clear in her narration that she loves Vermeer in her own special way. This, to me, is what others have long said to be the essence of romance. It is the notion of “what if?” and all that it entails, while the rest is just “life as it all turned out.”

After you have picked an idea:

Introduce your idea in the opening of the paper.

Then, write the body by expanding on how the idea made you feel or think and use evidence of this idea by pointing out parts in the story where this is demonstrated.

Lastly,

conlcude your paper by restating the idea and your feelings using different words.

Hope this helps you some 🙂