Mizan's Response to the novel, "Girl with a Pearl Earring"

“Girl with a Pearl Earring” is a novel about a sixteen year old beautiful girl, Griet who started working as a maid for eight stuivers a day in the Vermeer’s family in Holland. She was allowed to see her family only on every Sunday. Griet he was the oldest in her family and had two siblings Agnes and Frans. The economy of her family went down after her father lost his vision in an accident in a tile factory. So, her major duties in Vermeer’s family was 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. Catherina, the wife of Vermeer, a painter was little jealous at Griet as she had the permission to go to the studio. Catherina was not allowed because she was a clumsy person and once broke a box of Ven Leeuwenhoek, Vermeer’s friend. Slowly, Griet realized how to behave with the each person of the house she works at. For instance, Cornelia was unpredictable all the time. She could be a best friend on her best mood and could be the worst foe as well depending on her mood. Then she met peter, the butcher’s son from who they usually buy the meat. And she was notified by Peter that there is a plague going on the place her family live at.

 

Griet met with peter and knew her neighborhood was affected by the dreadful disease plague. She went to see her brother Frans and he was annoyed hearing about the quarantine as no one ever told him anything. She requested Vermeer’s family to see her family on that very moment, but they rejected her request telling her that she might bring the disease in their home as it is contagious. She was able to clean the studio room as Vermeer was done with his work. Afterwards, Van Ruijvan came to Vermeer’s house along with his wife to see her drawn portrait and he wanted to know more about Griet with his lustful mind. Later, the quarantine ended up and she rushed at home to see her family. But she saw only her father and mother because the cruel plague has taken her little sister, Agnes forever. She was really upset and Maria Thins was not telling her as she was doing her work slow, but Catherina was tough on her as usual. Vermeer started painting once again the baker’s daughter, and started teaching Griet how to mix the color. Catherina gave birth to a boy, Franciscus and they had a blessing party at their house. Griet had to sleep now in the attic as a nurse had moved in to take care of weak Catherina and the newborn baby.

Griet started feeling good about living in the attic. Although she did not like being locked at night. She had a chance to help Vermeer in grinding and mixing the color, to see his paintings clearly. She was afraid of Catherina, but she was glad that at least Maria Thins know she was helping Vermeer in order to paint faster. Tenneke became mean to her as she was jealous about Griet living in the attic. She was kind of friendly to Maria and Catherina as she once saved Catherina from getting beaten up by her brother. Peter came to meet Griet’s parents in the church and her mother invited him for dinner. She also got the first kiss from Peter when he was leaving from her house. The painting of the baker’s daughter was done by this time and the baker’s family came to pick it. Vermeer started painting another portrait of Van Ruijvan’s wife. Griet has posed for Ruijvan’s wife when she was not available someday. Griet learned about the color of lights and came to know that Vermeer was a protestant like her before he was married to Catherina. Vermeer asked Griet one day to set the studio up as he was going to paint her.

On a Sunday Griet’s father said her, “You smell of linseed oil” She did not disclose to her parents nor to Peter that Vermeer was painting her. Peter wanted to see her hair but she refused as no dutch girls were allowed to uncover their hair before their marriage. Vermeer also asked Griet to unveil her head, but she refused. One day he gave her Catherina’s pearl earrings to wear in order to finish the painting. Leeuwnhoek told Griet that Vermeer liked her. Catherina was six months pregnant once again. Cornelia somehow figured out about the painting and notified her mother, Catherina. By the time, the painting was finished. Catherina was immensely upset and asked Vermeer why he did not paint her portrait even though she was her wife. Griet left the house being scared and married Peter, the butcher’s son who eagerly had been waiting for her. She had two sons and Tenneke came to her meat shop as Catherina wanted to see her. She met Catherina and saw she had eleven children. Catherina gave her those pearl earring she once gave pose because Vermeer left a note to give the pearl earrings to Griet before he died.

Revision of composition # 4

It is important in our life to realize the true value of a person. Often we remain blind to the value of a person, so it becomes hard for us to understand. I also faced an experience in my life from which I have understood that persons who seem to be good might turn out to be a bad one in some situations.

       I had a chemistry teacher in ninth grade. His name was Abdullah, a short thin man with an innocent face. He was very well known for teaching chemistry among all the English medium schools in Sylhet. Many students including me used to go to him for lesson. I became a fan of him slowly for his tremendous way of teaching. He was also a good person. Everyone liked him for his good attitude. He used to help every students as well.

       However, things started coming out about him. Girls started complaining about him that he was harassing them. I did not believe it thinking it might be a rumor. My friend, Tasnia told me something shocking. She said Abdullah sir tried to do obscenities with her when she was alone after all students left. He was sitting opposite to her and was rubbing his feet with hers. I had to believe although it was really hard for me to do so. Because Abdullah sir, to me, was like an idol. But this incident hurt my good feelings for him as a teacher. Our Principal came to know about all his harassment to the girls and later Abdullah sir was fired from our school.

       It is hard to tell the true value of a person by only seeing his external look. Although I realized it later and all my respect for Abdullah sir turned into hatred. Not all people who look innocent are good as all that glow are not gold.

Revision of composition # 6

Power makes many people blind.It does not matter in what field of jobs,because some people are easily captivated by corruption anyhow.They lose the sense of right or wrong,become dishonest, and take advantage of power illegaly.I know  a political leader from Bangladesh who had been abusing power by becoming corrupted.I am going to write about the rise and fall of his power.
A mayor is elected by the people so that he or she can make the city life better.Arif Chowdhury,a political leader was elected as the mayorof Sylhet City Corporation about four years ago.He was a social worker as well as the student leader in his early life.He had been doing good work such as women rights for being assaulted,shelter for poor people etc.As time passed by,he became on of the candidates in the mayor election.He promised to change the entire Sylhet city into something special.And he was elected as the mayor by many votes.
As a mayor,Arif Chowdhury was really doing fine.However,things changed after six months of his time as a mayor.All of a sudden,it seemed that he had become reluctant.He stopped meeting with people who had problems to tell him;his friendship turned out to be with rich people and did not care to solve any troubles for poor people anymore.Moreoverhe had his own gang scattered all over the city.These were just the simple things that were visible.
Everyone was surprised after knowing more secrets about Mayor, Arif Chowdhury.He had been taking huge amount of bribes in order to give contracts to people for contruction works, owned  the land from poor hopeless people by tricking them,unnecesssary loan from banks,and the major part was that he storing all the ration that came from goverment in order to provide to the helpless.All these would never have been disclosed if he was not caught red handed by the C.I.D(Criminal Investigation Depertment.)After tracing  all the evidence of his illegal deeds,the secret service C.I.D had arranged a plot where Arif Chowdhury wanted to take bribe  from a building constuctor in terms of giving him a contract .Overall,he contravebed the laws in many ways and preassumably defrauded 10 million taka in Bangladesh currency.Now,he is imprisoned for nine years.
In every bad deeds there must be a downfall at a certain point.It is like a mountain has its peak where it goes down after a steep inclination.Being enticed to the blindness of the power,Arif Chowdhury lost his ethics,honesty,ideals,and sought more power.As a result,he had seen the extreme devastation of the power he had abused.

Revision of composition # 5

People in Dhaka city have a strong interest to follow the crowd. No one bothers to know the exact reason, instead the public starts gathering to accompany others without even judging whether it is right or wrong. I once were a witness of a wrong activity. Despite of knowing it a wrong deed, people followed a crowd that they never should have followed.
It was the time when i went to Dhaka for the first time, to get my U.S.A visa. My father and Sami were also with me; excitment captivated me with joy, but Sami and father were indifferent as they had been in Dhaka before.Our journey was by train, so we got off at the Kamlapur Railway Station. the entore station was crowded with people of multiple professions. All of a sudden, we heard a women's scream, "Help!" from our right. A moment later, i heard peple making noise of beating somebody. We approached towards it and and  a bunch of people were hitting someone severely.Pedestrians whoever were passing by, also jumped into the crowd and followed the punching and kicking.
My father, Sami and i were the silent viewers. My father does not like violence and he could not even stop the crowd all alone by him self. Later, when people stopped their beating round , i saw a 23 years old boy was rolling on the ground crying loud with pain. His forehead was bleeding, and shirt was torn apart. We came to know that he tried to snatch  a golden chain from a women's neck, and fell down while running away. It seemed terrible to me the way he was beaten up. Within  a wink, rickshaw drivers, cab driver etc. were gathered and perticipated in that brutality. Hatred grew in my mind  for all other people.
Althought it was against the law, but it is a normal thing in Dhaka city. I never support this type of cruelty act. Cops were out there to take any criminals to jail. But people were busy interpreting the law by themselves. I asked myself  that when would this type of thing be stopped?