Presentation about book Girl with a pearl earring by Tracy Chevalier

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Presentation about book Girl with a pearl
earringby Tracy Chevalier

• Name Ilona Widenková
• Group 2/28
• Date 25. 4. 2006

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I would like to talk about

• Biography of author
• Story
• Major figures
• Girl with a pearl earring - movie
• Recommendation

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Biography

• Tracy Chevalier
• grew up in Washington, DC
• moved to England in 1984
• worked for several years as a reference book
  editor
• in 1994 she graduated from the MA course in
  creative writing at the University of East Anglia
• her first novel, Virgin Blue, was chosen by WH
  Smith for its Fresh Talent promotion in 1997
• she lives in London with her husband and son

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Story

• the story of Griet, a 16-year-old Dutch girl
• a maid in the house of the painter Johannes
  Vermeer
• her calm and perceptive manner not only helps her
  in her household duties, but also attracts the
  painter's attention
• though different in upbringing, education and
  social standing, they have a similar way of
  looking at things.
• Griet must carve a place for herself in a chaotic
  Catholic household run by Vermeer's wife
  Catharina, his mother Maria Thins and their maid
  Tanneke.
• Six children fill out the household
• Cornelia, a mischievous girl who sees more than
  she should.
• Griet also contends with the growing attentions
  both from a local butcher and from van Ruijven.
• As Griet becomes part of her master's work,
  their growing intimacy spreads disruption and
  jealousy within the ordered household and even -
  as the scandal seeps out - ripples in the world
  beyond.

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Major figures

• Johannes Vermeer - painter
• Catharina Bolnes Vermeer a painters wife
• Maria Thins mother of Vermeer
• Cornelia Vermeer daughter of Johannes and
  Catharina
• Maertge daughter of Johannes and Catharina
• Lisbeth daughter of Johannes and Catharina
• Aleydis daughter of Johannes and Catharina

• Johannes - son of Johannes and Catharina
• Tanneke a maid of Vermeer
• Griet a maid of Vermeer
• Griet's Father
• Griet's Mother
• Frans - Griets brother
• Agnes Griets sister
• Pieter van Ruijven Johannes Vermeers patron
• Pieter - a baker

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Girl with a pearl earring movie

• three Oscar nominations in 2003 (cinematography,
  art direction and costume design)
• two Golden Globe nominations
• highly recommended to any viewer who appreciates
  arts

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Recommendation

• the 17th century painter Vermeer
• a painting of an enigmatic young woman with a
  blue and yellow scarf over her head and a pearl
  earring
• Chevalier has written a novel around a
  fictionalized character who is the young woman in
  the painting
• In the novel, she is a maid in the employee of
  the Vermeer family
• a fascinating portrait of her own, bringing to
  life a time and place in beautiful, spare prose
• highly recommend this -- very well done!

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Thank you for your attention!