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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Vermeer grind to make paint?

2. What happened when Griet began to obsess about the plague?

3. When Griet arrived home after the plague, where did her parents sit to meet her?

4. What color did Griet lay out for Vermeer to use on the butcher's daughter's skirt?

5. On what day did Griet return home for her first day off since moving away?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Griet's mother encourage her to accept Pieter's advances?

2. What connection did Griet and Vermeer have immediately?

3. Who was Cornelia Vermeer?

4. How is helplessness a theme in Girl with a Pearl Earring?

5. What was Griet's first impression of the Vermeer family?

6. What did Vermeer and Catharina often fight about?

7. Was Vermeer protective of Griet?

8. Who was Pieter, the butcher?

9. Who was Van Ruijven?

10. What did Griet think about the camera obscura?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Griet's mother and Catharina. In what ways do they treat Griet the same? In what ways are the alike in terms of goals for their families?

Essay Topic 2

At what point does the novel experience a climax? How does Chevalier build up to the climax of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

What happens when Griet's hair is exposed to Vermeer? How does this one event change her so much? Why does she become so affected by it?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 780 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample