Question

Why does Griet feel ashamed after looking at herself in the mirror?

Answer 1

This passage illustrates how Vermeer slowly draws Griet into his world of art and painting and how she becomes fascinated with all the images of the women in domestic settings. Griet analyzes the painting and feels as if she is a part of the picture and even shows envy towards the woman depicted. There is a simile in the passage where she compares a star in the night sky to the painting. She analyzed the painting so deeply that she felt as if it was suddenly disappearing. This painting allows Griet to imagine her life differently more prestigious and luxurious than the one that she is destined to have. The lack of wealth in her life and her contact with Vermeer’s paintings put her in a position where she becomes aspiring and even resentful.