Working as a Maid

54 Griet’s struggles for a better life can be analyzed as follows:

a. Working as a Maid

Being raised in a poor family, Griet never has enough food and a proper life. She always tries to get a better life and to be responsible to her family. Griet also struggles for her dreams even though she faces many problems throughout her miserable life. As a smart girl, she is able to cope with the problems happening and never gives up. Because she has no educational background, the only way to help the family is being a maid. Griet is not strong enough to be a laborer in a factory. She decides to work as a maid in Vermeer’s house and does the household duties because she has to Chevalier 9. Although the salary is low, it will keep the family survive. She can buy some bread and a bit of cheese for her family. Maslow states that the most powerful and important of all basic needs are physiological needs. They include the needs for food, liquid, shelter, sex, sleep and oxygen Goble 38. While, Braund, Linder, and Asimov 478 define adjustment as a process of coping with events, problems, challenges and hard situations happen in life. People will seek for the solution when shehe is in troubles or difficult conditions. They will struggle for the best solutions. Therefore, people’s problem solving skill may develop when they face problems and difficulties. Griet’s physiological need becomes her primary motivation to struggle in life. In line with the theory of adjustment, her decision to be a maid is her way to solve her problems. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 55 In Vermeer’s house, Griet does everything related to what a new ordinary maid usually does. Her first job is to do the laundry and to iron the clothes. It will be her everyday tasks. Her hands become rugged and cracked because of the soap and water. Her back aches from lifting wet clothes, and her arms are burnt by the iron Chevalier 21. She dusts and sweeps the floor, the walls, the windows, and the furniture. Griet also cleans the paintings, canvases, chair, chest, dishes, bedpans, a coat rack and a row of book Chevalier 37. Griet often has a little time to rest because she has to help Tanneke prepare the meals for the family after she has finished the daily tasks. Once a week she goes to the fish stall or the Meat Hall. There are so many tasks for Griet to do: laundering, ironing, cleaning the house and her master’s studio, helping Tanneke cook the foods, shopping, and taking care of the children. In this case, Griet applies the second category of adjustment called acceptance of the situation. While facing these problems Griet prefers to accept this situation since in fact her master and mistress have the biggest control of authority in the house. As a maid, she cannot rebel against her master and mistress. At the beginning of her works, Griet is not used to do the routine and hard jobs even though she used to help her mother to do household duties in her own house. Griet never grumbles and complains with the tasks she gets. She honestly accepts the situation she faces in her workplace. She is always responsible for her works and she can finish them well. Her master and mistress are pleased with her works. ‘I was so exhausted I could hardly think. At home I worked just as hard but it was never so tiring as in a strange house where everything was new and I PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 56 always tense and serious. At home I had been able to laugh with my mother or Agnes or Frans. Here there was no one to laugh with. Chevalier 31 Cornelia, her mistress’ daughter, does not like Griet, and always tries to find her mistakes, so that Griet will be punished by her parents. Again she throws stones into the pot to make it sink in the canal a couple minutes after Griet slaps her. It makes Griet angry, but brave to warn her not to do that or Griet will slap her again. In line with the theory of adjustment by Braund, Linder and Asimov 478, Griet applies the third category called self defense mechanism such as pressure and denial. This defense is important to reduce the stress and under pressure feeling dealing with the situation. Meanwhile, there is a danger too if it is overused. This defense will create certain disturbance. In this case, Griet shows her defense to Cornelia when she disturbs Griet again and again. Griet feels under pressure and she wants to show her denial by slapping Cornelia. Although many problems always exist in her process of her struggle as an ordinary maid, Griet always tries to apply the most appropriate strategies in each problem she faces. Her bravery and hardworking character help her so much in overcoming the problems. It can be said that, through her actions, Griet applies some categories of adjustment proposed by Braund, Linder, and Asimov 478 in overcoming her problems as an ordinary maid. First, she applies problem solving. Griet’s physiological need becomes her primary motivation to struggle in life. Moreover, her decision to be a maid is her way to solve her problems. Second, she applies acceptance to the situation. In facing the problems related to the household tasks, PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 57 Griet prefers to accept this situation, since in fact her master and mistress have the biggest control of authority in the house. As a maid, she cannot rebel against her master and mistress. Third, Griet applies the third category called self defense mechanism such as pressure and denial. She shows her defense to Cornelia when she disturbs Griet again and again. Griet feels under pressure and she wants to show her denial by slapping Cornelia. Furthermore, by handling up several tasks as a maid, Griet is able to satisfy her physiological needs.

b. Working in the Attic to Grind and Mix Colors