Girl with the Pearl Earring Portrait

       This photo resembles my future identity as a senior in high school in many ways. I chose to look away from the camera so that I was looking out into my future, instead of directly at it. I am looking out in front of me also because you should never look back. You should be proud of who you're going to become. The light on my face symbolizes my bright future. I am wearing the red lipstick and earrings to symbolize growing up because I want to become more mature by the time I'm a senior. I left my hair natural because some things aren't going to change when I'm a senior. I might be a little bit the same, but I will also be a new person.

        I want to achieve this identity of a bright, intelligent, caring person. I want to become more independent and be willing to go out of my comfort zone, " Now you know the world a little better you can see there's no reason always to keep your hands clean" (Chevalier 225).  Pieter the father says this to Griet, explaining to her how she used to scrub her hands all the time. Then saying that she's learned that she doesn't always have to scrub them so hard because she's gotten used to working in the Meat Hall. I hope to become like Griet, in the sense of not being super cautious all the time and learning how to explore the unknown. This connects to my image because I wouldn't normally wear bright red lipstick and large earrings. I stepped out of the box and tried something new, I hope to continue to do this in the future.  

         By the time I'm a senior I hope to become strong, confident and inspiring. I want to help other people as well as lead myself in the right direction. I would like to say when I graduate, "When I made my choice, the choice I knew I had to make, I set my feet carefully along the edge of the point and went the way it told me, walking steadily" (Chevalier 216). Whatever opportunities I have, I hope I will be lead to the right choice. This connects to my image because I'm staring out in front of me into the light. I'm smiling, which means I've made the right decision. This is the identity I hope to achieve as a senior in high school.