Donna Tart And The Goldfinch

The novel, The Goldfinch by Donna Tart, and the painting The Goldfinch painted by Carel Fabritius relate to each other because of their similar message. The painting, along with the novel, resembles a life of sadness and restraint. The Goldfinch painting represents Theo and his mother's socioeconomic status in society along with the impoverished life Theo and his mother lives. Generally, there are many instances where the novel and painting illustrate the feeling of being held back by poverty. One significant example of this is after listening to his mother talk about her first days in New York, Theo speaks of his mother’s ‘routine’. He narrates, “...rummaging under the sofa cushions and searching in the pockets of coats and jackets for enough change to pay the delivery boy from the deli” (17). …show more content…

In the painting, the bird is chained to a small metal perch, indicating that the bird is being held back from his full potential - being free and living a full, happy life. The chain is a symbol of the poor finances of Theo and his mother. Like The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius, they are ‘chained down’ by the unfortunate circumstances they’re under - resulting in a forced life full of hardships. Overall, the novel and the painting both show how difficult both Theo and his mother’s life has become due to poverty. Furthermore, both the painting and novel signify the impoverished life Theo and his mother live. In the novel, when speaking about how his father left him, Theo states his father left him and his mother “...(without money, child support, or forwarding address)” (10). This quote fully shows what was taken from their family, and shows how they are forced to live without it. It expresses misery and lack of necessities. The narration gives insight into how his father left them with almost nothing, and how it may have influenced their way of