Themes+-+A+Pair+of+Jeans

Writing Assignment: Identify the main themes of the story. Then select two themes and briefly explain how each is depicted in the story. Support your ideas with at least one quote from the text for each of the themes you select. Be sure to include page numbers for each quote.

//The main themes of the short story "A Pair of Jeans" are immigration and the identity of immigrants. The story shows how they more or less try to preserve their habits, traditions and lifestyle.//

//The main theme// //of the story is the conflict// //or the collision between the Eastern and the Western cultures. This conflict contains the difference between the Western and the Eastern role of women, depicted in part by their different styles of clothing. A condition for the main theme is immigration. This could also be a theme which is depicted in the story. Further, the story describes a conflict between tradition and modern life, and a conflict between the generations.//

//Miriam, the protagonist, connects both cultures: her Pakistani origins as well as her Western environment. On the one hand she wears Western clothing, and she often comes home very late. On the other hand, she knows which behavior and clothing is expected from women in Muslim society. So the parents-in-law had known her as the perfect bride, being modest and wearing a sari. When the parents-in-law were present, she "had behaved ever so correctly and gracefully" (p. 176). Miriam connects two identities but she is neither an Eastern nor a Western stereotype. In contrast to Miriam, the conservative parents-in-law want to protect their habits and traditions and with them their original identity. They want to protect their family against the influence of the Western lifestyle. They are of the opinion that Eastern and Western lifestyles don't fit together. They are scared about "the effect she could have in" their household (p.174). They don't think that she, while living her Western life, "will make [their] son happy" (p.174). So they finally reject Miriam as his bride, because she doesn't fit with their traditional way of life.

The story shows two different ways that immigrants deal with their traditions and their identity. On the one hand they can try to protect them, like the parents-in-law, on the other they can// //try//, //like Miriam, to connect and integrate the Western and the Eastern lifestyles.//

//written by Johannes S in collaboration with Christina H.//