Written by Ann Brashares and published in 200l, the novel, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants has managed to capture the attention of the audience. The novel is based on the adventure of Tibby Rollins, Lena Kaligaris, Carmen Lowell, and Bridget Vreeland, who are best friends. Ann Brashares adopts a plot that shows how a magical pair of jeans bungled the summer period of these four characters. Throughout the novel, the author has successfully portrayed the theme of love through various actions by the characters. With a plot that revolves around four high school students who have managed to maintain their friendship since birth, the author has described love in forms such as family bonds, friendship, and self-love.
The Theme of Love
The decisions and actions these four girls take during the summer period are all informed by the search for either romantic or familial love. For instance, it is evident that Carmen is seeking the affection of her father in a persistent manner and she finds it challenging to accept the fact that her dad moved out a couple of years ago (Brashares 49). In another instance, Tibby is after the love of Tucker Rowe, but with time, the feeling diminishes and she starts looking for general love. In regard to Lena, her search for love is founded on romance basis as evidently depicted when she falls in love with Kostos in Greece (Brashares 61). Despite the fact that her search for love can be considered literal, it turns out to be personal especially when she runs after Kostos around the village. Bridget is also searching for romantic love as she tirelessly tries to lure Eric. As opposed to Lena, the author depicts Bridget as an overly bold character who pursues Eric relentlessly and fails to accept rejection.
The Novel and Social Relationships
The theme of love as depicted through family bonds, friendship, and self-love is closely linked to social relationships in a number of ways. In general life, harmony in the society is fostered by mutual relationships that exist between different members in the locality. Their ability to correlate peacefully is usually a product of well developed interpersonal skills. In this novel, all the four characters encounter challenges in the course of the summer period, something that enables them to reflect on the value of friendship particularly when addressing problems. For instance, Carmen who is spending her summer in South Carolina finds it challenging to make sense of her feelings in absence of her friends who give life meaning and shape (Brashares 70). As such, the author manages to portray the value of social relationships in nurturing a conducive living environment.
- Brashares, Ann. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Complete Collection. Delacorte Press, 2012.
