The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Theme of Courage

All of the girls in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants struggle with courage—some because they have too much, and some because they don't have enough. Each girl's problems are vastly different from those of her friends, but they all need the guts to be honest with themselves and others at some point in their journey, and for each girl this takes bravery they never knew they had. And—of course—the Pants.

Questions About Courage

  1. How does Bridget's courage get her in trouble?
  2. Why do the girls only feel courageous while wearing the Pants?
  3. Which girl is the most courageous and why?
  4. Bailey is probably the most courageous out of all the characters. How does this reflect on the Sisterhood and the Pants? 

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

Bridget's courage and intensity create her conflicts, which otherwise could have been completely avoided.

The Pants do not give the girls courage—they possess this quality within themselves all along.