The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Theme of Transformation

It is the way of the Pants to transform the lives of those who wear them, and each of the girls in the Sisterhood transforms in some way. But change is scary, and not all change is positive, so the girls try to use the Pants as an unchanging presence, something reliable to fall back on that helps them tap into their group of friends even though they're scattered all over the world. As much as The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants deals with continuity and connection, it also suggests that change is inevitable. 

Questions About Transformation

  1. Which girl changes the most and why?
  2. The girls change, but the Pants stay the same. What does this illustrate?
  3. If pain is an instrument of change, who suffers the most?

Chew on This

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

Bridget's character proves that change isn't always a good thing.

Bailey and Mimi both illustrate that death is transformational.