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Part 4, Chapter 8
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Forty Rules of Love, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Love and Spirituality
Connections Across Distance and Time
Appearances vs. Reality
Storytelling and Truth
Summary
Analysis
Kerra. Konya, May 1246. One morning, a woman from the brothel, Desert Rose, comes to see Kerra. Suspicious that this might be Shams’s influence at first, eventually Kerra comes to see that Desert Rose has made efforts to purify herself, washing in the public bath. Nevertheless, Kerra makes her wait outside until Shams and Rumi come home. Rumi is mystified by Desert Rose’s presence, but Shams expected her and says they should welcome her inside.
Kerra continues to be caught in the middle, as she does not reject Desert Rose as others do, but she also hesitates to welcome Desert Rose into her house as easily as Shams does. She is still skeptical of outward reputations, like Desert Rose’s history of sex work, but she shows that she is ultimately open-minded enough to trust Shams’s judgement.
Active
Themes
A suspicious Kerra lets Desert Rose in. Shams promises her she’ll never have to go back to the brothel. Kerra shows Desert Rose to a guest bed. When she gets back, Shams announces that he and Rumi will perform a spiritual dance. Kerra is worried of what people will think, but Shams assures her that it is important.
Active
Themes
