Question

What is a possible theme of A Pair of Silk Stockings?
A. It is hard raising children without help.
B. It can be difficult to live in the service of others while trying to satisfy a need for
self-fulfillment.
C. People can be selfish.
D. We should all shop for a bargain.

How does the setting help develop this theme?
A. The setting of the store provides Mrs. Sommers with the option of doing something for
herself.
B. The setting of the store causes Mrs. Sommers to steal the stocl‹ings.
C. The setting of the store causes Mrs. Sommers to purchase stockings for her daughters.
D. The setting of the store causes Mrs. Sommers to purchase stockings for her neighbor.

Answer 1

Best answers:
- Theme: B. It can be difficult to live in the service of others while trying to satisfy a need for self-fulfillment.
- Explanation: Mrs. Sommers has long put her family first; when she unexpectedly gets money, she briefly chooses personal pleasure (silk stockings, gloves, a meal, the theater), showing the tension between duty and individual desire.

- How setting develops the theme: A. The setting of the store provides Mrs. Sommers with the option of doing something for herself.
- Explanation: The warm, luxurious atmosphere of the shop and the enticing displays create a space where she can imagine and act on self-indulgence, making her choice and the theme tangible.