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Mrs Mahmood
Themes and Colors
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Mrs Mahmood, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Escape and Catharsis
“Mrs Mahmood” explores the idea that certain kinds of escape can lead to mental clarity and emotional catharsis. The manager of a busy sports shop in London, Mr. Mahmood finds comfort in fulfilling his day-to-day tasks and being in the lively environment of his shop, often shutting his mind off as he works. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the excitement and busyness of city life, Mr. Mahmood’s need for the sound of an underground…
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Dreams, Regret, and Self-Discovery
“Mrs Mahmood” examines the idea that unfulfilled dreams and regrets often come back to haunt people, especially if they’ve neglected their old desires. As Mr. Mahmood remembers the day that his success as a young athlete came to an end (due to his decision to quit running after an unsuccessful athletics meeting), he recalls feeling a particular emotional exhaustion. Later in the story, when Mr. Mahmood accidentally makes eye contact with a successful Olympian in…
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Maturity and Marriage
Although the story focuses largely on Mr. Mahmood’s individual journey of self-discovery, it also demonstrates how a strong romantic relationship can help facilitate important personal growth and healing. Upon first glance, Mr. Mahmood’s interactions with Isobel highlight a discrepancy in their respective maturity levels: Mr. Mahmood dismisses Isobel’s attempts at getting him to talk about what’s bothering him; Mr. Mahmood nearly finishes a bottle of wine over dinner to push off his stress, while…
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