After reading Layla and Majnun I noticed some similar themes that were familiar to me. In the beginning of the passage the author sets the scene of a sayyid who is very wealthy. The author compares the amount of gold and jewels to the amount of sand in the dessert. Beyond all of this wealth the the sayyid wanted one thing, a son. In our own Western culture many individuals value family and relationships over wealth. A common quote said in movies and everyday life is, “money can not buy happiness”. The importance of strong bonds can not be compared to money because money could never by such thing. The sayyid later has a son who he values highly. This heightens the theme, proving money is no match for a valued relationship even in the Eastern world.
The story expresses a theme about the importance of wisdom. Later in the story, the son becomes educated, becoming wise and knowledgable. Other students looked up to him as his words were powerful in their eyes. In the Western world, the young respect elders as older people tend to have a better grasp on the world we live in. This creates a sense of great respect for people who obtain much wisdom. Personally, I look to my elders for guidance since they have already surpassed the stages of life that I am living in now. To compare, the story’s theme matches with Western ideals, proving once again that our world is more similar than one may believe.