Themes and message

The main themes explored in the short story “We’re not Jews” by Hanif Kureishiare discrimination (racism and xenophobia) and cultural differences. These themes are enriched through the motif of bullying. Through this story, the writer wants to convey a critical message against discrimination and to make readers realise how racism and xenophobia affect those exposed to them.

Discrimination

The story explores discrimination through most of the characters and in several ways. Firstly, the text explores discrimination through Azhar and his mother who are the targets of xenophobic and racist bullying by Big Billy and Little Billy. The fact that Little Billy bullies Azhar at school because he is half-Pakistani shows how racism and xenophobia are taught from one generation to the next. Big Billy’s attitude indicates that his son learned his discriminatory attitudes from him. Although he is an adult and despite knowing Yvonne,...

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Cultural differences

The theme of cultural differences is explored through Azhar and his family. Azhar’s mother is a British woman who married a Pakistani man. However, their interracial marriage is challenged by the cultural differences between them. Yvonne comes across as typically British in how she acts and dresses, but her husband’s family keeps to Pakistani culture even though they are in Britain:

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