Feminism
In her travels, Eberhardt is continually stopped by her being a woman. Islamic culture places a lot of restrictions upon women traditionally, so she was not allowed to travel alone, have sexual relations, converse with men, etc. Unwilling to accept these boundaries which impaired her ability to perform her job and to fully immerse herself in Algerian culture, Eberhardt finds a way around the impediments. She converts to Islam as a man and maintains the disguise for as long as possible. Although she conforms to the traditional role of a man in a highly controlling cultural tradition, Eberhardt proves her equality by devising such a clever way around the rules. She doesn't allow society to dictate her value.
Working Doing What You Love
By refusing to accept the standards placed in front of her or to conform to social expectations, Eberhardt forges her own path. She finds work doing what she loves because she pursues that love rather than looking for a "job." Because Eberhardt is uniquely qualified to understand the internal processes of Algerian culture, she becomes the most eligible for the role of media advisor between Africa and Europe. In the end she is offered the job, getting paid for doing what she had been all along.
Following the Spirit of the Law
Eberhardt converts to Islam when she moves to Algeria. She does so as a man, however, disguised. This is in and of itself a violation of the Q'ran Of her own volition Eberhardt pursues this religion with devotion, but she follows the heart of the law more than its actual statements. Willingly violating law after law, she is not a model Muslim, but Eberhardt is passionate and devout in her faith. She maintains a consistent religious practice even after she is discovered to be a woman posing as an Arab man. Her religion is more than a part of her disguise and thus becomes something personal and pliable to Eberhardt.
