Taylor Walker
Mrs. Arnold
Global Genres
17 May 2015

                                                                            Sold
 
For my independent reading project, I read Sold by Patricia McCormick.  This novel starts out by the main character, Lakshmi, a twelve year old girl living in a poor town in Nepal.  Lakshmi has a small family including a baby brother, her mother (Ama), and her step father whom she doesn't have a good relationship with.  Lakshmi has had a dream all her life to become a maid in the city to avoid being a poor family.  One summer day, a down poor of rain washes away their rice, which means that Lakshmi and their family have little supply of foods.  Lakshmi's stepfather tells her she is to work in the city and that "Aunt Bimla" is to take her there.  Before Lakshmi is to leave her family in Nepal, her stepfather exchanges money to Aunt Bimla.  As soon as Lakshmi arrives in India, Aunt Bimla leaves her with an old woman, Mumtaz.  After a couple of days locked in a single room, Lakshmi soon realizes that she has been sold into prostitution and there is no way out.  Mumtaz, the leader of the brothel tells Laksmi that she is trapped until she can pay off her family's debt.  Soon enough, Lakshmi is taken to "Happiness House" where she refuses Mumtaz and will not work.  Mumtaz continues to lock her in a small room, beating her, and starving her until she agrees to work for her.  Mumtaz then drugs Lakshmi so she will now do anything she asks her to do.  Lakshmi realizes that this is her new life even though it is hard for her to believe it or accept it.  Gradually Lakshmi becomes friends with other girls in her same position and makes do with her situation.  Along with making friends, she teaches herself how to read and to speak English.  After many months, Lakshmi meets an American man who leads her to freedom.