Story Map- Sold by Patricia McCormick

Information Technology High School
Ms. Hyde
English 5/ Period 8
October 23, 2008
Breeonna Reed

Sold, by Patricia McCormick

Characters & Characterization: Protagonist & Antagonist
Protagonist: Lakshmi
Thirteen year old Lakshmi knows nothing about the world beyond her village shack in the Himalayas of Nepal. She lives an ordinary life, going to school and thinking of the boy she wants to marry. She enjoys the simple pleasures of life like playing hopscotch with her best friend from school, raising her goat, and having her mother brush her hair by the light of an oil lamp. Lakshmi loves her family deeply, and was willing to help them in any way when the monsoon hit. Throughout the book Lakshmi grew more faithful because she remembered her mother's words: "Simply to endure is to triumph", and gradually formed friendships with the other girls that enabled her to survive in her terrifying new world.

Antagonist: Mumtaz
Mumtaz, the infamous “Auntie” is an old woman who rules the brothel with cruelty. Crooked Mumtaz makes sure that no girl will ever pay off their family’s debt. She is an insensitive person who runs a business just for the money; no emotions involved. Mumtaz has two sides to her; convincing and dictating. When she talks to the parents she seems reliable and responsible so that way the parents feel comfortable sending their child with her. Mumtaz’s dictating side reveals itself at “Happiness House”, she has all the authority and an intimidating personality.

Setting: Setting Time: Present day, Setting Place: Calcutta, India
The setting of this book is Calcutta, India in the present day. This modern day setting grabs the reader’s attention because it brings about awareness to the rest of the world. If more people know about this problem then less children would be sent away to work. Parents might be more cautious and want to do more research about their child’s employer.

Vocabulary

1. Indignant- angered at something unjust or wrong
2. Wanly- pale in color as a result from physical or emotional distress
3. Auspicious- favored by fortune; Marked by success
4. Betel- an East Indian pepper plant
5. Mirthless- amusement or laughter

Plot
In her village in Nepal, Lakshmi's life is more than difficult and requires her to endure hunger, harsh weather and poverty. Even in their poverty-stricken rural home, Lakshmi finds pleasure in the beauty of the Himalayan Mountains, and the cucumbers she lovingly tends, and sells at the market. After a monsoon wipes out the family crops, her stepfather trades Lakshmi for 800 rupees ($16.35 USD) to an “Auntie”. The thought of Lakshmi working as a maid in the city eased the family’s apprehension. Lakshmi is determined to excel, even though she can't imagine her destination. She arrives in a brothel called “Happiness House”, working in guaranteed slavery until she is broken or dies. There in the brothel she is locked up, beaten, starved, drugged, and raped until she submits to the demands of the customer.

The harshness of her life in this new country of India makes her feel torn from all that is familiar, which comes close to crushing her, yet she endures. The little moments of peace, learning the words in books, the friendships and respect that develop provides a safe haven for her even as Lakshmi's strength and capacity for sorrow grow. When it seems like all hope is lost one unusual stranger comes to “Happiness House”, however with a different objective then most. The occasional, unpredictable kindness of a certain stranger keeps Lakshmi's strength of purpose alive so that in the end she is able to make an advance for freedom.

Exposition

1. A Monsoon hits Laksmi’s village causing all their crops to wash away. Their only source of money is gone, which means Lakshmi the oldest child has to find a job to support the family.
2. Lakshmi’s irresponsible stepfather sells and sends her with a stranger to work as a maid in India for 800 rupees.

Rising Action

1. The stranger also known as “Auntie” takes Lakshmi on a long journey through the city.
2. Lakshmi is amazed by what she sees and hears as she goes through the city due to the fact that she lives in a small village.
3. They cross a border, ride the train, bus, and walk.
4. They then arrive at “Happiness House” where Lakshmi’s fate awaits her.

Climax

1. Lakshmi has her first encounter with a man. The man is old and his lips are wet and taste like onion. He lies on top of her and unzips his pants, while pushing himself between her legs and French kissing her. Lakshmi then bites his lip and runs back to her room.

Falling Action

1. Lakshmi found out that the money the customers pay doesn’t go to her family, it goes to Mumtaz. Lakshmi will never pay off what she owes. She will work until she is too sick to make any more money.
2. A strange American man comes to “Happiness House” and asks Lakshmi personal questions.

Conclusion

1. The Americans, who were actually police, come back to “Happiness House” to rescue the underage girls. Mumtaz was finally arrested.

Quotes
“And 500 for the shot the dirty-hands doctor gives us once a month so that we won’t become pregnant. She also warns me: Mumtaz will bury you alive if she sees your little book of figures. I do the calculations. And realize I an already buried alive.” (pg. 147-148)

This quote expresses to me the mindset of all the girls at “Happiness House”. Every time they sleep with a man a piece of their spirit drifts away. Having to do this every day can make a person cold and hard as if they have become numb and immune to the feeling. No one should ever be in a position where they feel like they’re buried alive especially a child who has a whole life ahead of them. These girls are being exposed to deadly diseases and all Mumtaz is worried about is them getting pregnant. That says a lot about how money hungry she is. She is willing to risk the lives of these defenseless girls who have families that believe are working as maids. I disagree with this quote because young girls shouldn’t have to feel like their life is over because they’re never going to get enough money to go home. They should be enjoying life.

“Now, if you want to pay off your debt, you must do whatever it takes to make them choose you. Tell the customers you are twelve, she says. Or Mumtaz will beat you senseless. Do whatever the customer asks of you, Shahanna says. Otherwise he will beat you senseless…There is another way to use a shawl, she says…The new girl, the one in your old room, she says. Yesterday morning Mumtaz found her hanging from the rafters.” (Pg.141-143)

This quote makes me feel so sorry for those girls living in that brothel. Not only do they have to perform sexual acts for men, but they get beaten by Mumtaz for not lying about their age. I think any man who pays to get their needs fulfilled by a young girl is mentally disturbed. I also think it’s sad that a girl killed herself because of all the torture she endured at “Happiness House”. The family of that girl who killed herself was probably told that she went somewhere else to work. Maybe Mumtaz didn’t tell the family anything so that they would think that she was still working as a maid. These girls are trained to do whatever the customer asks of them without any complaint and its deplorable. These girls are being exploded and exposed to deadly diseases for someone else’s pleasure. I disagree with this quote because it seems so unfair that these girls are being objectified for perverted men’s pleasure. They suffer for so many months, even years that they can never get back. They are being broken.

Conflict
Man vs. Man
Lakshmi went head on with her “auntie” Mumtaz until she couldn’t fight anymore. Mumtaz was a strong willed woman who knew how to drag whatever she wanted out of people. If Lakshmi refused to be with men she was starved and beaten by Mumtaz. Mumtaz made sure Lakshmi knew that she was going to be staying at “Happiness House” for a while and that she had no choice but to submit. Mumtaz wanted to break her spirits and make her feel totally worthless. Everything that Mumtaz would say towards Lakshmi degraded her. Mumtaz was physically, emotionally, and psychologically abusive towards her and the rest of the girls.

Themes

The Loss of Innocence:

The loss of innocence is a relevant theme in this novel because young girls are being tricked and forced into the dangerous world of the sex trade. These young girls are being forced to grow up faster than what anyone can truly fathom. Their happiness quickly disappears. There is no more playing with dolls, instead they have to worry about the number of customers they see each day and the amount of money they make. Some of the girls can be as young as nine years old and experiencing this is traumatic. Their mind, body, and soul are corrupted. It is precious because once it is lost, it is gone forever. All that remains is a memory.

Perseverance:
While Lakshmi was at the “Happiness House” she met an eight year old boy she called “The David Beckham Boy”. He taught her how to read and pronounce English and Hindu words. Learning how to read kept Lakshmi occupied, however it gave her a sure sense of hope because she knew now that she could be able to communicate with that “stranger”. The same stranger that could and did help set Lakshmi free from the house. As soon as Lakshmi arrived at the house and found out what she was really going to be doing she had a plan to get herself out of there. Her plan took a while to come into effect; however it was still a thought in her mind. No matter what Mumtaz said Lakshmi was determined to get back to her family.

Literary Elements

Irony: “This place is dark as a cave, and it smells of liquor and incense. As my eyes adjust, I see a dozen sleeping girls, some in the corners, some on rope cots. What kind of place is this? Happiness House, he says. Auntie Mumtaz will explain it all to you.” (pg.90)
“Happiness House” was the name of the brothel that Lakshmi lived in. There is nothing happy about giving yourself to older men, possibly getting a disease and becoming pregnant all before the age of fifteen. All the girls in that house were unhappy and mistreated by the person their families trusted.

Foreshadowing: “How old are you…? Are you being kept here against your will...? Do you want to leave here…? I know these Americans. I want to catch a glimpse of his riches, but what he hands me is a small white card.” (pg.205)
When I read this quote I figured out that Lakshmi was going to be rescued soon by the Americans. The Americans probably got a tip to check out the house because word got out. Lakshmi never mentioned the other men nationalities that came to the house. It was specifically highlighted in the book that the “strangers” were American men who seemed to be investigating. The Americans were looking for something, and they found it when they talked to Lakshmi.

Imagery: “The bus has soft benches and it holds a village full of people. It smells of onions, and curry and cigarette smoke, and a baby who has soiled his cloth, and other things I cannot name. The man next to me empties his nose out the window, pinching one side shut and blowing on the other…” (pg.67)
When I read this quote it kind of reminded me of riding on a subway car. The people are probably sitting or standing packed together with various smells suffocating the air. I can imagine the mother of the baby not wanting to change the diaper because if she does she’ll miss the bus and have to walk home. The soiled baby cloth possibly was the most overbearing smell because of that reason. When the man was emptying his nose he was probably making a loud honking noise which made everyone stare at him covertly in disgust. The guy may be rude and obnoxious and does things like that in public.

Annotated Bibliography:

McCormick, Patricia. Sold. New York: Hyperion, 2006.

Patricia McCormick’s Sold explores the challenges and injustices that many young people, especially women face in third world countries. Told in poetic vignettes, this novel exposes the living conditions of a 13-year-old Nepali girl sold into sexual slavery.

During her writing for this book, McCormick conducted extensive research in Nepal and India, passing down the road these women travel into slavery and hearing their stories firsthand, writing the book to honor their stories and to bring attention to this awful practice. The importance of this mission, combined with the author's sensitive, emotional writing and compassion for Lakshmi, makes the novel a compelling read on countless levels said The School Library Journal.