Sold By Patricia Mccormick

Connecting Sold and Real Life World The novel Sold by Patricia McCormick chronicles/depicts/tells the story of a young Nepali girl, Lakshmi, and her imprisonment at a brothel in India. Although Lakshmi is a very specific character, research suggests that many other young women end up in the same terrible predicament. While there are many women who are sold into brothels, Lakshmi learns of the desolation they suffer. One does not realize the number of young women who are placed in brothels annually. Statistics show that about 100,000 girls are sold into prostitution yearly throughout the world. These victims are punished for not completing sexual tasks assigned to them. Even though prostitution is illegal, it is still used in India. The novel

Lakshmi’s view on her father is, “Most likely he has spent the night gambling-and- loosing at the tea shop”(McCormick 24). In Sold, Ama’s relationship with her husband was not healthy or safe for her family or her own well being. Lakshmi’s stepfather used her mom, Ama, for his own pleasure and does not consider valuing her for being the strong women she was. His relationships with others add to the reason why Lakshmi was sold into prostitution. Because of this, he left the family’s money in shambles and needed a way out. He believed the only way out was selling his daughter into slavery. From this, his depiction of the family was based on his belief that everyone was forced to adhere to him. Furthermore, an article, “Sex Trafficking and Sex Work” speaks of numerous, “Factors that include violence by husbands and/or other family members, martial separation or abandonment, with the interaction of poverty and gender based mistreatments “ (George et al. 70). Providing for a family at times can be challenging if one does not have a stable job as the article reiterates. In addition specifically, if one is using the money for their wants and not needs. Lakshmi’s stepfather used up all the money so he was able to satisfy himself and not his family. He used violence on his family, allowing them to coerce into poverty. This explains the reason for Lakshmi to be sold into a living