Lost Names

I read the beginning of lost names to get to three hundred pages. It starts off with a mother telling the story of how her family moved and got through a tough time. They were leaving the country to go work at a missionary school, but the Japanese police were preventing her husband from leaving on time. She waited outside for him all night, and when he finally showed up, they crossed a footpath together despite the dangers. I was slightly confused by this whole story. I don't think that I had enough background information in this book. It must have been during a time when the Japanese were in charge. I was confused when they would not let the father go even though he had papers. How is that fair? If he had legal documentation, why couldn't he leave right away? It mentioned that he had rioted against the Japanese and served time in prison for it. It seems unfair that the Japanese would make him leave his home and his family because he once protested...I wish the book would have said what had happened to him. All it described was that he was bruised and bleeding slightly. I wonder if the Japanese threatened his family in any way...He hid all of his burdons very well from his wife.

I could tell that the mother was a very strong woman, though she felt somewhat dependent on her husband. When he was gone, she was confused at what to do. Once she figured it out though, her mind was set. She would not let anyone change her plan. Many young men offered to help her, but the only help she would accept was someone taking her luggage to the station. She insisted on waiting with her baby outside until her husband returned. It was freezing cold out. I felt bad for the baby! Despite how many times she was offered to go inside to warm up, she only did this after her husband had finally returned. I think that she has an extremely strong will. It seems different in this country. Women don't seem to be equals, but they do not seem to be as low on the totem pole as they were when I read Sold.

I think that this story was good from what I read, though I did not really get a feel for what was truly going on. I would like to finish it and figure out the time setting and what happens in the book. I can tell that it would be an interesting story, and I would love to get more of a feel for the characters, their morals, the culture that they live in, and even what is historically going on during this time. I think that it would be a good book.

Final Reflections

I loved this book! It was so easy to relate to Lakshmi. She was just a young girl who had terrible luck. I truly felt everything that she was feeling. I think that Patricia McCormick did an amazing job at showing what people in the slave trade have to go through. I think that everyone should read this book. It was amazing and hard to put down. I loved all of the symbols throughout the book. I thought that Sold was a great form of catharsis. I think that Patricia McCormick wrote the novel so that even someone who has never gone through something like the slave trade could relate to what was going on. I felt like I was Lakshmi while I was reading the book, and I think that because of this I was able to get a better feel of what it would be like to have to deal with that every day. I thought that Sold helped to show that life is very different in other parts of the world. I did not even know that the story was taking place in modern days until I read about TVs and digital cameras. I think that what is happening in these other countries is terrible, and something needs to be done to help. Sold helped show that these terrible things are going on. I think that this was one of my favorite books.

Sold (Waiting - The Words Harish Taught Me)

Lakshmi is waiting for the Americans to come save her. In the mean time, Anita is becoming ill. I hope that Anita will be alright. She is all that Lakshmi has left. Lakshmi doesn't have to wait for very long. Soon an American comes. He brings a digital camera and shows Lakshmi where he can take her. I think that it is so weird that there are digital cameras in this book. Being in this place where there are not so many modern technologies makes me forget that we are in a current time. Lakshmi was amazed by the digital camera. I think that Lakshmi is really nervous to trust him. She has been taken advantage of so many times, it is a miracle that she can even consider trusting anyone. She decides to take the risk and trust him. I think that this was a good choice. If it doesn't work out, what is she losing? She doesn't have any freedom, any say in anything going on in her life. All she wants is to escape. I hope that Lakshmi does not get caught. If Mumtaz finds out that she asked the American to escape, Lakshmi may very well be killed. She was extremely close to being caught when she started acting guilty. She needs to be very careful.

The American takes a while. Lakshmi loses all hope that he is coming. I think that this is sad. I hope that the american does come back. I wonder why it is taking so long? What does he have to do that takes so much time?

I loved the ending. I think it is great that the words that saved Lakshmi are the words that Harish was taking the time to teach her. I loved that Lakshmi is going to be safe! After everything that she has been through, she is finally getting to go home!

Sold (All I Have Left - Stupidity)

Anita begs Lakshmi to get out of bed because Mumtaz is going to send her away otherwise. I never knew that Anita really cared about Lakshmi, and I don't think that Lakshmi knew this either. Lakshmi and Anita are some of the oldest girls here now. Lakshmi realizes that Anita needs her, so she finally gets up. I am so glad that Lakshmi got up, and that her and Anita are becoming closer. Lakshmi really needs a new friend. I only fear that if she becomes to close to Anita something will happen to take Anita away.

Lakshmi wants to get out of the house. She decides to be with every man and any man to get out of here sooner. Lakshmi has changed so much. I am glad that she is trying to get out, but I don't really think that being with any man will help pay off her debt to Mumtaz. Mumtaz will find ways to keep her there. When one drunk man falls asleep, she even digs through his wallet and steals more money. I don't think that the old Lakshmi would have done that. Stealing is wrong, but at the same time, so is what he does to her. It is such a twisted cycle. I hope Lakshmi can get out of this place soon.

There is a boy who brings a cart with tea and drinks that the girls can buy. All of the girls love to buy tea, but Lakshmi always refrains. The boy finds this curious. Eventually he starts leaving her tea for free. I think the boy feels bad for Lakshmi but likes her at the same time. He even ended up giving her a bottle of coke. Lakshmi also starts to like the boy. When he got in trouble for not having the money from the coke, she borrowed money from Mumtaz to pay for it. I think this shows how much she likes him. She has decided to be with every man and any man to make enough money to leave this place, but when someone she knows gets into trouble, she is still compassionate enough to help him out. Whenever he gets switched to a different route, he tells Lakshmi it is not her fault. As he leaves, Lakshmi gives him a hug and secretly slips him the card the American gave her and asks him to find the men who promised to take her home. I am so glad Lakshmi decided to go! I don't think that the Americans are evil. I think that Mumtaz just started that rumor to make the girls stay when the Americans come. I hope that they come to save Lakshmi...

Sold (A Word Too Small - Today)

Whenever Harish is leaving, Lakshmi does not know what to say. She is very worried for him, then remembers the word that he taught her 'sorry'. She tells him that she is sorry. I think that her heart is breaking on the inside. She loved Harish. Now she knows that he will be out on the streets. He will not have a home, and he surely will not be safe. But most importantly, he will not be there for her. He will not be in Happiness House to teach her English. I think that this is the worst part for Lakshmi. In this situation, she is thinking more about herself than anyone else. Lakshmi always repeats the words 'I am Lakshmi. I am from Nepal. I am thirteen years old.' Harish taught her how to say this. I think these words are a comfort to her. She doesn't totally understand them, they are in another language. At the same time, they are comforting. With most of her life, things that she doesn't understand have turned out to be bad. The words though represent an escape. If she learns the languages she will be able to communicate with others and not be so alone.

An American comes to Lakshmi's room and gives her a card. He tells her that he can get her out of this place. Lakshmi is extremely leery. The girls have been taught that Americans will take them home and make them walk naked in the streets. Mumtaz has truly thought of everything. I think it is so sad that these girls cannot trust anyone who tries to help them. Lakshmi keeps his card because she knows that it is contraband in the house and if anyone saw it, even in the trash, there would be an uproar.

After the raid, Lakshmi cannot find Shahannah. She learns that Shahannah was taken. Why is it that poor Lakshmi loses everyone that she becomes close to? Shahannah was a good friend to her, and she was from the same area as Lakshmi. Lakshmi really has trouble dealing with this. She cannot find a purpose in living anymore. She lays in her bed and does nothing all day. I feel so bad. She must have so much grief to deal with. This isn't just the disappearance of Shahannah, it is the disappearance of her normal life that she is grieving for.

Sold (Not Counting - What Despair Looks Like)

I can't believe that Lakshmi is actually sad that the guy who held her hasn't come back. I don't really understand. Sure, he may have been gentle, but he still took advantage of her. He still went to Happiness House in order to gain pleasure. I feel bad that she is becoming so connected to him. I think she is going to get hurt, because he probably won't come back.

The David Beckham boy's name is Harish. Harish has been teaching Lakshmi many new words. One day he tells her it is the festival of brothers and sisters. He bought her a shiny new yellow pencil. I think that Lakshmi is very surprised about this. No one really shows her much love in Happiness House, and even back at the mountain, they did not have any money to spend on things such as pencils. I think that she is taken aback by such a generous thought. I also think that she is very happy that Harish likes her enough to buy her a gift. She said that the pencil smelled of possibility. I think that it represents what she can learn and write now, but also a brighter future. The pencil is bright yellow, like the sun. I hope it leads Lakshmi to a better place in her life. Lakshmi decides to give Harish a gift. He loves soccer, and kicks around rotten melons all day long. Lakshmi used her old clothes to make him a soccer ball. I think this was very generous. It shows how much Lakshmi likes Harish. Although she can no longer smell the mountain air on those clothes, they still represent her past and are some of the few things she has to remember her home.

Lakshmi gets sick, and Mumtaz has no mercy. She tells her to get out of bed and go to work. She has a high fever, and cannot move and Mumtaz is only thinking of the money she is losing! Soon Mumtaz gives her some pills to take to make her better, but Lakshmi has to pay for them. I don't see how Lakshmi will ever get out of here. Her debts are building up, and she makes very little when you take out all of the things that Mumtaz charges her for. I don't think Mumtaz plans to let her go until she is of no use to Mumtaz.

When Monica returns to the house and tells Lakshmi how her family had disowned her, I think Lakshmi is almost scared. She does not know how Monica got into this place, but surely she didn't come on her own free will. I think she is worried about what her own family will say to her, now that she is a disgrace. I think it is so sad that Monica's family told her own daughter that she had died! Monica worked so hard to pay for everything that her family needed. She finally had enough to pay off Mumtaz and return home, only to find that she is not wanted there, despite everything she had provided them with.

When Harish's mom is sick again, Mumtaz decides to throw them out on the street. The only way she will keep them is if Pushpa (Harish's mom) gives Mumtaz her baby girl for later use. Of course she says no. I cannot imagine someone even daring to ask for a baby girl. Mumtaz is really pure evil. All she thinks about is the price she can fetch for girls. I feel so bad for Harish and his family. They have no money and no place to go! I also feel bad for Lakshmi. She really liked Harish...

Sold (Stealing from the David Beckham Boy - Am I Pretty?)

Lakshmi sees where the David Beckham boy hides his money, and she steals from him. She never touches his money though. Instead she takes his book and reads and pretends to be in school. I think that this shows that Lakshmi has still clung to her personality and stuck to her morals. It would be so easy for her to take his money to help her get out of the Happiness House faster, but all she wants is to learn. She misses being in school, being a student and learning. She still loves what she loved at home. I am really proud of Lakshmi for not stooping low and stealing his money. One day the David Beckham boy sees Lakshmi reading his book. Lakshmi is ashamed of being caught. The boy seems slightly confused that Lakshmi is interested in his book, but offers it back to her to read. She is too ashamed and leaves. Lakshmi hates the look of pity he gave her when he offered her the book. It is like he knows what is going on with her life, which he probably does. Lakshmi does not want to be the girl who is in a terrible situation. She wants to be normal. That is why she pretended to be at school. I think that his look of pity made her realize more strongly that she wasn't at school, but rather in the Happiness House going through torture. The boy has a lot to deal with. He knows what goes on in the house, and he has to deal with the kids at school tormenting him because his mother is a whore. He could be and extremely hostile young kid, but he is not. He loves to play soccer, and even offers to teach Lakshmi different languages. I think that he is an amazing kid just like Lakshmi. Although his situation isn't quite as harsh, he is dealing with a lot as well.

Lakshmi becomes almost confused when one of the men lay with her. He holds her after he is done, affectionately. Lakshmi has never had this happen before, and she becomes attached. She felt like he was after more than just his own pleasure. As strange as it may seem, I think that when he did this he allowed her to reconsider what she thought of herself. She contemplated whether or not she was pretty. I think it is so sad that the slightest bit of gentleness affected Lakshmi in this way. It really shows how badly things are going in the house.