Sold (What Is Normal - What Is Missing Now)

Now that Lakshmi is no longer locked up in her room, Shahannah and some other girls tell her what is normal around the house, what she must do, etc. Lakshmi is surprised at the girls behaviors. They watch soap operas and laugh and do all sorts of things. She cannot imagine being happy while being in this place. Seeing the girls like this makes Lakshmi realize that she is still not one of them. I don't think that Lakshmi will ever be like the other girls. I don't think that she will ever just accept her fate and deal with it. I think she will do what she has to do, but she will work towards leaving. I don't think that Lakshmi wants the luxuries in the house, only to be able to return home when she has paid off her debt.

Lakshmi meets a young boy who is wearing a David Beckham shirt. She does not know his name. I think that Lakshmi may relate to this boy. She does not understand the language he speaks, but I think she feels that despite everything, she is still a child. He is not a whole lot younger than she is, and I think his innocence reminds her of her own childhood. She becomes jealous of him because he doesn't have to go through what she does. He gets to go to school and then come home and play. She realizes that it is wrong to be jealous of him, but at the same time who wouldn't be jealous.

All the girls love babies. They are given shots to prevent pregnancies, but everyone loves the children at the house. They offer an escape for the young girls. The children do not judge them the way that everyone else does. They love unconditionally. Lakshmi has trouble relating to this, but the girls say they need to pretend to get through their lives. I think that Lakshmi can truly relate to this statement. She pretends that what is happening is a nightmare. I think anyone who is in that situation would have to pretend in some way.

Mumtaz takes away all sorts of money from the girls for rent and other things. How unfair is this! How can anyone ever have enough money to leave if they have to pay Mumtaz all that money for things that obviously don't cost the price she is charging. She is trying to make sure that the girls have to stay at Happiness House, and she is doing a great job at it.

Whenever Lakshmi smells her clothes and can no longer smell the mountain, she is in shock. One of her sole comforts in this place was being able to go back home for a few seconds. Now that that is no longer available, Lakshmi starts to accept that she is a different person than she was at home. She has grown up a lot in this place, and though the loss saddens her, she moves on with what she has to do.