In the short story Sold by Patricia McCormick, the protagonist Lakshmi has to go through many challenges, and her main challenge is to find a way to escape or seek help, to leave the "happy house" which is a prostitution center for young girls. Lakshmi went through depression, abuse, being drugged, and having to go against her will to sleep with men, at the house which is run by Mumtaz. Lakshmi hid herself from the world, until she got an unusual client, who promised her that he would come back and rescue her.

       At only 13 years old, Lakshmi experienced hell, that no other 13 year old usually experiences. In America, we have everything; from computers, to TV, to cellular devices, nice homes, and food and beverages whenever we need them. However back In Nepal, that's what people are craving for. So when Lakshmi was offered a job to be a "maid" in the city, she quickly accepted, because that meant she would earn rupees, a tin roof for her home, food for her family, and a jacket for her sister.

     During Lakshmi's journey to India with a strange women, and a man who told her to call him her husband, she witnesses unusual sightings. She sees a poor girl, and men surrounding her; throwing cigarette butts at her, and gravel. Lakshmi is unaware that soon she will be that girl, she will be that girl that everybody steps on, that girl that doesn't mean a single thing to the world.

    The turning point of Lakshmi's life, and the book is when she finds out that Mumtaz paid 20,000 rupees for her, and to pay of that price she has to sleep with men every single day, for the next 5 years. How sick is that? Knowing that at only 13, you've been lied to, you've been given the dirtiest job, and that you might be stuck doing something against your own will for another 5 years!

    I personally think Lakshmi is a very strong character throughout the entire book. She has her ups and downs in the beginning, but who wouldn't? I mean she expected to work for a rich family as a MAID not a PROSTITUTE! In the beginning Lakshmi wouldn't even get out of bed to do her dirty job. She would be starved, with nothing to eat or drink for days. Mumtaz would even come to her room every single day, and give her a beating. But, Lakshmi didn't give up, she went from being a follower, to a leader. She knew, that if sleeping with men would get her out of the house, then that's exactly what she would do.

    I think the part where Lakshmi, starts gaining back all the hope that she lost when she first came to the house, is when she gets an unusual client. At the house, Mumtaz taught all the girls not to give out any personal information to any customer who come. Lakshmi also knew that some customers who ask her to escape with them, are fake. They're just doing Mumtaz's dirty job, to see if Lakshmi would spill out all the information or not. So Lakshmi was always very careful.  Her client an American, instead of sleeping with her he asked her questions.
. How old are you?
. Whats your name?
. Do you want to leave this place?
. Follow me, I want to bring you to a rescue place for girls
      Lakshmi wouldn't budge at all. She thought he was fake. Any info she could tell him, might go straight to Mumtaz, and that's another beating.

       I personally, if I was Lakshmi would listen to the man. It's not like every day that she has a chance of escaping. She could start her life of fresh, instead waiting 5 years. Lakshmi had the biggest chance, but she kept to herself and listened to Mumtaz. She listened to the same Mumtaz that forces her to do things she doesn't want to do, who abuses her, and who drugs her! On the other hand, i understand where she's coming from. I would be scared too. What if the American really was one of Mumtaz's spies. But I believe, that sometimes in order to succeed, you need to risk it. And that's one risk that Lakshmi should have took.

    In the end of the book, Lakshmi finally learned that it's time for her to go home. She's not losing hope, and she hopes the American would come back as he promised. Until then, Lakshmi is continuing to do her job to earn rupees to support her family. Everyday, she looks to see if one of the clients is her strange American, who promised her a miracle.