The Female Predicament in McCormick's Sold

Abstract

Patricia McCormick's Sold is a heart-rending story of main character Lakshmi. She has written this novel on the basis of her own research on Nepali girls' trafficking to brothels in India for sexual slavery. This thesis depicts the female issues as reflected in the novel. The novel has been studied by taking the theoretical support of feminism. Lakshmi, the protagonist of this novel, is from uneducated society where females are taken as animals. So, her father sees her of no value at home and to sell her. The novel shows the female predicament represented by the character Lakshmi. While Lakshmi is in Nepal, she is suppressed due to patriarchal framework. Similarly, when she is sold in Happiness House she is extremely exploited from many male customers. This thesis also shows Lakshmi's struggle to get rid from the brothel. Her strong instinct to come out from there makes her believe in Americans though they are taken as liars by every girl in from the brothel with their help. However, she believes in Americans, and gets liberated. It shows the condition of females who need others' help to raise their voice. Thus, the thesis explores the exploitation and domination of a females directly and indirectly in patriarchal society.