A Writers Craft for Hope

As I started to read “Sold” by Patricia McCormick, I began to see the main conflicts that are arising and the themes that are evolving. So far poverty and womens rights are without doubt probably a couple of the biggest themes to this book. The way Patricia McCormick uses poetic devices and writing craft to empthesize how important these themes are made me think about them and the world around me on a somewhat deeper level.

In the very beginning of the book to where I’m up to so far, the tin roofs are mentioned constantly. I think they are daily reminder of poverty to Lakshmi and ut her family but I also think it symbolises something deeper…maybe hope? In the last sentence of the first chapter named “Tin Roof” Lakshmi describes herself seeing a tin roof while her father is seeing greed for himself. I think the tin roof not only symbolises Lakshmi’s hope for her family but it helps us readers understand the characters view points on poverty right away—Alma says, “One more rainy season and our roof will be gone.” For me this implies that her character is the type that worries. On the other hand, I find Lakshmi’s character the complete opposite. After Lakshmi describes her father and how he only sees greed for himself, Lakshmi says “I see a tin roof.” For me, this line not only showed how hopeful and optomistic Lakshmi is, but it opened up the story on poverty. I love how Patricia gave three different and clear viewpoints on these three main characters which helped me to understand that there is always hope.

Another technique I have noticed Patricia using throughout the book so far is weather and how that changes the mood to this story. For example, when Nepal is in the middle of a major drought Lakshmi describes the only water that falls comes from Ama’s eyes. Then she describes the baby crying without tears. Why would Ama have tears and not the baby? I think this is another part of  Patricia’s writing technique which (I think) connects with the theme that is strating to unravel about womens rights. I think that this harsh weather symbolises a time of grieve and pain that Ama is experiencing. Ama also seems to be going through a time of weakness to the idea of hope which, I believe, is why Patricia mentioned the crops dying. The baby is a boy and it doesn’t seem like the men go through any pain at all.

To sum things up, I think the craft and symbolism Patricia incorperated within the story itself is incredible and it allows us, as readers, to think on a much deeper level.