Kate Anderson post #3

In Sold, by Patricia McCormick, the tones change as the book progresses, starting with innocent and then proceeding into extremely dismal. In the beginning Lakshmi has a very positive view of things and how she will be able to help her family, but then, after Lakshmi is sold in prostitution the positivity is replaced with a very negative tone. For example, the diction further in the book is very solemn and dark. "Each morning and evening Mumtaz comes, beats me with a leather strap, and locks the door behind her." (109) "I am torn and bleeding where the men have been." (125) These are perfect examples of the dark tone that McCormick's book takes on as Lakshmi continues to suffer at Happiness House. Words like beats, torn, and bleeding are good examples of how the diction in Sold turns very dismal. As the book continues, you also see how Lakshmi's outlook on life also becomes very joyless. She focus' mainly on the sad things she experiences instead of trying to find some positivity in her dull new life. "I do the calculations. And realize I am already buried alive." (148) Lakshmi is constantly thinking of a way out, trying to calculate how many rupees she needs, and rightfully so, but it seems to always be keeping her from trying to focus on other things, like the David Beckham boy, and trying to salvage a little hope in happiness from her old, innocent life. The syntax and sentence structure in Sold is very clipped and short. She doesn't try to sugar coat anything or make it seem like something its not. McCormick uses short and very to the point sentences, that while being easier to read, also get her point across very clearly.