Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Mumtaz, Sex Trafficking

Mumtaz is the villain of the novel—and a terrifyingly powerful villain at that. She holds each girl's life in her hands, and she has the power to eject the girls from Happiness House on a whim. Although she provides a roof, food, and some measure of security from almost certain death on the streets, Mumtaz doesn't hesitate to manipulate the girls to increase her profits. As Lakshmi so aptly puts it, "Mumtaz is a monster […] only a monster could do what she does to innocent girls" (157.Monster.2). It's easy to hate a character who has no redeeming qualities

But after reading the novel, we understand that Mumtaz is not the only person responsible for Lakshmi's tragedy—she's just the easiest one to blame. The real antagonist in the novel is human trafficking. Each person on the trafficking train—the stepfather, Bajai Sita, Auntie Bimla, and Uncle Husband—who brings Lakshmi to the brothel in India is responsible for Lakshmi's exploitation and abuse.

And if we consider this to be true, the end becomes much less satisfying, though probably truer to reality; although Mumtaz may receive the justice she deserves, what about the other brothels in the city, the other victims, the other Lakshmis? It's almost too overwhelming to think about—but it also makes it clear that sex trafficking is the biggest antagonist of them all in Sold.