How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Title.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"Do you want me to teach you how to read the words in the storybook?" he says.
I do.
I don't dare admit how much."Yes," I say, my eyes still fixed on the notebook.
"Yes, I do." (109.Yes.3-5)
What might education—learning new words—give Lakshmi at Happiness House that she doesn't currently have? Think about how it can affect her spirit and her ties with other people.
Quote #8
All I want to do is lie in my bed and repeat the beautiful American words from Harish's book, to say them over and over until one blends into the other, a chant that keeps all other thoughts away. (148.AllIHaveLeft.3)
Shahanna has just been taken from Happiness House, and Lakshmi wants to escape into language and reading as a coping mechanism as she grieves for her friend.
Quote #9
Today I will show her my calculations, the figures I've checked and rechecked and checked again, the numbers that say I will have paid down my debt—by this time next year. (151.Calculations.3)
Lakshmi takes a great risk in showing Mumtaz her calculations. Why does she do it? And how does her ability to read and do math affect her hope for escape?