How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Title.Paragraph)
Quote #10
"But the rest—the money from the customers—goes to Mumtaz. Your family will never see one rupee more." (162.Revelation.6)
This truth from Shilpa destroys Lakshmi's (perhaps fragile) hope that working in the brothel is actually helping her family. We're not sure if this is self-deception on the part of Lakshmi or deliberate deception on the part of Mumtaz, but we know that this truth causes Lakshmi's world to tilt askew. Arguably, this is the point where she begins to actively search for a way to escape.
Quote #11
Every day I have prayed for an American to come. Now that one is here I don't know what to do.
I hear a noise from the counting room and see that Shilpa is watching. So I go to the man like a thirsty vine. (168.DigitalMagic.1-2)
At the beginning of the novel Lakshmi had to learn to hide her true feelings about her stepfather… But now, she is a practiced enough liar to use deception to her advantage.
Quote #12
"Do you want to leave here?" he says.
I cannot answer.
How do I know if he is a good man?
What if he is like the drunken American?
What if he is like the ones Anita talks about, the ones who make young girls walk naked in the streets? (168.DigitalMagic.19-20)
This is a theme that pops up throughout the novel. Because of repeated betrayals, Lakshmi's fear of a new betrayal has the potential to hold her back from grasping freedom. So fear, betrayal, and deception are all intertwined in the novel.