How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Title.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Tonight when Mumtaz comes to my room, she sees that her strap has left raw sores on my back and neck, my arms and legs.
So she hits me on the soles of my feet. (72.What'sLeft.1-2)
Sometimes Lakshmi's suffering is much more psychological than others. In this case, though, the pain is physical. Which would be worse pain for Lakshmi—the physical abuse or the psychological and emotional torment she endures? What makes you say this?
Quote #5
"Out there, you're no better than a dog."
She points to a mongrel that has stopped to nose through a ditch full of human waste.
"Here at least we have a bed and food and clothes." She pauses. (76.ACupofTea.14-16)
Which type of suffering might be preferable to Lakshmi—the crushing poverty of the city or the physical and emotional suffering in Happiness House? Why might she choose this?
Quote #6
I have already learned from these city people. From the ones who turned a blind eye to the legless beggar boy, from the ones who shuffle through this city of the dead with their eyes empty.
You are safe here only if you do not show how frightened you are. (76.ACupofTea.22-23)
Every once in a while, McCormick offers us a glimpse into the suffering of those in the city. Lakshmi calls the city she's in the "city of the dead" because the people seem to have no hope or spirit in their eyes. And fear is integrally tied to the suffering Lakshmi experiences; the less fear she shows, the less she suffers.