1. What is Lakshmi’s life like in her Nepalese mountain home? What events create the need for her to go into the city?

Lakshmi's family is poor. Her family is frequently hungry, and the children in her village die young as a result of sickness and hunger. Lakshmi, however, transcends her circumstances. She is a happy girl, and she finds joy amidst the poverty. She plays with her friends, daydreams about her future, and simply lives.

At the end of the chapter, we learn that her step-father has lost what money they had, the money procured by the sale of Ama's earrings, and that Lakshmi will be required to go to the city, where she will work as a maid.