Tin Roof (Symbol)
For Lakshmi's mother, a tin roof is not just practical but also symbolic of a family's respectability. Ama's house with its thatch roof is a constant reminder that her husband "gambles away the landlord’s money playing cards in the tea shop” and that, because most of her children died in infancy, she has no "son working at the brick kiln in the city.” When Lakshmi and Ama daydream about the future and share their hopes, they often invoke the image of the tin roof as a symbol of a better future.
The White Card (Symbol)
When she tries to memorize the route back to her village, Lakshmi uses the mountain peak as a landmark. Printed on the card the American gives her is a bird in flight, recalling Lakshmi's description of her mountain home as a "swallow-tail peak." Thus, the card, which Lakshmi uses to escape, symbolizes her finding her way home.
Movies (Motif)
When given the opportunity to ask questions about the city, Lakshmi requests that Aunty Bimla explain what movies are. Later, the women in Happiness House distract themselves by watching movies and reading movie magazines. These escapes from reality represent the women's images of a better future.
Aunty Bimla's Teeth (Symbol)
Though Aunty Bimla appears glamorous in her yellow dress and bangles, her beauty masks her evil intentions to sell Lakshmi into sexual slavery. Her teeth, blackened by betel, a mild stimulant, represent her corrupt interior.
Hair (Motif)
Hair is a motif used throughout the text to represent shame and female sexuality. When Lakshmi is safe and happy in her mountain village, she wears in hair in braids. Hair braiding is a bonding activity she and Ama share. The girl who is publicly shamed has her hair shaved off to mark her as a disobedient and, consequently, shameful woman. When the other women in the brothel prepare Lakshmi to greet clients, they brush her hair and leave it loose. Lakshmi remarks that this hairstyle makes her appear glamorous and older than her age, signifying that the sex work she is forced to perform is not meant for a child Lakshmi's age. When Mumtaz tries to force Lakshmi to have sex with the customer, she throws her by the hair, symbolically weaponizing Lakshmi's femininity and beauty for profit; it is precisely Lakshmi's female body, commodified by her abusers, that causes her pain.
