Hope
Over the course of the narrative, Lakshmi, her friends, and her family struggle to maintain a sense of hope amidst adversity. At the beginning of Sold, Lakshmi and her mother fantasize about the life they will have once their circumstances change. Ama survives the death of her husband and children, the shame from her community, and crushing poverty. She dreams of a tin roof, making sacrifices for her children, and carrying herself with dignity. When Lakshmi leaves the mountain, she leaves Ama with hope, as Lakshmi is the first person to leave the mountain and find her fortune in the city.
In Happiness House, the women find hope by creating families and working hard to pay off the "debts" they owe to Mumtaz. Monica, Anita, Pushpa, and Shahanna extend kindness to Lakshmi despite their own terrible circumstances. Monica convinces herself that she will be honored by her family for paying her father's medical bills and her daughter's school fees. The most prominent example of hope comes at the end of the text when Lakshmi hopes the American soldier will return to save her from Happiness House. This hope makes Lakshmi unable to bear exploitation and abuse, and it encourages her to disobey Mumtaz.
Commodification of Sexuality
In order to pay his debts and buy luxuries for himself, Lakshmi's stepfather chooses knowingly to sell Lakshmi into sexual slavery, aware that a young girl like Lakshmi can fetch a higher price than honest work. Lakshmi's body and sexuality are thus treated as a commodity to be bought and sold without her consent. Throughout Lakshmi's journey to Happiness House, several adults, including Aunty Bimla, Uncle Husband, and Mumtaz, negotiate Lakshmi's sale, questioning her about her age and the status of her sexual virginity, attributes that affect how much she can be sold for. For example, at Happiness House, Mumtaz fetches a higher price for Lakshmi when the customers think she is a virgin.
The scene where Lakshmi and Uncle Husband witness the public shaming of a young girl exemplifies the theme of the commodification of sexuality. The girl, who supposedly ran away from her husband, is treated as her husband’s property. Her long hair, a symbol of feminine sexuality, is cut as punishment and to mark her as "disgraced" for challenging her husband's ownership over her body. This traumatic event foreshadows when Lakshmi refuses to participate in prostitution and Mumtaz cuts her hair.
Escapism
The women at Happiness House use distractions and escapism to find joy in their lives and process the abuses they suffer at the hands of Mumtaz and their customers. Monica, the most popular woman in the brothel, idolizes movie stars and constantly watches television. She pretends to be in an idyllic world and even acts out movie scenes when the television breaks. When she returns to the brothel after being rejected by her family, Monica immediately begins watching television to distract from her pain.
Lakshmi pretends she is in school while reading Harish's books. She also dreams of home and smells her old clothing to imagine she is back home. She intentionally crafts her daydreams, imagining that her life is a television show that can be switched off when it becomes unbearable.
The children who live in Happiness House hide on the roof when customers arrive and in the mornings, go to school and "begin another day of pretending."
Shame
Sold explores shame as both an emotion and a tool for control. In the opening chapter, Ama envies the people in her village who have a tin roof, not because her house is in a state of disrepair but because not having a tin roof is considered a shameful thing. For Ama, not having a tin roof signifies her failures—she was unable to raise a son into adulthood, and her husband gambles away what little the family has. Ama's sense of shame and dignity are tied to the actions of her husband.
Similarly, Monica expects her family to honor her for providing for them financially, but she is beaten and shunned for being a sex worker. Though Monica, like many women in Happiness House, is victimized, abused, and exploited, her culture and family believe sex work is shameful.
Lakshmi initially refuses to "do this shameful thing" of sleeping with customers, who often degrade her by calling her names and abusing her. Still, Lakshmi internalizes her shame.
Lakshmi's stepfather lashes out in anger and becomes addicted to gambling because his community shamed him for his deformed arm. Taken as a whole, Sold is a story of the cyclical nature of shame and how shame breeds abuse.
Facade
Many characters in the text disguise their true intentions behind facades. Aunty Bimla appears to Lakshmi as a glamorous "city woman" who offers Lakshmi a life of ease. Bimla pretends to be Lakshmi's friend and caretaker, though the entire time she is planning to sell Lakshmi into sexual slavery.
When Lakshmi first meets Monica, she is initially intimidated by Monica's tough exterior. However, throughout the course of the text, Monica reveals herself to be kind and sensitive; she even gives Lakshmi a rag doll to sleep with.
In Happiness House, Lakshmi often checks her reflection in the mirror and does not recognize herself. She lies about her age to clients, hides her exhaustion with makeup, and puts on a facade of coquettishness.
Economic inequality
Debt and economic inequality force the characters of Sold to make difficult choices and sacrifices. Lakshmi's village suffers from poverty and food insecurity, yet Lakshmi's stepfather spends money on luxury items to appear more successful. Ama sells her most prized possession, her earrings.
By contrast, Mumtaz lives in excess and greed, eating more than her fair share of food and dressing in luxurious garments. She forces the other women to live in squalor, all the while taking their wages as her own.
Education
Lakshmi's saving grace is ultimately her education. When she reaches the city, Lakshmi analyzes everything she sees, cataloging new words and ideas. She uses her mathematical skills to calculate her debts to Mumtaz and plan how she will escape the brothel.
Lakshmi befriends Harish, who teaches her English and Hindi. When the Americans come to Happiness House to liberate Lakshmi, she uses her language skills to announce herself.
