Tin roof

A tin roof is desired by Lakshmi and her mother to cover their house, for their thatch roof is failing quickly. A tin roof is a luxury that will help to shelter and protect the family from bad storms. However, Stepfather refuses to buy a tin roof, preferring to spend the money he has come into possession of on himself.

Rupees

Rupees are the currency of Nepal and India, and are used for the selling and purchasing of goods. The sexual slave trade is also conducted using rupees, from the buying and selling of young girls as sex slaves to the payment for prostitution. The average rate for Lakshmi is thirty rupees – the price of a bottle of Coca-Cola.

American storybook

$300 is the rupee-equivalent that Lakshmi is initially sold for by Stepfather. Three-hundred dollars is the average low price, according to the author, that girls...