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Alka Joshi- Indian American

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2020

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The Henna Artist

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Historical Fiction

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Tone: Persistence- Lakshmi the protagonist must continue to adapt and survive her increasingly difficult circumstances.

Mood: Dissatisfaction, stress, and independence because Lakshmi is constantly working to get more because she always wants more and she wants to obtain it by herself.

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1950's India in the city of Jaipur

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The Henna Artist is told from the perspective of Lakshmi Shastri in 1950s India where being an independent woman is very difficult. At 15 Lakshmi got married off to an abusive husband, two years later she escaped with much knowledge of herbal medicine. After paving her way by becoming a renowned henna artist, an unknown younger sister, Radha, appears with news of her parent's death leaving her to care for another person. Taking her younger sister under her wing Lakshmi continues to build her business until her thirteen-year-old sister gets pregnant and refuses to get rid of the baby. Struggling to stay afloat, Lakshmi reaches out to her contacts for support to find out they have already ruined her reputation. After pulling all the strings, Lakshmi realizes the importance of family and finding joy in work, she begins to help a hospital away from the city as a herbal medicine guide.

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Has dark and blue eyes with sharp features.

Is about 30 years old.

Wears nice clothes and always takes care of her appearance.

She is a determined and independent woman who is very smart and has a lot of street smarts.

Motivated by getting herself a house and a life without a man to help her.

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Has dark long hair, blue eyes, softer features, yet very skinny body from being impoverished.

13 years old

Cares about her appearance, but does not know how to be like popular school girls.

Starts off dirty and poor then becomes spoiled and womanly even though she is 13.

Motivated by a idea of a perfect life like in the movies.

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Lakshmi's house represents her desire to gain more through independence. This house is what Lakshmi works to gain through her hard work and she constantly looks forward to living in her house as if her whole life will change once she gets a house. The importance of it is also increased because during the 1950s a women owning a house without the help from a man is very rare.

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The pocket watch that a friend gave Lakshmi represents the higher status that Lakshmi wishes to be. Since the pocket watch is very expensive and given to her by someone wealthy, she looks to it whenever she has a opportunity to gain. It is also lost when Lakshmi realizes that the higher status is not what she truly wants anymore.

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Attaining success and money is worthless if one achieves it alone.

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"I wanted more, always, for what my hands could accomplish, what my wits could achieve—more than my parents had thought possible." - This quote accurately shows the determination Lakshmi has. -Chapter 2

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Radha's school clothes- They show her difference from the other private school girls because hers are not in as much style.

Lakshmi's mother's wedding sari- It shows the humble beginnings that the girls came from.

Lakshmi's saris- Represent her changing who she is and forgetting where she comes from in order to become the person she wants to be.

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Lakshmi's Marriage- Represents the abuse that happens in most arranged marriages where the parents sell their daughter.

Kanta's Marriage- Represent the unrealistic Western love marriages.

Samir's Marriage- Represent the infidelity present in arranged power-driven marriages.

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"That was what I wanted: a life that could fulfill me in a way that children wouldn't." - This quote shows what Lakshmi wants for herself, how she does not want what is traditional. - Chapter 11

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"Success was ephemeral—and fluid—as I had found out the hard way. It came. It went. It changed you from the outside, but not from the inside." This quote shows Lakshmi's character change from the beginning of the book to the end. -Chapter 20