In the novel, Thousand Pieces of Gold, there are five main themes the author is writing about. They are: feeling powerless, strength, sexism, betrayal and racism. All of these themes are very important in order to make the book as strong and powerful as it is.
The First Theme, Feeling Powerless.
There are many examples of how Lalu feels powerless in this book. When she was sold for two bags of seed, in order for her family not to starve, the bandits kidnap and beat Lalu, then sell her to Madam. She tries to think of ways to escape, but when she finally does, she is soon captured in a bat cave where she was hiding. Ding says to her,Don't you understand, you cannot escape your fate?? (Page 77) She is powerless to escape.
Later, when she arrives at the saloon where she has been sold into slavery, she seesbearded demon miners? like the coyotes she heard howling in the night. And she was their prey.? (Page 123) Again, she feels powerless to get away from thesedemons.?.
On page 164, after Charlie wins Lalu from Hong King in a poker game, Lalu still feels powerless in her desire to be free when Charlie says to her, The only way a Chinaman can become an American (and own land) is to be born here.? Lalu wants to run a boarding house, but cannot own property. She thinks to herself,Here or in China? it was the same. She needed a protector.? Lalu feels powerless to have a life of her own.
The Second Theme, Strength.
Throughout the novel Lalu shows her strengths. Early in the book she works in the fields to help her father, even though people teased them for it. When she is kidnapped, she tries to escape. She steals from the bandits, planning for her future to be on her own. On page 86 after she has been sold to the madam, the madam tells her,Lalu, you have great strength.? Lalu is already trying to buy her own freedom. When Lalu first meets Hong King, she does not lower her eyes (page 117).
