In the novel The Windup Girl, Paolo Bacigalupi wonders if it is possible to overcome one's programming through the character of Emiko. He introduces us to Emiko who is genetically programmed and psychologically conditioned to seek and obey a master. At first Emiko shows no signs of hope. He lives his life every day with resentment for who he is. Until Anderson gives her a reason to hope. He tells Emiko about a place where windups live without owners, which makes her want to survive. To realize this future he needs to have control of his present. Since Raleigh has control over her, she must first overcome her programming and gain control so she can become herself. Through another fluke, Emiko finally gets to see her future come true when Gibbons tells her that he can bear her children. Through Emiko's character we see that hope was what she needed to overcome her programming and live her life. Giving Emiko the opportunity to find herself and know who she really is, allowing her to not worry about what others think of her. Without any hope, Emiko sees herself in a negative light, feeling like she doesn't know what it means to have a voice of her own. It is obvious that he considers his life useless and that he has no purpose in life. Which is also reflected in how others see and think of her. Emiko's confidence is so low that she can never see herself in a good light, "she feels like she's an animal every day" and this can't change until she starts to accept who she really is and embrace it (221) . If it ever wants to be considered more than just a conclusion, it must have the hope of being better than others say it is. But so that she can overcome herself… middle of paper… to feel comfortable with who she is. Once she felt comfortable with who she is and was able to respect herself, she was able to take certain actions that would bring her closer to achieving her goal. Once she became master of herself and satisfied only with herself, she saw herself in a new light. When Gibbons meets her at the end, she is given another opportunity for a better future. A future where he can have a family and be true to his nature. She found new hope, she was able to have children who will be able to reproduce and give a new life to future puppies. In a sense creating your own windup village without patrons. Bacigalupi presented us with a different perspective on hope, that with hope you can overcome anything, even if you are not programmed to do so. That when someone is comfortable with themselves, nothing they say can affect how they think.