Regalia In What You Pawn I Will Redeem

In Sherman Alexie's What You Pawn I Will Redeem the main character and protagonist Jackson Jackson embarks on a heroic quest to raise funds to buy his grandmother's powwow regalia from a pawnshop. Although he is homeless, Jackson finds it necessary to purchase the regalia. The narrator of Linda Hogan's “Heritage” would argue that this regalia proves to be an intrinsic part of Jackson's identity. Jackson has nobody of true significance in his life except his two friends, Rose of Sharon and Junior, who are not really his friends. As a result, Jackson longs for a connection to something or someone who will provide him a purpose in life. Jackson, albeit only having just seen the regalia for the first time, holds a deep connection to his family's

forgotten past through his grandmother's powwow regalia.
In the Native American culture, family is a pivotal part of everyday life.

Before colonization and settlement in the Native American land, families would live together and depend on each other deeply. As time passed and Westernism took its toll on the Native American peoples, family still held its roots in their cultures. This is evident in What You Pawn I Will Redeem, where Jackson toils for twenty-four hours in order to obtain his grandmother's regalia. Once Jackson is given his grandmother's regalia, he states "I knew that solitary yellow bead was part of me. I knew I was that yellow bead in part. Outside, I wrapped myself in my grandmother's regalia and breathed her in," (Alexie 1449). Jackson expresses his love and appreciation for his family through this action. He also, throughout the course of the literary work, reminisces upon the times that his grandmother would tell him stories. Similarly, an appreciation for family is apparent in "Heritage;" where the narrator chronicles the myriad of different characteristics that she possesses, which have been passed down from her predecessors. The narrator’s appreciation is especially noticeable when she remembers “the smell of baking bread,” (Hogan 428) and the memory of her mother. Jackson and the narrator synonymously place a high value on their experiences with family members. However, without his family, Jackson becomes absorbed in his everyday

life.
Jackson can simply be described as being lost. He has no motivation to fix himself or find a path into a better life, and at some points is aware of the fact that he is dying and does not have much more time to live. Jackson is “an alcoholic Indian with a busted stomach.” He cannot digest food properly, so when he does eat, he does not receive the proper nutrition that he requires. This ailment was caused by his alcoholism, and one would probably assume that he would attempt to correct his mistakes; however, Jackson continues to consume more and more alcohol until he can consume no more, representing his little dedication to living a more fruitful and joyous life. Being homeless is a trait shared by both Jackson and the narrator of “Heritage.” While Jackson is truly homeless, the narrator ends` the poem with, “From my family I have learned the secrets of never having a home.” Being that the narrator’s family is of Indian descent, one might assert that she is referring to the nomadic life style practiced by many Indian tribes. This common ground provides a point with which What You Pawn I Will Redeem and “Heritage” can be analyzed. Homelessness is yet another point these tragic stories can be compared.
Jackson Jackson is and has been homeless for the past six years. However, Jackson is content with his current status, claiming “being homeless is probably the only thing [he’s] ever been good at,” (Alexie 1434). Jackson, arguably, enjoys being homeless and living carelessly, except finding free food, in which Jackson is fairly proficient. Jackson has no close, intimate relationships with anyone, he has no close family, no real friends; he has nobody. Jackson never speaks of any nearby family, and his friends are always away or passed out in a park. Because of this, Jackson lives a life without meaning. Without people to care for and love on him, Jackson does not have any place that he belongs. Jackson is aware of this void in his being, and attempts to fill this hole with memories and remembrances of his grandmother. The narrator of “Heritage” would also conclude that she finds much of her belonging in the memories of loved ones. The entire poem is devoted to describing her family, from the romanticized details of childhood, to the grueling reality of “the plague of locusts that leveled [their] crops,” (Hogan 428). This displays her deep ties and belonging in her family, especially with her grandmother.
Although superficially it may seem as if Jackson has no belonging or identity, he discovers these in his family roots. Even though he has literally no money to his name and no viable source for money, he still attempts to raise the nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars needed to purchase the regalia so that he can feel more connected to his family. He toils away for twenty-four hours, knowing that he will never raise enough money but still continues anyhow, driven by his need to connect. Jackson may not know anything else about what he wants in life or where he wants to be, but one thing is for certain: he is intrinsically designed to desire a human connection, whether it be a spiritual connection with his grandmother while dancing in the street, or while sitting on the wharf with the Aleuts he just met. This desire is derived in a deep rooting of family values inside of Jackson.
An interesting similarity between What You Pawn I Will Redeem and “Heritage” is how the author left out reasons for why either person is homeless. Jackson states in the beginning of the story “I’m not going to tell you my particular reasons for being homeless,” which invokes a mood of separation and distrust. Directly following this, Jackson says “Because it’s my secret story, and Indians have to work hard to keep secrets from hungry white folks,” (Alexie 1433). This only furthers his tone of distrust and provides a similarity between the literary works. Likewise, Linda Hogan, author of “Heritage,” never gives a reason to explain why she never had a home. This similarity illustrates an important parity with which one can better understand the situations of both characters. Indians have always been a nomadic people, their culture demands it. Jackson is content with living on the streets of Spokane because that is how he believes Indians should live. The narrator of “Heritage” would also agree that Indian peoples have never lived in and as a part of western culture, and belong in a nomadic lifestyle.
Throughout Linda Hogan’s “Heritage,” a reader can observe that the narrator finds a deep connection with her family. Likewise, throughout Jackson’s heroic quest to raise money to purchase his grandmother’s regalia, one can observe that Jackson finds his identity and belonging in the arms of his family.