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The theme of Identity in literature
Indigenous literatures
Introduction to native american literature
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Characters and individuals struggle with their identity which becomes a huge conflict with their culture. Fitting in to your culture and society can be challenging as the world we live in changes with time and as cultures keep their strong values. Fitting in to society can be a challenge on its own, but still following your strong culture beliefs and fitting in is a struggle that is faced by many.
In the story “What you Pawn, I will Redeem”, the main character, Jackson, embarks on a journey to reclaim his grandmother's stolen powwow regalia, a quest that becomes a journey toward fulfillment and personal identity. Along the way, Jackson's interactions with friends and strangers help fill in the details of his life and his character. As a homeless Spokane Indian far from home and without family, Jackson's mission to reclaim his family heirloom becomes a link to his past, his future, and his cultural identity. During his journey not only this he find himself and who he is, he found out a lot about his culture and where he came from. Finding out
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Growing up in a certain culture you have some strict rules to follow as they have been the same for many, many years. For an example, in Christianity, you are supposed to wait until marriage to have sex, but it this society you don't see that very often. How do you fit in with society, yet still follow your culture values? That can be quite the struggle. Just in my 25 years things have changed drastically. People of the same sex can get married in many states, gay couples are adopting, and transgender is very popular even in the famous world. In the story I read, a young girl is stuck between being a kid and living an adult life. It is very hard to live and survive on a one paycheck job. In the society she is growing up in she has to stay home and take care of her siblings while her mother is working 3 jobs. She is an outsider because other kids her age cannot relate to
Can you imagine yourself being apart of a group or lifestyle, now imagine yourself not fitting in. Maybe some people think you’re weird, but people just like you understand. Many suggest that it’s dangerous while others want to join. Whatever the reason may be you still consider yourself apart of society. As you grow older you realize that many people have different backgrounds and maybe even distinct behaviors. When people feel a deep need for love or respect, values and morals may be forgotten. It’s their customs, rituals, and beliefs that make up their own culture.
This story made me frustrated at the way people get forced into a rut that they can’t escape. Jackson Jackson isn’t completely innocent, no one is, but most of his problems were a result from the wrong that others had inflicted upon him. The frustrating part was that He was incapable of getting himself out. He did things like spend money on alcohol and cheese burgers, only to end up throwing it all up and even less money. To me, this story is about redemption. Jackson received grace from people like the good cop, and the pawnbroker. None of his own efforts changed his situation, only the kindness of others changed him. These kind deeds helped reconcile the reality of Jackson’ life and his situation. In a story like this, I always hope for a
The book A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is one great example of religious and cultural conformity. A young girl living in Afghanistan, Mariam, is sent to live with her father after her mother commits suicide. His wives are not accepting of Mariam because she has not been apart of their happy lives and they don’t want to have a stranger living with them. Also, religious and cultural expectations pressure them to convince Mariam’s father to marry her off to a much older man in Kabul. Her father and his wives conformed to what was socially acceptable in their society. Even though the wives wanted Mariam gone, her father did not, but still gave in. The pressure that made Mariam’s dad and his wives send her off was conformity, or to go with the flow of the rest of society. Their decision ultimately lead Mariam to have to conform to the new culture and role as a wife. The conformity in Afghanistan and more specifically in this book lead a young girl to be separated from her father and placed in a whole new place and had to figure it out basically in her own. Society is based upon different opinions and society should not want conformity because some people are pressured to do things that they don’t have the capability to do or might not agree
“What you pawn I will redeem” is a story written by Sherman Alexie. The story takes place in Seattle, Washington and follows the homeless native american named Jackson Jackson on his journey to obtain his grandmothers regalia that was stolen 50 years ago. He finds the regalia in a pawnshop and spends the rest of the story doing many different things in attempt to make enough money so that he can purchase it back. Throughout the story the author uses Jacksons humor and like-ability to do impressive job of tricking the reader into feeling compassion for Jackson. But when you take a deeper you look into the story, it reveals that in the end Jackson is just a tricky homeless alcoholic.
Culture often means an appreciation of the finer things in life; however, culture brings members of a society together. We have a sense of belonging because we share similar beliefs, values, and attitudes about what’s right and wrong. As a result, culture changes as people adapt to their surroundings. According to Bishop Donald, “let it begin with me and my children and grandchildren” (211). Among other things, culture influences what you eat; how you were raised and will raise your own children? If, when, and whom you will marry; how you make and spend money. Truth is culture is adaptive and always changing over time because
Sherman Alexie writes in his story, What You Pawn I Will Redeem about a homeless Salish Indian named Jackson Jackson. Alexie takes readers on Jackson’s journey to acquire enough money to purchase back his grandmother’s stolen powwow regalia. Throughout the story, Jackson’s relationships with other charters ultimately define his own character. Alexie, a well know Native American author tells an all too common tale of poverty and substance abuse in the Native American community through his character Jackson. The major character flaw of Jackson is his kindness, which ultimately becomes his greatest asset when fate allows him to purchase back his grandmother’s powwow regalia from a pawn broker for only five dollars.
To understand Jackson’s book and why it was written, however, one must first fully comprehend the context of the time period it was published in and understand what was being done to and about Native Americans in the 19th century. From the Native American point of view, the frontier, which settlers viewed as an economic opportunity, was nothin...
Almost immediately we are faced with the conflict of everyday life for Brittany, and as she enters the main setting of the story and a place that should be a safe environment she is immediately besieged. The author, using simple diction, describes another morning at school for Brittany where we see how her classmates attack her verbally with derogatory terms such as “Dyke” and “Whore”(Erdly 253). Because of this and other more physical bullying we see a safe setting become a source of anxiety and fear, and instead of combating the problem the school district does nothing. In clearly understandable writing Erdely deciphers the situation and relates to us how the school district passed a regulation effectively stating that staff “shall remain neutral on matters regarding sexual orientation” (Erdely 264). Effectively preventing children in need of guidance and role models from reaching out. The author uses an easily relatable setting, common vernacular, a clear point of view and familiar events to highlight the issues in this essay. Those issues detail the conflict that LGBTQ children face from people that don’t empathize with them, and understand that just because of who they are doesn’t mean that they aren’t still children in
Inside him, his everyman upbringing and experiences still greatly influenced him and his beliefs. To see that he was a true “Man of the People,” one must look no further than his actions once he surpassed his boundaries and became a wealthy plantation-owner. Even when Jackson became a poster-boy for the old-money elites of Early America, Jackson still never forgot his origins or his upbringing. From his first day in politics to the last, Jackson dedicated himself to enhance and improve the life and existence of the common man. Even when his decisions would affect his support, funding, or social standing, Jackson always kept the people’s interests at
In the short story “What You Pawn I Will Redeem”, Sherman Alexie uses the two most well known stereotypes of Native Americans today, that they are alcoholics and homeless. These are more modern day stereotypes but they fall under the the main stereotype, that Native Americans are helpless and uncivilized. Alexie’s short story focuses on a character named Jackson Jackson, who happens to be both homeless and an alcoholic. Jackson is walking past a pawn shop when he notices his grandmother’s regalia that was stolen from his family fifty years ago. The owner of the pawn shop gives Jackson twenty-four hours to come up with the money for the regalia. The story takes us throughout his journey which consist mostly of Jackson buying alcohol, food, and even some lottery tickets. Jackson would acquire money through a variety of situations right after getting money he ended
Sherman Alexie’s, What You Pawn I Will Redeem. is a brutally honest exploration of an honest and homeless Native American’s connection. with his ancestry, using metaphors and symbolism to convey the message of unity. one’s heritage and an escape from the tortures of the past. One of the first things Jackson, who attributes his matching first and last.
“What You Pawn I Will Redeem,” by Sherman Alexie gives readers a look at the life of homeless, easygoing, middle aged Native American, Jackson Jackson. The story, which is set in Seattle, describes the conditions that Jackson finds himself in. Alexie’s choice of motifs emphasizes the significance of cultural and historical references. With these concepts in mind, the reader is taken through a journey of self-realization. “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” narrates the internal struggle Jackson feels trying to figure out his personal identity as a Native American.
The protagonist in the story began to realize society’s views of her when her father introduced her to a salesman, while she was working outside, as his “new hired hand”. She was almost pleased until the salesman replied “I thought it was only a girl”. Even her grandmother bombarded her with commands, “Girls keep their knees together when they sit down.” And “Girls don’t slam doors like that.” The worst was when she asked a question and her grandmother answered “That’s none of a girl’s business.” Even after that, she continued to slam doors and sit awkwardly because she felt that it kept her free. In other words, she was not ready to accept and claim her gender identity.
She has already grown up with experiences that are unique to her, and she will continue to grow up with experiences that push against the normative trajectory of adult heterosexuality. This is reflected through her lack of ability to have children, and the knowledge that she will lead a different life than other girls her
Research Paper Abstract The purpose of this paper is to explore Sherman Alexie’s “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” in a new light. Many relevant sources highlight and explain the allusions to cultural homelessness and rigorous empathy that exist in Alexie’s work, observing these themes through the opposing lenses of polyculturalism and multiculturalism. Using this information, I wish to highlight and focus on the idea that the main character, Jackson Jackson, is not only struggling with poverty and alcoholism but has a nature that is entirely paradoxical.