What You Pawn I Will Redeem By Sherman Alexie

924 Words2 Pages

"What You Pawn I Will Redeem," is Sherman Alexie's modern perspective on the typical quest tale. The main character, Jackson Jackson, begins a journey to retrieve his grandmother's thefted powwow regalia, a journey that leads to fulfillment and the importance of personal identity. Throughout the twenty four hour long journey, Jackson's interactions with friends and strangers help the reader discover the essence of his life and his character. As a homeless Spokane Indian bereft of a home and family, Jackson's quest to retrieve his family heirloom becomes a link to his past, present, future, and his cultural identity. Several members of our class have suggested that the final message of this story centers around Indian Culture and alcoholism. …show more content…

Throughout the story, Jackson Jackson gives away much of his earned money to others, despite needing it to compensate for his grandmother’s stolen regalia he so desperately coverscovets. There was Mary, the young grocery store clerk from the Korean grocery store, there were the fifteen Indians from the Big Heart’s bar in South Downtown, and there were the Aleuts from the wharf; all random recipients of Jackson Jackson’s gratitude. Whether it be money, booze, or breakfast, the acts of kindness put forward by a homeless Spokane Indian stem from a lifelong habit of careless giving. Jackson Jackson is somebody that will give his last dollar to someone or something that needs it more than he, no matter how unfortunate his financial situation. The question remains, why does Jackson Jackson give away so much of his earned money to others, despite the urgent need of currency to acquire his grandmother’s lost regalia for personal redemption? Jackson Jackson seems to gain a certain level of happiness that gives off an unwavering persona of unbrokenness. There is little that can break the man, and despite the deep personal attentiveness to the acquisition of his grandmother’s lost regalia, he won’t let that stop him from …show more content…

The idea is that fortuitous gratitude extended warrants good things to come. No matter how much money Jackson Jackson gives away during his quest, he always seems to subsequently get it back. The author clarifies this sequence of events through the use of a narrative frame. When Jackson Jackson first enters the pawnshop and spots his grandmother’s lost regalia, the pawnbroker tells him that it would cost him one thousand dollars to purchase the item, but Jackson only has five dollars. At the end of the story, Jackson returns to the pawnshop with five dollars, but the five dollar bill he returns with isn’t the same one he brought into the shop twenty four hours prior. During the attempted exchange between Jackson and the pawnbroker, the broker asks, “Did you work hard for that money?” and the answer to that question swayed the pawnbroker into giving the regalia to Jackson. This exchange articulates the author’s premise regarding karma. The tumultuous twenty four hours endured by the main character was rewarded by the conquering of a specific quest. Good things happen to people who do good things, and that’s what stands out the most in this

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