What is your best accomplishment? In Sherman Alexie’s story “What You Pawn I Will Redeem,” Jackson is the main character in this story who is static and the protagonist. The story is in first-person because it comes from his point of view. Jackson strives to overcome his alcoholism to achieve his goal. He comes across people with similar difficulties and learns how they have given up their goals which encourages him to pursue his. Jackson is a sympathetic character who struggles with an internal conflict to win his prized possession. While on his journey to accomplishing his ambition; Jackson battles with alcohol and poverty, learns to care for people he meets along the way, and defeats his inner struggle.
Jackson is a poor Indian who has a …show more content…
Jackson seems to act happy, even though he’s in a bad situation. Alexie inputs how Jackson is describe from other characters in the story, the cop says, “I don’t know how you laugh so much” (22). He lives a very unfortunate life, but only looks on the bright side. Jackson, also considers the other characters, his friends, as his own family, “When you win you’re supposed to share with share with your family” (18). He shared his fortune with others including the clerk and other homeless men. Jackson tells of how he feed three men, “The Aleuts and I walked over to the Big Kitchen. . . I knew they served homeless Indians. . .” (26). Throughout this story you can infer how Jackson is a kind man: sharing and caring for other with his earnings instead of being stingy and self- centered. His main weakness is not being able to withdrawal from alcohol. Alexie tells of several times when Jackson would use his winnings to drink rather than save it, “ Me and all my cousins are going to drink eighty shots” (18), “. . . carried our twenty-dollar bill and five dollars in loose change over to 7-Eleven and bought three bottles of imagination” (12). Even though Alexie doesn’t explain it in the story, you can still assume that Jackson has certain virtues such as; perseverance to reach his goal, generosity to help others around him, and respect to the pawnbrokers wishes and deal for the …show more content…
Throughout the story, he has the worry to pay the pawnbroker, but it’s himself who has to control his actions and what he does with his own money. Jackson can’t stay financially stable being homeless and also being an alcoholic using his earnings on drinks and not saving it to pay for the regalia. The regalia is his most prized possession for it has the memories of his grandmother and it will serve the purpose of being his best accomplishment. At the end he returns to the pawnbroker with no money and the pawnbroker notices he has done many deeds and has been dealing with himself to change. Therefor he gives Jackson the regalia for this, “Did you work hard for this money?”, “He returned with the regalia and said ‘take it’” (28). After Jackson receives the regalia he describes the present situation, “I wrapped myself in my regalia and breathed her in”, “The city stopped. They all watched me dance with my grandmother” (28). He has moved all of the world and away from all his problems to dream the memories of his
Jackson is a poor Indian who has a …show more content…
Jackson seems to act happy, even though he’s in a bad situation. Alexie inputs how Jackson is describe from other characters in the story, the cop says, “I don’t know how you laugh so much” (22). He lives a very unfortunate life, but only looks on the bright side. Jackson, also considers the other characters, his friends, as his own family, “When you win you’re supposed to share with share with your family” (18). He shared his fortune with others including the clerk and other homeless men. Jackson tells of how he feed three men, “The Aleuts and I walked over to the Big Kitchen. . . I knew they served homeless Indians. . .” (26). Throughout this story you can infer how Jackson is a kind man: sharing and caring for other with his earnings instead of being stingy and self- centered. His main weakness is not being able to withdrawal from alcohol. Alexie tells of several times when Jackson would use his winnings to drink rather than save it, “ Me and all my cousins are going to drink eighty shots” (18), “. . . carried our twenty-dollar bill and five dollars in loose change over to 7-Eleven and bought three bottles of imagination” (12). Even though Alexie doesn’t explain it in the story, you can still assume that Jackson has certain virtues such as; perseverance to reach his goal, generosity to help others around him, and respect to the pawnbrokers wishes and deal for the …show more content…
Throughout the story, he has the worry to pay the pawnbroker, but it’s himself who has to control his actions and what he does with his own money. Jackson can’t stay financially stable being homeless and also being an alcoholic using his earnings on drinks and not saving it to pay for the regalia. The regalia is his most prized possession for it has the memories of his grandmother and it will serve the purpose of being his best accomplishment. At the end he returns to the pawnbroker with no money and the pawnbroker notices he has done many deeds and has been dealing with himself to change. Therefor he gives Jackson the regalia for this, “Did you work hard for this money?”, “He returned with the regalia and said ‘take it’” (28). After Jackson receives the regalia he describes the present situation, “I wrapped myself in my regalia and breathed her in”, “The city stopped. They all watched me dance with my grandmother” (28). He has moved all of the world and away from all his problems to dream the memories of his