What You Pawn I Will Redeem Summary

My choice of story for literary analysis is “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie. It’s a story of culture, spirituality, and humor all woven together about a man who has lost a link to his past and the struggle he’ll have to face with his demons in order for him to reconnect with his history. There are two paths found in this story, the responsible adult side that shows maturity which ultimately are undone by the character’s struggle with depression, substance abuse which is the immature side that highlights the main character’s adventure to reclaim his grandmother’s dancing regalia. What most might consider poverty to be a disease that needs to be erased by any means necessary; but in Sherman Alexie’s “What You Pawn, I Will Redeem” the opposite is shown. The main character, Jackson has lived in the city of Seattle, Washington for the past twenty-three years. He has been homeless for the past six years, a fact that does not seem to bother him until he walks by a Pawnshop and discovers his grandmother’s regalia. This discovery triggers the emotional struggles he’s had since his grandmother’s death in 1972. Her death had a direct impact on his life and lead him to substance abuse and eventually his homelessness. Jackson was supposed …show more content…
Jackson’s homelessness symbolizes the Indian’s displacement from their homelands when the white men invaded their territory. Jackson’s sense of humor and wit would make you not want to pity him. For example, in the story, Jackson has just been arrested for public intoxication. The cop tells him that he is taking Jackson to detox. Jackson replies to the cop “No, man, that place is awful. It’s full of drunk Indians.” His observations are dismissed as being the ramblings of an incompetent person, but they do capture the hint of truth as it was experienced in the