ENG 125 Week 5 Assignment - What You Pawn I Will Redeem 1...

What You Pawn I Will Redeem 1
What You Pawn I Will Redeem
Joshua Gibbs
ENG 125: Introduction to literature
Rachel Griffis
April 19, 2017

What You Pawn I Will Redeem 2
What You Pawn I Will Redeem
Taking the time to conduct a self-evaluation of your strengths, weaknesses, likes and
dislikes is a necessity to build oneself, rather than demeaning oneself. Not too many people use
their past experiences to explain the reasons why they conduct particular actions and behaviors.
Fortunately, the protagonist in the literary work “What you pawn I will redeem,” by Sherman
Alexie, named Jackson2 (Jackson Jackson), does not have this issue. Jackson has a history of not
persuing goals when they become difficult. However, Jackson fought against his past behaviors
and persued the task of retrieving his grandma’s dance regalia, although he led a lifestyle of
making poor financial decisions which brought him into a homeless state of living. Jackson took
on the challenge anyway which took him down a road of trials and tribulations that battled his
character along with the perception society has on Indians who are homeless and drunk. The
culture of Indians are illustrated in this literary work as the author permits the homeless Indian
Jackson, to express his Indian culture who cherishes their race as family and keep their
individual tribes heritage sacred, with a kindness that shows their character will overcome
obstacles.
This literary works tells the story of Jackson, the homeless Spokane Indian, who
endeavors on a journey to obtain his grandma’s dance regalia. Jackson, along with his three
homeless Indian friends, found his grandma’s dance regalia in the window of a pawnshop. In
hopes to obtain the memory and heritage of his culture he asked the pawnshop owner how he
could obtain the regalia. The pawnshop owner said he had to obtain one thousand dollars within
twenty-four hours and he would sell it to him. Jackson has never kept a job long, finished his
education, and content with the fact that he’s been homeless for years. “I’ve been homeless for
six years now. If there’s such a thing as an effective homeless man, then I suppose I’m

What You Pawn I Will Redeem 3
effective.”(Troyer, 2008). Most his daily life is consumed with visiting the residents of Seattle