And besides im on a mission here i want to be a hero

And, besides, I’m on a mission here. I want to be a hero; you know? I want
to win it back, like a knight”, (Alexie, 2003)
Jackson needs to prove not only to himself but to his tribe and grandmother that
he is worth something and he can accomplish this journey. Officer Williams gives
Jackson thirty-dollars know that he will spend it on alcohol but he shows Jackson
that he believes in him. Jackson does spend the thirty dollars but it is spent
feeding four homeless friends. The reader can see that Jackson, no matter what
has a kind heart and is always willing to help someone.
Time is running out and Jackson still does not have all of the money.
With no hope of getting the regalia back, Jackson finds the pawnshop and
informs the pawnbroker that he has returned with only five dollars but it is not the
same five dollars from when he first entered the pawnshop. The pawnbroker
asked if Jackson had worked hard for the money and without hesitation, Jackson
replied, "Yes", (Alexie, 2003). The pawnbroker revisiting his options chose to
give Jackson the regalia. Jackson very grateful and realizing that there are many
good men in this world takes his grandmother's regalia and goes outside. He
knew all along that he was that yellow bead.
Outside, I wrapped myself in my grandmother’s regalia and breathed her
in. I stepped off the sidewalk and into the intersection. Pedestrians

Jackson’s Search for Identity 13
stopped. Cars stopped. The city stopped. They all watched me dance with
my grandmother. I was my grandmother, dancing, (Alexie, 2003)
Jackson at this moment felt his reconnection. It was as if he were his
grandmother.
In conclusion, it doesn’t matter what happened in the past or how Jackson
ended up where he is today. He realizes that feeling that connection with his
heritage is very important to him. He knows that he is far from perfect but his
imperfection is also his family’s imperfection. He now has a sense of belonging.
When he walked out with his grandmother's regalia and the world stopped, it was
evident that nothing else mattered. Jackson at this point realized that he had
filled the void in his life. Everyone is responsible for his or her own life. It is not
anyone else's responsibility. Take charge of what is lost and find the closure
needed to continue on. Jackson did just that because in the end, he won.

Jackson’s Search for Identity 14
References
About Sherman Alexie. (2000). Ploughshares, 26(4), 197
Alexie, S. (2003). What You Pawn, I Will Redeem. New York, NY: The New York
Lobo, S., & Margaret, M. V. (2003). Substance dependency among homeless
American indiansdagger
]
. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 35(1), 63-70.
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