Stereotypes In What You Pawn I Will Redeem

Coming from a family with much diversity, I can relate to Alexie’s use of stereotypes. My grandfather came to the United States from Italy, and my grandmother was Jewish, and with them came the stereotypes, much of them true. My grandfather loved pasta, and talked with his hands, and my grandmother was a nice Jewish girl who counted her pennies. Whether by choice or by birthright, these stereotypes never bothered me, instead I was I was proud of them. In "What You Pawn I Will Redeem" Alexie is proud of his heritage and uses humor to represent the negative stereotypes of the Native American Indian.
They say laugher is the best medicine. In "What You Pawn I Will Redeem", there is no shortage of humor, even after our proud “Spokane Indian boy”
(Alexie) Jackson Jackson passes out on the railroad tracks, he manages to make a joke. “I don’t know how you guys do it, … You Indians. How the hell do you laugh so much? I just picked your ass off the railroad tracks, and you’re making jokes. Why the hell do you do that?” (Alexie). Just like when using euphemisms (counted her pennies), by using humor, you can lessen the sting and the truth doesn’t hurt so bad.