What You Pawn I Will Redeem Summary

In Sherman Alexie's, “What You Pawn I Will Redeem,” an alcoholic, homeless Indian sets out on a quest to win back his grandmother's stolen regalia. The main character and narrator, Jackson Jackson, stumbles upon his stolen family heirloom in a pawnshop window and proceeds to spend the next day trying to earn enough money to buy it back. The pawnshop owner tells him he will sell it back to him for $999 and that he has 24 hours to come up with the money. Jackson gains small amounts of money here and there, but always ends up spending it on alcohol or food. When the 24 hours is up, Jackson returns to the pawnshop with only $5 to spend. The shop owner asks him if he worked hard for the small amount of money he had, Jackson tells him, “Yes,” and the owner gives him the regalia. Alexie
Jackson gives the reader a break-down of his life in a very impersonal list and talks about being crazy and a “boring heart breaker.” When talking about the ending of his past relationships he says “and I didn't break any land-speed records running out the door. Piece by piece, I disappeared. I've been disappearing ever since.” This tells the reader his sad story and shows how he views himself. He is a sad, lost Indian who feels he is slowly losing himself. It gives the reader insight into how many homeless people (Indian or not) probably feel about themselves and their lives. Jackson frequently thinks about his grandmother, when thinking about her death he wonders “if my grandmother's cancer started when somebody stole her powwow regalia. Maybe the cancer started in her broken heart and then leaked out into her breasts. I know it's crazy, but I wondered whether I could bring my grandmother back to life if I bought back her regalia.” Jackson cares deeply about his grandmother and this shows that his quest for her regalia is an important and spiritual quest for