Sherman Alexie’s What You Pawn I Will Redeem Essay Example

himself is through drinking alcohol with the money he should be saving towards his grandmother’s regalia.

He buys, “three bottles of inspiration…to figure out how to raise all that money,” (Alexie 16. ) The use of the word ‘inspiration’ sounds like an excuse, as if buying the alcohol is actually a vital part of the plan.Later in the story, after having won eighty dollars off a scratch card, Jackson goes to a local bar and buys whiskey shots for all the Indians present. It seems as though Jackson knows he is bound to fail to get the money, and so he doesn’t even try – instead, he spends any extra money on things that will not help him with his goal, but will make him feel better for a short while.

Another way Jackson distances himself is through humor about his ill-fated circumstances. A cop friend of Jackson’s tells him, “’You Indians.How the hell do you laugh so much? I just picked your ass off the railroad tracks, and you’re making jokes. ’” (Alexie 25) This shows how Jackson is aware of his life and is not in denial, but doesn’t want to be completely miserable. Readers feel respect towards him for attempting to put a positive spin on his life. It is important for readers to understand the characters on a deeper level, so that they can sympathize and possibly even relate to their feelings and actions.

It is especially imperative for Alexie to help readers understand, for his intended audience is not likely to know what it is like living on the streets, drinking their troubles away, and basically begging for money. Distancing oneself

from the situation is common in people who do not completely accept their situation, like Jackson. He had a life going but lost it, just as his grandmother lost her regalia. Alexie, Sherman.

What You Pawn I will Redeem.