What You Pawn I Will Redeem Analysis
Ahmad Abdullhadi Shalabi
World Literature
December 10th, 2013
The Quest for Identity in Sherman Alexie’s “What You Pawn I Will Redeem”
Sherman Alexie, a Spokane/Coeur d 'Alene Indian, was born in 1966 on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, Washington.” [He] is a poet, writer, and filmmaker. Much of his writing draws on his experiences as a Native American growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation” ( Konigsberg). As a Native American, Alexie’s main concern is presenting his own culture and traditions not only to the American society but also to the whole world. Therefore, most of his works focus on the life of Native Americans in the Indian Reservations where those people suffer from cultural denial and lost heritage and land. …show more content…
When did she die ?” “Nineteen seventy-two.” “And you’re killing yourself now?” “I’ve been killing myself ever she died.” (Alexie 18).
Jackson presents the case of all Native Americans who suffer from the consequences of giving up their lands in the past and live a bitter present with cultural and moral denial. Jackson starts his journey with only five dollars and ends it with the same amount. In spite the fact that he is fully aware that the pawnbroker will not give him the regalia without the money, he goes there and asks for it. For his surprise, the man gives him the regalia for the five dollars and tells him that his determination to get it back is more important than the money. After the stressful moments and harsh journey, Jackson takes the regalia and says, “I took my grandmother’s regalia and walked outside. I knew that solitary yellow bead was part of me. I knew I was that yellow bead in part” ( Alexie 26 ). The regalia represents Native American’s lost identity that they look for in a multicultural society where they are marginalized, depressed and denied. The whole world stopped to see the original identity of Jackson who lives a moment of relief “Outside, I wrapped myself in my grandmother’s regalia and breathed her in. I stepped off the sidewalk and into the intersection. Pedestrians stopped. Cars stopped. The city stopped. They all watched me dance with my grandmother. I was my grandmother, dancing” ( Alexie 26
World Literature
December 10th, 2013
The Quest for Identity in Sherman Alexie’s “What You Pawn I Will Redeem”
Sherman Alexie, a Spokane/Coeur d 'Alene Indian, was born in 1966 on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, Washington.” [He] is a poet, writer, and filmmaker. Much of his writing draws on his experiences as a Native American growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation” ( Konigsberg). As a Native American, Alexie’s main concern is presenting his own culture and traditions not only to the American society but also to the whole world. Therefore, most of his works focus on the life of Native Americans in the Indian Reservations where those people suffer from cultural denial and lost heritage and land. …show more content…
When did she die ?” “Nineteen seventy-two.” “And you’re killing yourself now?” “I’ve been killing myself ever she died.” (Alexie 18).
Jackson presents the case of all Native Americans who suffer from the consequences of giving up their lands in the past and live a bitter present with cultural and moral denial. Jackson starts his journey with only five dollars and ends it with the same amount. In spite the fact that he is fully aware that the pawnbroker will not give him the regalia without the money, he goes there and asks for it. For his surprise, the man gives him the regalia for the five dollars and tells him that his determination to get it back is more important than the money. After the stressful moments and harsh journey, Jackson takes the regalia and says, “I took my grandmother’s regalia and walked outside. I knew that solitary yellow bead was part of me. I knew I was that yellow bead in part” ( Alexie 26 ). The regalia represents Native American’s lost identity that they look for in a multicultural society where they are marginalized, depressed and denied. The whole world stopped to see the original identity of Jackson who lives a moment of relief “Outside, I wrapped myself in my grandmother’s regalia and breathed her in. I stepped off the sidewalk and into the intersection. Pedestrians stopped. Cars stopped. The city stopped. They all watched me dance with my grandmother. I was my grandmother, dancing” ( Alexie 26