“ What You Pawn I will Redeem Overview

Story received from the quiz was “ What You Pawn I will Redeem”, published in The New Yorker.  Elements of fiction, I would say is important to the story is the character and it could be symbolism.  I went back and forth on this for long while.

Character would be the majority of the element of fiction as the character of the story is named Jackson Jackson, a Spokane Indian whom was homeless.  Jackson sets the scene as he describes the locations of his adventures to with the attachment he has there or events.  He is very social and gets along with others to which aids in him getting by.

His luck changes as he passes by a local pawnshop and discovers his grandmother’s powwow regalia in the window.  Meets with the pawnshop owner and informs him that the regalia in the window on display is his grandmother’s dancing regalia.  It was stolen over 50-years ago. Jackson was very close to his grandmother and she passed away from cancer when he was very young.  Her passing took a toll on Jackson and quite possibly his life has been empty since she passed.  Due to the life choices and flunking out of school so quickly.

Pawnshop owner informed Jackson that he would not give it to him for free but had to pay exactly what he paid for it in the amount of $1000 dollars.  Pawnshop owner makes a deal that he will hold it for 24-hours so he could gather the money for it.  In the next 24-hours Jackson is trying to earn the money by selling newspapers, playing lottery tickets and then spending the money he collects on his friends as well as strangers.  Jackson shares his story with people and in turn listens to their story.  He gets by on being kind to others and they in turn are kind to him.  In the end, he goes back to the Pawnshop Owner and he does ask if he tried to earn the money to which Jackson says he did try.  Pawnshop Owner gives him the regalia.  Jackson is overcome with happiness and wraps it around him like his grandmother embrace, takes to the street to dance with it.  Feels like his grandmother and him are whole again.