Abstract
“What you pawn I will redeem” is a short story about an Indian who shows extra ordinary strength in a tough time. Jackson the main character in the story is a homeless Indian who is on a quest to get back his grandmother’s regalia. This story has many interesting characters that collectively make the story an intriguing one. (Porter, 2006)
Been a homeless Indian in Seattle is enough problems but when you are faced with the task of raising nearly one thousand dollars in 24 hours it compounds a person’s problems. Jackson the central character was determined to get back his grandmother’s stolen regalia at the pawn shop but his care free friends always led him astray.
In the course of the story, the narrator tell how he spent any money he got on alcohol with his friends. Though he got the regalia at the end of the story but that was due to the sympathy of the pawnbroker who felt he had been through enough trouble. In this essay, we would be identifying and analyzing the various characters in the story.
One character that is flat
Jackson’s friends in the story can be described as the flat and rigid characters throughout the entire story. Jackson was on the quest to save his grandmother’s regalia at the pawn shop and he indulged in different ventures to get the money the pawnbroker had requested.
But rather than be encouraged and motivated by his friends, they instead led him astray. (Porter, 2006) The friends are described as been rigid because all the wanted throughout the course of the story was to have fun at the expense Jackson’s happiness.
Perhaps if Jackson’s friends were not included in the story there would have been no humor in the story. He would have simply saved and paid the pawnbroker. Jackson’s friends as characters added humor to the entire story. There carefree attitude made the story hilarious. (Porter, 2006)
One character that is round
The pawnbroker can be described as a round character in this story due to his complex attitude. The pawnbroker had initially insisted that Jackson had to come up with the sum of $999 before lunch time. This had prompted Jackson to plot different ways of coming up with the money. (Porter, 2006) However, Jackson spent whatever he was able to raise on food and drinks for his friends.
At the end, the same pawnbroker who had insisted that Jackson came up with the money within a stipulated time frame changed his mind. This character enhances this story in a very positive way.
If the pawnbroker had not given Jackson a time frame, he would have possibly been relaxed. The entire story is about showing strength in the face of adversaries and the pawnbroker made Jackson realize his potential. (Porter, 2006)
One character that is Dynamic
Jackson can be defined as the dynamic character in the story due to various reasons. His youthful exuberance and carefree attitude even in tough situations go a long way to show his type of person. At the beginning of the story, Jackson went to the pawn shop with his two friends where he saw the regalia he believed belonged to his grandmother.
He wanted the regalia back in the family but the pawnbroker asked him to get $999 within a short time frame. (Porter, 2006) This prompted him to devise ways to get the money rather than work for it. But after going through all that, he ends up spending the money on food and drinks. This change in character makes Jackson a very dynamic character.
Jackson’s attitude was meaningful and believable. His character is meaningful because he went extra miles trying to get his grandmother’s regalia back. It is also believable for a person to squander money he/she saved for something. Jackson squandered the money due to the influence of his friends. (Porter, 2006)
Reference
Porter, S. (2006) 30/30: Thirty American stories from the Last Thirty years. Purdue University: Longman