Broad Issue Raised in the Literary Text
The literary text “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” tells the story of a homeless Native American man named Jackson Jackson and his struggle to redeem an old family heirloom from a pawn shop. While that serves as the central conflict of the narrative, the broader issue raised in it is the case of personal accountability in disadvantaged minorities.
This problem is vividly demonstrated through homelessness and character, while the story does not offer exact statistical or empirical evidence but highlights the human factor and demonstrates the potential result of wrong steps. The past, environment, and personal difficulties are offered as reasons for later struggles with addiction, financial problems, and the results of negative choices.
Defining the Issue as a Problem That Needs to Be Addressed
Jackson Jackson’s poor decision-making is announced early in the novel when he introduces himself. The protagonist appears to be someone who lived near Spokane, Washington, and went to Seattle to study in college (Alexie). The latter demonstrates that he was from a well-off family with the resources to afford tuition in Seattle.
By Jackson’s admonition, he flunked out after two semesters. He was also married three times and left the same number of children fatherless (Alexie). He could not keep a job, hence frequent changes. For all of his troubles, the man seems to blame white society members and the historical injustices committed against the natives.
Evidence Demonstrating the Reality of the Problem
While the poor treatment of Indigenous people by the majoritarian white population in the US is not disputed, there is evidence of these disadvantages being used to justify one’s inaction or poor decision-making to induce a state of learned helplessness. Sutton highlights that some individuals may stop putting efforts to improve their lot in life, satisfied with the knowledge that their current predicament is someone else’s fault (109).
Individuals and Groups Affected by the Problem
According to the evidence, such behavioral patterns are more predominant in black and native American populations and less so in Asian and Hispanic minority groups, whom these problems impact (Sutton 134).
Ethical Issues Related to the Problem
The ethical dimension of this issue relates to the degree of responsibility one puts in a disadvantageous position over one’s fate. Furthermore, it is fundamental how ethical it is to place this blame on white people who are not liable for the sins of their ancestors.
Importance of the Problem for Readers
The reason why I and the readers ought to care about this problem is that self-destructive behaviors are not productive, and strategies need to be developed to put the lives of downtrodden minorities into their own hands again.
Works Cited
Alexie, Sherman. “What You Pawn I Will Redeem.” The New Yorker. Web.
Sutton, Anna. “Living the Good Life: A Meta-Analysis of Authenticity, Well-Being and Engagement.” Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 153, 2020, pp. 109-137. Web.