Life is full of situations that challenge people to overcome the odds and achieve what they thought was impossible. Such is the case with Sherman Alexie's short story, "What You Pawn I Will Redeem." The narrator is faced with what appears to be an impossible situation: finding $999 in just 24 hours to obtain his deceased grandmother's stolen signs from the pawn shop owner to whom they had been pawned. These insurmountable odds bring out the best in the otherwise flawed narrator, Jackson. Jackson is a homeless alcoholic whose illness nearly cost him his life. Nonetheless, Jackson overcomes his circumstances and displays three extraordinary qualities as he overcomes his extremely difficult task. Show resilience in difficult times, generosity despite dire financial needs, and patience with other people along the way. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The first of Jackson's astonishing characteristics in the face of adversity that is worth considering is his uncanny ability to resist even the impossible. Almost anyone in Jackson's position – to be able to buy back his deceased grandmother's stolen signs – would have wanted to achieve that goal. However, not many people would have put up with the inability to get $1,000 in cash in less than 24 hours, especially considering the odds stacked against him in the sense that he was a homeless alcoholic. Most people would have given up without even trying. Jackson, however, not only tries to achieve the goal, but does so with extreme optimism. Consider, for example, when Alexie tells us that Jackson buys two lottery tickets, each with a possible winner of up to $500, and scratches them off hoping to win the $1,000 needed to reach his goal. It is arguable that he is delusional; however, one could also suggest that Jackson simply has so much resilience in the face of adversity that he genuinely feels he can win against such insurmountable odds. Despite all practical notions to the contrary, Jackson seems to glide from one unequal undertaking to the next with a casual, carefree approach that borders on self-deception but nevertheless carries it forward with perseverance despite the odds stacked against him. An exceptional characteristic that emerges during his hardships is his financial generosity. It would be easy for someone in his situation to hoard every penny possible to try to get as much of the needed $999 as possible. Jackson, however, does exactly the opposite. Instead of hoarding his money, he gives it away. When he receives $100, for example, he gives $20 back to the woman and keeps the $80 for himself. However, he doesn't even spend the $80 on himself, but rather buys drinks for the other people in the bar. According to De Leon, good stories are those that portray “characters with real desires” (2016). Alexie does just this superbly, juxtaposing Jackson's real desire to get quick money for his grandmother's signs with his extreme generosity. It has been said that money does not transform man into someone else; it simply reveals who the person already is. The same has been said about adversity. With these two thoughts in mind, it seems that Jackson is inherently a very generous person. When both adversity and money fall into his lap at the same time, he proves himself to be a generous giver rather than a miserly hoarder. Jackson's last amazing characteristic that comes to life during his adversity is his patience with other people along the way. . I had.