Pawn and trade is a classic way to raise cash quickly. It involves bringing something of value to a shop to get a cash loan or sell it outright. This system has been around forever and continues to attract people who need money fast.

Pawnbrokers shop for deals offer a loan amount, usually some fraction of the item’s actual resale value. This is because the shop needs a margin to cover their risk and make a profit. The customer is offered a time to repay the loan, including interest, or come back and buy the item. If the customer doesn’t pay or come back within a certain period, the pawnbroker will sell the item to recoup the loan amount.

Compare and contrast the depictions of the pawnbroker in both the film and the story to understand how they perceive and interact with the customer. Evaluate their relationship and interaction as a means to develop and defend personal views about the pros and cons of this ongoing economic exchange practice among Native communities.

To pawn an item is to use it as collateral for a short-term loan. The average pawn transaction is less than $180 nationwide and pawn shops make thousands of loans daily for less than $50. For many consumers, pawning is the only source of short-term, non-recourse access to cash that is not based on their credit or income. It is also an alternative to a standard purchase that may result in an expensive cycle of debt.