“The Red Convertible” was a very interesting story of how one simple object as in a car can bring someone back to the reality in which they lived. The car was a symbol that related to many of the conflicts that where shown in this short story. In the beginning as they travel the states only to pick up a girl by the name of Suzy. Once they take her to her home they talk about how the family accepted them as their own, that it self was a memory that was made by the car. No, it did not have conflict but it was a symbol of life.
Once the story progress it begins to talk about Henry a character in the story being taken off to the war of Vietnam. As Henry leaves he gives the car to Lyman his younger brother and asks that he take care of it. This at first does not seem to be a problem until he returns home and is not the person that left. Lyman realizes that Henry doesn’t act the same, he doesn’t smile, or crack jokes, and not once has he taken a look at the car, which Lyman carefully took care of. At this point in the story Lyman goes in attempt to trash the car thinking that it will bring his brother back when he realizes what has happened. This is a symbol of where the car is used in the conflict.
As Henry finally notices the car he becomes angry and stays with it until it is fixed again. He is still not smiling, not joking, and not being the same brother that left. As Lyman waited for a chance Henry would want to be friendly he didn’t know how to deal with the loneliness his brother was displaying. Finally Henry asked to take the car out for a spin and Lyman glowed and accepted the invitation. After this trip in the car not a lot changed until a few months later when Henry wanted to see the river. As they loaded in the car Lyman began to understand Henry and some of what he was feeling but he couldn’t stand it so he acted upon his feeling toward Henry and they began to talk. Henry explained that he knew why Lyman had trashed the car and then Henry tried to give it back to him. They both began to have fun and laugh as Lyman refused to take it and this lasted until Lyman pushed it in the river.
The Essay on Red Convertible Henry Lyman Car
Perceptions & Deceptions: Life before and after Vietnam for Henry Have you ever wanted to take the summer off from work and escape from reality in order to travel around the world without having any worries? Well this is what Henry and Lyman in the "Red Convertible" by Louise Erdrich decided to do one summer. Henry and Lyman are two brothers who grew up on the Indian reservation. They perceive ...
This car is a symbol of conflict but not necessarily bad conflict. It proves to explain how memories can help people get back together, and how memories break the ice. I believe that this car was used more as a reflection upon a memory in life other than a symbol in a story, and that was my understanding.
