Summary Of The Red Convertible

Louise Erdrich’s short story, The Red Convertible, shows that the corruption of war dehumanizes man by exposing the harsh reality of the world. Henry’s inability to mentally recuperate from the war results from a shocking evil that he has unveiled in humanity. After experiencing war, a world centered around orders and commands, torture and pain, programmatic violence and mindless murder, where free will does not exist and men turn against each other, he perceives the world he once blindly admired as a deceitful illusion to mask the underlying cruelty of the world (50 words). Shattering the illusion subjects the individual to a bleak and meaningless life. Experiencing war bereaves man of his ability to interact with and enjoy the presence

Erdrich uses the changing of seasons to emphasize how reality exposes the falsehood of an ideal world. During the carefree summertime, life seems glorious and free. The idealistic summer world gives man the false impression that life will always be that way, enabling him to lose sight of reality. As autumn approaches, however, it shatters that idealistic view of the world. It can never be restored (5 words). Henry’s shipment to war marks the end of his blissfully ignorant life and marks the coming of cold and harsh times. The evil of the world scars Henry, awakening him from his oblivion. Although the arrival of spring holds the promise of renewal, Henry’s encounter with war makes it so that he can no longer see goodness or hope in humanity. As humanity reassures themselves of a “whole life starting” (Erdrich 6) in the spring, Henry becomes increasingly repulsed by the ignorance surrounding him. His awakening to reality is a burden, which explains why humanity chooses to ignore reality instead. Henry’s suicide in the river represents his escape from the world that he has come to detest. The river, symbolizing the corruption of modern life, drowns him to