Summary Of The Red Convertible By Louise Erdrich

Published in 1984 from Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine, The Red Convertible emphasizes the importance of relationships in a world that is not always perfect. Two of the main characters are Native American brothers Lyman and Henry who live on an American Indian Reservation in North Dakota. We watch their relationship evolve from the spontaneous decisions they make prior to the war to their relationship after the war as Henry returns home and suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Their relationship proves as a symbol of light and darkness and also shows how good things must eventually come to an end. Erdrich uses characterization and symbolism to portray how situations can lead to unexpected changes and to show that nothing in life is guaranteed

Symbolic of his leaving for the military, the car is also torn and needs repairs from the long days of driving. As Henry leaves, the brothers do not communicate as much as they did when Henry was home and when the car was apart of their daily lives. Lyman collects his brother’s keys to the car, as he will not need them in Vietnam. This is a symbol of their dwindling relationship as they no longer share the connection of the car and their relationship suffers as Henry is away. Lyman attempts to work on the worn car while his brother is gone. Fixing the car reminds Lyman of the happy times he had with his brother and provides as a coping mechanism while Henry is away. Henry, like many soldiers returning home from war finds himself suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Henry is disturbed by gory images of people dying and suffering from battle wounds. Henry is withdrawn from his relationship with his brother and his mother. Lyman attempts to use the red convertible to bring Henry back to his “old self” by destroying the red convertible. Henry does in fact see the convertible and spends time fixing it, which does improve his symptoms. Later on, Henry acknowledges that he knew Lyman purposely destroyed the convertible and said he had fixed it for

Before Henry leaves for the war we believe that his relationship with his brother will only be slightly affected with his departure for Vietnam. Prior to the war, we see Henry driving around in the red convertible, which emphasized his freedom. When he returns from the war he has no interest in driving the car, a symbol that he no longer has freedom or control over his life. Henry is portrayed as the selfless character that attempts to give the red convertible, once a prized possession entirely to his brother. After the debacle over which brother should keep the red convertible, Henry drives the red convertible into the riverbank and commits suicide by jumping in. Lyman watches in terror as his brother is pulled down by the current and the red convertible once a symbol of the light in their relationship, gets pulled down and ultimately drowns along with Henry. We can see how the car now transitions to become the darkness in their relationship as it is involved in this tragedy and was ultimately one of the reasons why Henry felt so inclined to commit suicide. Lyman is thought of as the lucky brother or the one who can make lots of money without trying very hard. Lyman is portrayed as the brother who has more control over his life and the