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The Red Convertible

            
             In the short storyThe Red Convertible? by Louise Erdrich, the red convertible symbolizes the bond between the two main characters. The main characters in the story are two Native American brothers named Henry and Lyman. The story is told in first person narration by the main character, Lyman. The two brothers purchase a red convertible together with their own hard earned money. They seem to do everything together and the car is always there. Things start off good and pleasant in the story. Once things go sour the red convertible is what helps them bring things as close as possible to how they once were. The red convertible lasts all the way through the story just as the bond between the two brothers last.
             Other then symbolizing the bond between the two characters the red convertible lets the readers know a little bit about each character. The red convertible reveals the change in Henry's character from before he leaves for war to when he returns. Before Henry leaves to go to war he is an outgoing young man and the red convertible is described as,?large as life? as if it was alive?? After returning from the war, Henry is messed up mentally and for a while is not associated with anything other then a television. Once Lyman intentionally messes up the car the author associates the messed up red convertible with the messed up state of mind that Henry is in. In this same part of the story the red convertible reveals the sacrifice Lyman is willing to take to get his brother back. He ruins the car he helped purchase in hope to get his brother back. These are some of the ways that the red convertible helps reveal a little about each character. .
             The red convertible helps reveal the plot of the story in several ways as well. The sequences of events that occur in this story all revolve or are closely tied to the red convertible. Once the author introduces the red convertible the plot is formed and we see the two brothers enjoy their time with the car and each other.


Essays Related to The Red Convertible

1. The Red Convertible

In the short story "The Red Convertible" the author, Louise Enrich, uses a red convertible to symbolize the bond between the two main characters, Henry Jr. and Lyman. ... Even so, the brothers use their hard earned money to purchase a Red Convertible. ... While in the car, everything seemed right and good, just like the red convertible (Brandt, Darcy, 2003, np). ... Henry no longer had anything to do with the red convertible, let alone Lyman. ... Enrichs use of a red convertible to symbolize a changing relationship was a great idea. ...

  • Word Count: 687
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Red Convertible

The Red Convertible, a short story written by Louise Erdrich, challenges the reader's mind with numerous uses of imagery. ... At the start of the story, Henry and Lyman had gone up to Winnipeg and come across a red convertible that neither one can take their eyes off. ... The convertible, which of course did not have a top, represented the newly found freedom for the boys. ... The convertible, therefore, becomes their source of self-discovery as they travel wherever the roads take them. ... Henry's physical and mental state at this time is similar to that of the red convertibl...

  • Word Count: 419
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

3. The Red Convertible

Indian Brothers "The Red Convertible" by Louise Endrich is the story of two Chippewa Indian brothers who center their attention on rebuilding a red convertible. The convertible symbolizes the friendship, love and everything positive in the lives of the two brothers. ... Endrich begins this final scene with Bonita, their younger sister, taking a last picture of the two brothers and the red convertible. ... The brothers argue over who should keep the red convertible. ... He returns to the red convertible in the darkness and turns on the high beams. ...

  • Word Count: 639
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

4. The Red Convertible

The Red Convertible This story is about two brothers who bought a red convertible and who took off driving for an whole summer. ... In "The Red Convertible" Erdrich suggests that even when one puts all the effort he can to rescue another, it may still turn out to be worthless. ... So then, Lyman decides to do a real bad job on the red convertible. ... In "The Red Convertible", Erdrich also employs conflict to emphasized that one cannot always be rescue. ...

  • Word Count: 887
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Symbolism in The Red Convertible

Louise Erdrich's short story "The Red Convertible" embodies numerous symbols that might be missed. ... Instead of using the money to rebuild a passion he and his brother purchase a red convertible, which seems to bring a change to their lives and an inseparable bond. ... The car could be said to have been the way that the brothers communicated as they headed off to see new places in that red convertible and enjoyed the last few weeks that Henry would be free before leaving. The red convertible may also represent a remedial charm for Henry. ... The red convertible was originally ...

  • Word Count: 839
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Red Convertible

Unable to Cope in Erdrich's "The Red Convertible" In the short story "The Red Convertible" Louise Erdrich writes about two brothers who were Chippewa Indians, living on a reservation in the 1970's. ... Lyman and Henry bought a red convertible together and traveled all summer in it. ... Lyman had beat up the red convertible hoping that Henry would snap out of where- ever he was. ...

  • Word Count: 663
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

7. The Red Convertible...Lyman

Buying the red convertible, which he first believes is "alive", is a signal that he is making this shift. He is the first, if not only, native to drive a convertible on his reservation. ... One night, he takes a hammer and destroys the underside of the red convertible, "whacked it up and bent the tail pipe". ... In the end, after Henry drowns himself, Lyman completely disconnects himself from the convertible by pushing it into the water and he confirms his status as a native when he says "Lyman walks everywhere he goes". ...

  • Word Count: 313
  • Approx Pages: 1
  • Grade Level: High School

8. The Red Convertible

There are two main symbols that really stick out to me. The first is the Red Convertible, and the other is the water at the very end of the story. I think that the convertible symbolizes the relationship between Marty and Stephan. When they first buy it, it is brand new, and so is their relations...

  • Word Count: 440
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Red Convertible - By Louise Erdrich

Well this is what Henry and Lyman in the "Red Convertible" by Louise Erdrich decided to do one summer. ... The two brothers had a very close relationship growing up together and were able to expand their adolescence and simplicity with the purchase of the red convertible. A red convertible was not the typical car you would expect to see on the reservation but Henry and Lyman saw the car and bought it on a whim. ... The red convertible only let the two brothers enjoy their summer by taking them to many comfortable and peaceful places other than the reservation. ...

  • Word Count: 958
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

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