Louise Erdich's Short Story 'The Red Convertible'
Stephanie Epperson
Professor Roldan
ENC1102
9/19/14
Louise Erdich 's compelling short story "The Red Convertible" depicts the relationship between two Native American brothers and a red convertible. The story begins with the narrator (Lyman, the younger of the two brothers) telling the tale of a carefree summer in which the brothers purchase an old convertible and traveled, followed by many more encounters the brothers share. Symbolism is used very heavily on this story, and as suggested by the title, the red convertible is quite important, it quickly becomes a symbol of the brothers relationship in many ways, including the representation of Henry 's health, as well as both bringing them together, and simultaneously ending the bond. Erdrich …show more content…
In the conclusion of the story the brothers take another trip to a place called the Red River because Henry wanted to see the high water. The car was back in running condition, and Henry appeared to be better as well, dancing, and joking, Yet after parking, and fighting over ownership of the car the brothers make peace, share a few laughs, and Lyman notices a shift in Henry 's mood. Henry then jumps in the river. "My boots are filling" he yelled across the river, and it is the last thing he says before he is gone. After Lyman realized his brother was obviously not coming back, he drove the car into the lake symbolizing the end of the relationship between brothers, and the end of the struggle Henry was facing. At the beginning of the story Erdich wrote "We owned it together until his boots filled with water on a windy night and he brought out my share. Now Henry owns the whole car, and his youngest brother Lyman (that 's myself), Lyman walks everywhere he goes." by including this sentence she first introduces the symbolic importance the car, Lyman walks because of the significance cars hold for him, he will always connect the car to the ascending and descending states his brother was in at any time, as will the reader. It is this foreshadowing that allows the symbolism to carry the tone of the story as well; a turn from happy to
Professor Roldan
ENC1102
9/19/14
Louise Erdich 's compelling short story "The Red Convertible" depicts the relationship between two Native American brothers and a red convertible. The story begins with the narrator (Lyman, the younger of the two brothers) telling the tale of a carefree summer in which the brothers purchase an old convertible and traveled, followed by many more encounters the brothers share. Symbolism is used very heavily on this story, and as suggested by the title, the red convertible is quite important, it quickly becomes a symbol of the brothers relationship in many ways, including the representation of Henry 's health, as well as both bringing them together, and simultaneously ending the bond. Erdrich …show more content…
In the conclusion of the story the brothers take another trip to a place called the Red River because Henry wanted to see the high water. The car was back in running condition, and Henry appeared to be better as well, dancing, and joking, Yet after parking, and fighting over ownership of the car the brothers make peace, share a few laughs, and Lyman notices a shift in Henry 's mood. Henry then jumps in the river. "My boots are filling" he yelled across the river, and it is the last thing he says before he is gone. After Lyman realized his brother was obviously not coming back, he drove the car into the lake symbolizing the end of the relationship between brothers, and the end of the struggle Henry was facing. At the beginning of the story Erdich wrote "We owned it together until his boots filled with water on a windy night and he brought out my share. Now Henry owns the whole car, and his youngest brother Lyman (that 's myself), Lyman walks everywhere he goes." by including this sentence she first introduces the symbolic importance the car, Lyman walks because of the significance cars hold for him, he will always connect the car to the ascending and descending states his brother was in at any time, as will the reader. It is this foreshadowing that allows the symbolism to carry the tone of the story as well; a turn from happy to