Louise Erdrich’s short story “The Red Convertible” is a story about the brotherhood relationship between two brothers, Lyman Lamartine and his brother Henry. The two brothers buy a red convertible car on their way to Winnipeg and take off driving the whole summer. After they return home, Henry deploys to the Vietnam war and his life changes hereafter. When he returns home after three years, Lyman finds Henry all changed. He has even forgotten to laugh. The effects of war have damaged him from inside. Lyman desperately tries to help his brother; he even destroys their convertible. Henry becomes a little bit of himself and starts repairing the car. But, unfortunately, Lyman is unable to completely repair the mental injury, which Henry has
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The story starts with Lyman and Henry buying a red convertible and starting off to the road trips for whole summer, all the way to the Little Knife River, Mandaree in Fort Berthold, Wakpala, Montana, and finally to Alaska. Henry feels comfortable and peaceful in companion with Lyman. His life is joyful and quiet. The open road trip setting helps to create a very happy, joyful, and freedom atmosphere. After they reach home, Henry has to go to the war. When Henry returns back home from the war, he is injured and damaged emotionally and mentally. Lyman says, “when he comes home, though, Henry was very different, and I’ll say this: the change was no good” (Erdrich 4). At this time the setting is at their home where the atmosphere of the story changes from happy to miserable and unhappy. Their family is not able to help Henry to overcome from his PTSD. But, Lyman desperately wants to help him. He takes a hammer and causes damage to the car which is the symbol of bond between two brothers. Lyman thinks that “the car might bring the old Henry back somehow” (Erdrich 5). Henry works hard to repair the car for a month but, he is not able to repair himself. After this they set off for the red river. This trip is far different from the first trip. In this trip, both of them are not as happy as they were in their first trip. Henry is not happy and
The story starts with Lyman and Henry buying a red convertible and starting off to the road trips for whole summer, all the way to the Little Knife River, Mandaree in Fort Berthold, Wakpala, Montana, and finally to Alaska. Henry feels comfortable and peaceful in companion with Lyman. His life is joyful and quiet. The open road trip setting helps to create a very happy, joyful, and freedom atmosphere. After they reach home, Henry has to go to the war. When Henry returns back home from the war, he is injured and damaged emotionally and mentally. Lyman says, “when he comes home, though, Henry was very different, and I’ll say this: the change was no good” (Erdrich 4). At this time the setting is at their home where the atmosphere of the story changes from happy to miserable and unhappy. Their family is not able to help Henry to overcome from his PTSD. But, Lyman desperately wants to help him. He takes a hammer and causes damage to the car which is the symbol of bond between two brothers. Lyman thinks that “the car might bring the old Henry back somehow” (Erdrich 5). Henry works hard to repair the car for a month but, he is not able to repair himself. After this they set off for the red river. This trip is far different from the first trip. In this trip, both of them are not as happy as they were in their first trip. Henry is not happy and