Summary Of The Red Convertible By Louise Erdrich

One insight about human nature in Louise Endrich’s The Red Convertible is that family members always try to heal and support each other, but sometimes it does not work out. In the story, Henry is detained by the Vietnamese soldiers during the war and the readers are unaware of what happened to him during that time: Whereabouts I did not know. He wasn't such a hot letter writer, and only got off two before the enemy caught him. I could never keep it straight, which direction those good Vietnam soldiers were from. I wrote him back several times, even though I didn't know if those letters would get through. (Erdrich 3) Before this war incident, Lyman and Henry were shown as lively and adventurous people who love to travel and experience life together.

When the war ends and Henry returns home after being detained by the Vietnamese soldiers, he is not the same as before. He became very quiet and lonely. Moreover, when Lyman tries to talk with Henry, he is reluctant to talk. Evidently, the heartbreaking truth that even family's love and support cannot always heal the deep scars caused by tragedy and war is highlighted by Henry's lonely behavior despite Lyman and his family's best efforts to reach out and support him. Subsequently, as Henry is not willing to talk to anyone after he comes back from the war, Lyman thinks that wrecking the car would be a great way of bringing back Henry’s former self. Lyman says: I thought the car might bring the old Henry back somehow. So I bided my time and waited for my chance to interest him in the vehicle. One night Henry was off somewhere. I took myself a hammer. I went out to that car and I did a number on its underside. Whacked it up. Bent the tail pipe double. Rip the muffler loose. By the time I was done with the car, it looked worse than any typical Indian car that has been driven all its life on reservation roads, which they always say are like government promises—full of