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A literary analysis the red convertible louise erdrich
The evolution of the hero in literature
Significance of heroes
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An idolized ordinary person who tries the best to make a difference in this world is considered a hero. They are idealized for their courage, outstanding achievements, and noble qualities. Today, heroes lie truly in the beliefs of one. To one, a hero can be an ordinary human to another this man or woman means the world to them, and is truly admirable for every little thing they do. Heroes are seen differently whether fiction or non-fiction, but either a real or fake hero, that hero will stay in one’s heart as a person that has changed something about someone significantly. In the stories “Ranch Girl” by Maile Meloy, “The Red Convertible by Louise Erdrich and “The Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie, heroes are seen from three different perspectives that give a simple word hero into three different definitions that show different heroes in the world. These three stories show a different meaning to the word hero showing a true and deep meaning about the word hero. Through these three stories, a hero is seen as a soldier fighting for freedom, a courageous person fighting for what he thinks is right or even as a regular father fighting for his son’s education, a hero is a person looking to make that slight difference to change the outcome.
To be able to understand heroes correctly, distinguishing the real heroes from the forged is a must. In the story “The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich one sees the common view of a hero. Lyman, one of the main characters in Erdrich’s story, is a regular guy that lives on a reservation. Through his words, readers see how Lyman misses the friendship of his closest brother, Henry. Lyman writes that he and his brother spent countless hours with the Red Convertible and after he came back from the mi...
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...ows what a true hero can be from one’s true heart. Alexie sees his father as the hero he wants to be and truly idolizes him to beyond thought and gets the will and power to learn to read all by himself. Father figures can have a true impact on their kids, and shown here that a true hero can be anyone even if it is one’s own blood.
Throughout life, one decides who is considered a hero. The choosing of a hero can be anywhere from a fireman, police officer or even the ordinary mailman. Either way a hero is someone looking to make a difference in this world. Through “The Red Convertible”, “The Ranch Girl, and “Superman and Me”, three different perspectives of heroes are seen. Heroes are chosen through beliefs of the people, but this can vary on opinions by different perspectives. Heroes are decided by the people, and in the end that hero will be there to save the day.
Although not every hero shouts “Avengers Assemble” before a worthy deed, heroism is shown in all aspects of the everyday world. Webster Dictionary has exactly 5 definitions under the word hero and still no two people explain heroism the same. Superman and Captain America are a glimpse of the fictional characters society titles a hero. Firefighters and Military portray heroism each day in the lives of every civilian. As Sullivan and Venter stated “individuals are referred to as ‘heroes’ for seemingly different reasons” and even through endless studies the adjectives referring heroes is ever changing. Among the various ideas of what it means to be a hero, boldness and valiance capture the essence of heroism.
It is said that when a man returns from war he is forever changed. In the short story, “The Red Convertible,” Louise Erdrich demonstrates these transformations through the use of symbolism. Erdrich employs the convertible to characterize the emotional afflictions that war creates for the soldier and his family around him by discussing the pre-deployment relationship between two brothers Henry and Lyman, Lyman's perception of Henry upon Henry's return, and Henry’s assumed view on life in the end of the story.
As the story comes to its conclusion, the hero has endured his hardships; he went from the one that started fights to the one that thought of what could make everything work. An ordinary person in an ordinary world faced his share of trials and tribulations to come out as a new person. Defining the hero myth—he struggled and still was able to triumph to his prize at the end ; individuals relish these type of stories, they can
"The Red Convertible," a short story written by Louise Erdrich's, she writes about the travesties of war that impose on the relationship of two brothers, Henry and Lyman. The author uses symbolism to unveil the troubles brought home by Henry after he leaves the battlefields of Vietnam. The story emphasized difficulties Lyman was forced to Handel the separation from his brother. The goal of Erdrich writing the "The Red Convertible" was to communicate the emotional stresses war creates for a soldier and how that stress affects relationships with there families.
In the story “The Red Convertible” by writer Louise Erdrich, shows us how war can alter the friendship between two brothers, after Henry comes back from war. She accomplishes this by using a red convertible as a symbol of Henry’s mental state, and how is gets destroyed, “We owned it together until his boots filled up with water on a windy night and he bought my share.”(The Red Convertible-Erdrich 1) In one sentence the author gives us a good representation on how the story will develop. Throughout the story Erdrich gives us; different tones, foreshowing, and symbolism, in order to make the story more interesting giving us a pretty good picture of the emotions through out the whole story and how their friendship evolves.
Who is a hero? In contemporary times, usage of the term has become somewhat of a cliché. Over the years, the term “hero” has become representative of a wide variety of individuals, each possessing differing traits. Some of the answers put forth by my colleagues (during our in-class discussion on heroism) as to whom they consider heroes pointed to celebrities, athletes, teachers and family members. Although the occupations differed, each of their heroes bore qualities that my classmates perceived as extraordinary, whether morally or physically. Nonetheless, Webster’s defines “hero” as “a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.” Thus, it is worth considering that individuals become heroes relative to the situation with which they’re faced.
In the genre of western films, the hero plays a key role. Humanity portrays civilization overcoming the hostile country (Miller 66). In many films the American civil war is over, and people have turned their attention to more constructive pursuits. Battling nature to progress America's future, rather than each other. In between this wild country, fraught with danger and corruption lies the role of the hero. A hero is an individual with exceptional skills and through his abilities is able to rid a stricken town of the corrupt elements within. In many cases however, the hero's skills are not enough. His relationship with the community can define how successful his help can be.
Heroes. Everyone wants to be a hero, but sometimes, people lose sight of what a true hero really is. It does not have to be someone who flies around and saves innocent people from perilous monsters. A hero is simply someone that inspires others. In Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Junior was a hero because he rose above the expectations the world placed on him through his courage, passionate determination, and sympathetic perception.
Are heroes important? This is the question that Scott LaBarge, a philosophy professor at Santa Clara University, tackles in his article “Heroism: Why Heroes are Important.” He encourages teachers, parents, and students to realize that heroes are tremendously significant in society by using references to factual and historical details, personal association, and various examples of different types of heroes. LaBarge effectively uses the rhetorical appeals of ethos, logos, and kairos to convince his audience that heroes are important.
The Red Convertible, written by Louise Erdrich, is a short story written in the first person perspective of a Chippewa Indian named Lyman. It portrays the story of his brother, Henry, who joins the Marines and fights in the Vietnam War. Before recruiters pick up Henry, Lyman describes him and his brother’s road trip in their brand new red Olds. Lyman explains Henry’s characteristic during their joy-ride as friendly, joking, and fun. Returning from their road trip, Henry leaves for Vietnam. When he returns, Henry is not the same joyful man that he once was before he had left. Louise Erdrich’s short story, The Red Convertible, follows the life of Henry who is as funny joking guy. Although war has changed him, and it was not for the best. Louise Erdrich’s theme for The Red Convertible is that war can devastate peoples’ lives.
Heroes are found everywhere in the world. They are seen in movies, on television, in books, and in reality. A hero can be anyone, from a friend to a fictional character. To be considered a hero, one must make selfless sacrifices, develop and learn, overcome challenges and temptations, and ultimately present their known world with a gift of any kind. Homer’s
“The Hero’s Journey.” Ariane Publications, 1997. Course handout. AS English I. Dept. of English, Woodside High School. 26 October 2013.
The heroic archetype is a creative expression borne of the individual's desire to know and to understand the uncontrollable and often chaotic world in which he lives. In the popular culture of America we can find many reflections of the heroic figure; in writing, in the graphic art of comic books, and most certainly in the aftermath of September 11th, heroes are ever present. Our cultural champions speak to our collective need to make sense of the nonsensical and to establish order in both our external and internal worlds. Indeed it is through the internal world of the psyche and the lens of psychological thought that we may gain a better perspective of the fusion of creativity and knowledge that we have come to call the heroic figure.
While fulfilling their journey, a hero must undergo a psychological change that involves experiencing a transformation from immaturity into independence and sophistication. Campbell states that these events are what ultimately guides a hero into completing their journey by, “leaving one condition and finding the source of life to bring you forth into a richer more mature condition” (Moyers 1). She first enters her journey when she learns about invisible strength from her mother, “I was six when my mother taught me the art of invisible strength. It was strategy for winning arguments, respect from others, and eventually, though neither of us knew it at the time, chess games”(Tan 89).
There is another type of hero that almost no one is aware of. In the poorest areas of the country, live mostly minorities and other ethic background. All their lives they’ve been expected to work harder and expected not succeed in life. Some individuals living in poverty with a determination to succeed work hard all of their lives to become what everybody doubted they could. Escaping the crime, drugs, and prostitution is enough to escape hell, even if they don’t go to college. Despite of their financial problems, drug and crime surroundings, or difficulties in the language skills, their desire to triumph fuels their persistence. Those who make it to success are the few living examples of the purest form of hero anyone can be. They are not only their own heroes but also the heroes of the poor children who dream of becoming like them someday.