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. During the road trip the two brothers pick up “long-haired Susy in Alaska” (974). In Erdrich’s story, Susy character has a great importance. Erdrich includes Susy to show the readers the type of man Henry was. Lyman describes their interaction inside the tent after they …show more content…
The National Institute of Mental Health recognizes PTSD as a “disorder that develops in some people who have seen or lived through a shocking, scary, or dangerous event.” Since Henry’s return from the war, Lyman describes his brother as tense. There are many examples of Henry’s strange behaviors. However one truly stood out to Lyman and his family. He says, “I looked over, and he’d bitten through his lip. Blood was going down his chin” (970). Lyman continues that, “he took a bite of his bread his blood fell onto it until he was eating his own blood mixed in with the food” (970). Henry clearly is troubled by something, and the troubles all began after Henry went off to the Vietnam War. I’m no doctor, but one could simply recognize Henry is suffering from some form of
During the war, Henry was taken P.O.W. and spent time in a Vietnamese prison. When he returned home, Lyman said, "Henry was very different...the change was no good," (463). Henry was constantly paranoid and evidently mentally unstable as a result of his wartime trauma. When the family had exhausted all efforts to help Henry, Lyman thought of the car. Though Henry had not even looked at the car since his return, Lyman said, "I thought the car might bring back the old Henry somehow. So I bided my time and waited for my chance to interest him in the vehicle." (464)
They Lamartine family notices their cheerful Henry is not the same as before. "He sat in his chair gripping the armrests with all his might, as if the chair itself was moving at high speed and if he let go at all he would rocket forward and maybe crash right through the set." (444) It is disheartening to read about the Henry we know as carefree, life loving guy, who turns so damaged, and hurt by what the war has done to him. This example of Henry only shows the audience how war can completely ruin a person. "His face was totally white and hard. Then it broke, like stones break all of a sudden when water boils up inside them." (446) You sense a sign in reference to how run-downed Henry is, and how is brother only wants the best for him. Lyman wants the old Henry back, the brother he knew on that once adventures summer. Unfortunately this story is not a happy ending and Henry cannot snap out of it. Making any reader think twice before joining the
PTSD (soldiers heart) “is a condition that can develop after you have gone a life-threatening event.” The symptoms that you have when experiencing PTSD (soldier’s heart) are Depression, Self-blame, guilt, shame, anger (aggressive behavior), Alcohol or drug abuse. Gary Paulsen wrote a book called Soldier's Heart to show some of the symptoms of PTSD or Soldier's Heart. Gary Paulsen’s book Soldier's Heart is about a 15-year-old boy who decides to join the army the army at 15 and because of the he develops PTSD (soldiers heart) he starts to become Suicidal and develops aggressive behavior and survivor's guilt. Therefore, this shows that Charley has developed soldier's heart or PTSD.
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 at the end of the story. Throughout "The Red Convertible" Erdrich embraces the car as a symbol for the powerful relationship between two brothers, Henry and Lyman. The brothers combined their money to acquire a red convertible which they drove everywhere together; the car symbolized that relationship.
The first and most obvious change in behavior is shown by comparing Henry?s actions when they stopped at the place with the willows during the road trip and the description of Henry when he first returned home from the war. While resting at the willows, Lyman said, ?Henry was asleep with his arms thrown wide? (366). Henry was completely relaxed. When a dog or cat lies on his back with his belly exposed, he is making himself vulnerable, so therefore this is a sign of trust. Henry is showing a similar trust by lying in that position. This changes drastically when Henry comes home from the war. Lyman states, ?Henry was very different, and I?ll say this: the change was no good. You could hardly expect him to change for the better, I know. But he was quiet, so quiet, and never comfortable sitting still anywhere but always up and moving around? (367). The war has turned him into a very cautious man...
Henry Fosdick once said, “The tragedy of war is that it uses man’s best to do man’s worst.” In “The Red Convertible” by Louis Erdrich, there is a conflict amongst two brothers, Henry and Lyman as ones awareness towards reality is shifted upon the return of the Vietnam War. Henry’s experience fighting in the Vietnam War is the responsibility for the unexpected aftermath that affects their brotherhood. The event of Henry fighting in the war through fears, emotions and horrors that he encounters is the source of his “Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome [PTSD].” It has shaped his own perception of reality and his relationship with his brother Lyman and the strong bond that they had shared.
At the beginning of the story, you find that Lyman and Henry are like somewhat typical brothers living on the reservation. Although between the two brothers, Lyman
The reader also meets Henry, Lyman’s brother who is older than he is. Unlike Lyman, the reader is given a physical description of Henry. Erdrich writes, “He was built like a brick out house anyway. He had a nose big and sharp as a hatchet” (128). One may conclude that a physical description was given for Henry and not Lyman because he was ...
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 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.
A soldier’s journey, a trip back home from World War II and a collision with reality is described in the opening of Henry Green’s novel, “Back”. The opening deals with the soldier’s journey, his experience at the warfront, the death of his love, and finally a child who is his own son, the last thing he has of his love. Charley, the soldier is seen reminiscing the moments he had with Rose and his experiences at the battlefield while he walks through the graveyard towards the body of his love. The author conveys a lot more than just what the words say in the first few paragraphs, leaving the reader eager to turn the page, as well as giving the reader the freedom to interpret what certain words and sentences mean. As the book opens, the reader learns about Charley’s disability.
To what lengths would you go for a loved one? Would you destroy something in hopes that it would save them? That 's what Lyman Lamartine did in hopes to fix his PTSD afflicted brother. "The Red Convertible" was written by Louise Erdrich in 1974 and published in 2009 along with several other short stories. Lyman, and Henry, are brothers. The story starts by telling us about how the two brothers acquired a red convertible. Henry ends up being drafted into the Vietnam War, and comes back home suffering from PTSD. One day the pair decided to take a drive to the Red River because Henry wanted to see the high water. Ultimately, the story ends with a cliff-hanger, and we are left wondering what happens to the boys. The symbolic nature of the red convertible will play a key role in this literary analysis, along with underling themes of PTSD and war.
PTSD, also known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, can cause change and bring about pain and stress in many different forms to the families of the victims of PTSD. These changes can be immense and sometimes unbearable. PTSD relates to the characters relationship as a whole after Henry returns from the army and it caused Henry and Lyman’s relationship to crumble. The Red Convertible that was bought in the story is a symbol of their brotherhood. The color red has many different meanings within the story that relates to their relationship.
The consequences and effects of war, may be psychological, physical, or emotional. Can effect directly, for example, a solider or indirectly, for example, that soldier’s relatives and friends. “The Things They Carried” and “The Red Convertible” exam these matters. “The Things They Carried examines the psychological, physical, or emotional side of destruction that the Vietnam War bought. While “The Red Convertible” focuses on the psychological strain on soldiers they endure after the war as well as their families. These stories raise the questions is really war really necessary and can a solider back out of duty. Both stories are initiation stories or coming of age stories. These aspects are most effective when analyzing these works. The pieces may go deeper into the issues and questions at hand. The Centering on characterization, the point of view, symbolism or imagery, and significance of the title all help support the theme of these works and develop thoughts and opinions on the stories issues.
Henry suffers from retrograde amnesia due to internal bleeding in the part of the brain that controls memory. This causes him to forget completely everything he ever learned. His entire life is forgotten and he has to basically relearn who he was, only to find he didn’t like who he was and that he didn’t want to be that person. He starts to pay more attention to his daughter and his wife and starts to spend more time with them.
Not many people can relate to Louise Edrich’s story, “The Red Convertible.” It may be fictional, but there is more to it than a story to entertain the readers. The Red Convertible is about Lyman and his changed older brother, Henry who comes back from his service with Post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder can last for years or be lifelong. In Edrich’s “The Red Convertible,” the characters and plot conveys the theme “what doesn’t kill you, makes you wish you were