Did Henry have PTSD in The Red Convertible?
After they made their trip to Alaska the car needed repairs. At the same time Henry was called to serve his country. When the car needed repairs, so did the relationship between the brothers. When Henry returned, he was not well and suffered from PTSD.
What is the message of The Red Convertible?
Theme of The Red Convertible In The Red Convertible, LouiseErdrich uses the red convertible to symbolize the theme of change in two brothers relationship. The changes in the car parallel with the changes the brothers go through. As the car evolves, so does the relationship between Lyman and Henry.
What does The Red Convertible symbolize in the story?
The main symbol used in “The Red Convertible” is the car itself. The red flashy car represents the youthful, vibrant, and exciting relationship between Lyman and Henry. Before the war, the car is in mint condition and the boys are happy.
What is Henry in The Red Convertible suffering from as a result of his experience in the Vietnam war?
The brothers buy a red convertible together, and they travel to Alaska before Henry gets called to serve in the Vietnam War. Upon his return from Vietnam, Henry appears to suffer from PTSD.
Why does Lyman get upset about the picture of him and Henry?
Lyman is unable to truly understand Henry because they have had such different experiences, and it is only through the photograph that he realizes this, which is why the photograph itself becomes disturbing to him.
What is the main conflict of The Red Convertible?
The central conflict in “The Red Convertible” is Lyman’s man vs. self-conflict as he struggles with his guilt and grief over Henry’s war-related suffering and later suicide.
Why does Lyman destroy The Red Convertible?
After Henry comes back from war a changed man, Lyman is preoccupied with Henry’s distress and feels powerless to help him until he has the idea to destroy the red convertible in the hopes that Henry will fix it, thereby giving him purpose.
Why is The Red Convertible important?
The red convertible symbolizes Henry and Lyman’s youthful innocence and the freedom that comes with it. When they first see the convertible for sale, they are electrified by it—like their youth, it seems to them “alive” and alluring.
What is the conflict of red convertible?
Why did Louise Erdrich write the red convertible?
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.
What is the irony in the red convertible?
The irony of the story that the very convertible through which Lyman hopes to bond with his brother is the very instrument that precipitates separation and demise. With hopes that the car would help heal Henry and his shattered self, the car becomes one of the main reasons why the brothers disagree.
Why does Lyman destroy the red convertible?
What is the resolution of the red convertible?
The resolution occurs when Henry kills himself and Lyman drives the car into the river. What does Lyman do to the red convertible after Henry has been home for awhile?
Who is the protagonist in the red convertible?
Plot Summary. “The Red Convertible” is narrated by Lyman Lamartine, a member of the Chippewa tribe who lives on a reservation with his family. He tells a story from his recent past about his older half-brother, Henry. As Lyman tells the story, the year is 1974.
How does Lyman change in the red convertible?
For example, in “The Red Convertible,” Erdrich’s character Lyman is a prime example of growing through change. The change from carefree to serious is triggered through his experience of assisting his brother, Henry’s, psychological transformation after returning from the Vietnam War as a Prisoner of War.
Who is the main character in the red convertible?
Lyman Lamartine
Lyman is the story’s narrator. He is a young Chippewa man who lives on a reservation with his family. He tells the story of when he, along with his older half-brother Henry, owned a red Oldsmobile convertible.
What kind of relationship do Henry and Lyman have?
The brothers held their relationship with high regard, Henry trusted Lyman with the car enough to give Lyman his share of the vehicle while he was away. Conversely, Lyman surmised that the car would always belong to Henry; just like their relationship, the car was important and would always belong to both of them.
What is the main conflict in the red convertible?
What type of character is Henry the red convertible?
He is carefree and easygoing at the beginning of the story, quick to make a joke and gentle despite his resemblance to Red Tomahawk, a famous Indian warrior.
Why is Lyman upset at the picture of himself and his brother?