“The Flowers” and “The Red Convertible”: Compare and Contrast Essay

In Laura Kryhoski’s critical analysis of “The Red Convertible,” she points out several elements often overlooked when reading the short story for the first time. At first glance, the story appears “definably tragic” (Kryhoski). Kryhoski claims that if the reader were to investigate author Louise Erdrich’s background, the story would seem less of a tragedy and more of a reflection of her upbringing. As the narrator in “The Red Convertible,” Lyman seems to be recalling the tale from his memories rather than telling the events as they occur. Lyman focuses more on the distinct detail of each moment than he does on the bigger picture. This invokes the image

In "The Red Convertible," by Louise Erdrich, the red convertible symbolizes the brothers relationship at different stages through the story. In the story Erdrich uses specific actions of the brothers to show change in their relationship, which corresponds with the red convertible. Erdrich uses scenes involving the red convertible to show different stages of the brothers relationships. The story begins with a road trip representing the boys closeness, then precedes onto Lyman beating up the red convertible symbolizing the brothers separation. Erdrich then continues the story with Henry giving the red convertible to Lyman representing their reunion. The story finishes when Lyman runs the red

The Red Convertible by Louise Erdrich is more than an emotional story about the lives of two brothers who grew up together on an Indian reservation. She uses a writing style that allows the reader to understand the text, while providing the opportunity to read into the story. Erdrich uses metaphors, symbols, imagery to describe and define the brothers Henry and Lyman’s relationship.

Robin Jenkins effectively conveys loss of innocence and ant war through sophisticated symbolism in the short story “Flowers”. It tells the story of a young girl, Margaret, who was evacuated from the city of Glasgow to the highlands of Scotland in an attempt to avoid the inhumanity of war, but it is in the highlands where she truly witnessed the brutality of war.

In the short story “The Red Convertible” you will find some important elements that are integral to the support and development of the theme brotherhood. First, you will see how the road trip gives a lesson in the story. Second, you will discover how the war affected the relationship of Lyman and Henry. Finally, you will understand the symbolism of the red convertible and the link it has between both brothers. One important element that has a powerful lesson in the story is the road trip. While Lyman and Henry went on a drive one afternoon, they met a girl named Susy in the middle of the road. Susy had her hair in buns around her ears and was very short. They let her jump in the car and

“The Red Convertible” is a story of Henry, the American Indian man, about how he was suffering from the experiences at the Vietnam War. The story begins when he and his brother purchased a red convertible car. This story indicates that how cultural ties and the brother’s precious memories helped recover Henry. Actually it is more about the importance of family. By

The relationship of brothers usually lasts forever, but in Louise Erdrich’s short story “The Red Convertible”, the relationship of the main characters Lyman and Henry takes a turn. Erdrich takes her audience through the experiences these brothers face and how they must come to terms that their relationship has changed. Knowing that it will most likely never be the same both Lyman and Henry try to fix their relationship until eventually one falls because of the experiences he faced in life. While Lyman may think the red convertible will save his and Henry’s relationship, Erdrich makes it clear that it will not through the characterization of the brothers, the plot of the story, and the symbolism she uses to tell her story.

“The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich is a short story about two Native American brothers, Lyman and Henry, and their growing bond as brothers. Symbolism is used rather heavily in this story. One of the main symbols of the story, as noted in the title, is the red convertible. The red convertible symbolizes the relationship status of the two brothers, and the struggles they face as Henry is drafted into the Vietnam War as well as when he returns home.

“The Red Convertible” shows the evolution of two brother’s relationship. Edrich cleverly uses the red convertible to symbolize the changes in the brother’s relationship, turning a seemingly simple short story into a complex ride of emotions. The car that is a “calm and gleaming” (437) token of close brotherly love turns into a painful reminder of change. Its descent into a raging river coincides with the end of a brother’s life and the conclusion of a

“The Red Convertible” is an interesting story due to its characters, plot, and the general background that the author was motivated by to write this story as well as many of her other works. “The Red Convertible” deals with the relationship between two brothers of the Chippewa Reservation. The story focuses on how their relationship changes over a period of time and discretely how the red convertible car they both bond over reflects those changes in their relationship throughout that period. Sadly, these changes are not good as they focus on the effects Henry Jr. has after he serves in the Vietnam War. Lyman, his younger brother, is also affected and tries many things to help his brother go back to his “regular old-self” but in the end he

Emotional connections between two people can be fortified with an object in which both people can care for and share with one another. In the story “The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich, Lyman and Henry have a special bond. This bond is emphasized in the red convertible because it symbolizes the connection that both brothers have with one another. After Henry goes off to war Lyman takes care of the car. Lyman cares for the car as if he were trying to preserve the bond that he and Henry had. Furthermore, Lyman knows to some extent that the bond between his brother and him is fragile because Henry has been gone away to war. The color of the car which is red has a double meaning which includes emotions such as the love that exists between the brothers, but also disaster like war. The war separated them both emotionally and physically, but despite this, at the end, they were able to relive the old days when their bond was at its strongest.

Both Erdrich’s, “The Red Convertible”, and O'Brien's, “The Things They Carried” reflect the effects of psychological trauma left by war; specifically, the Vietnam War. In Erdrich’s piece, she uses the red convertible as a metaphor for Henry. The fact that the two brothers purchased the convertible together is a serves to symbolize their bond. Yet, when Henry returns from his tenure as a soldier, his mental health has deteriorated into an apparently depressive state. I believe that Lyman’s act of wrecking the car represents how the war has devastated Henry’s emotional state. In Henry’s attempt to restore the car, he is indirectly trying to mend himself. Indeed we see that in his effort to do so, he exhibits signs indicative of his previous

Other stories, perceived as unrealistic, often are posited so because they contain elements we do not see in the real world; metaphoric fantasy, symbolism, abstractness. These concepts are all based on our own filters of perception – we discern what is historically accurate and what is legend, or myth, based on our position in culture and the lenses which we view ourselves. In “The Red Convertible”, we can see these concepts at play – Lyman, narrating the story of the relationship with his brother Henry, tells a story that flows very effortlessly. Things that happen around him seem to brush off of him, as if they are no big deal.

Louise Erdrich, born in North Dakota, wrote the short story The Red Convertible. The story is about two brothers, Henry and Lyman, who purchase a red convertible together. The two brothers spent a lot of time together because of the red convertible and grew close together. But what does the red convertible really represent?

Throughout the two masterfully crafted works, they allude to the concept of death in