"The Red Convertible" by Louise Erdrich 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
Henry and Lyman go for their last ride in the red convertible together and pull over for a nap. After resting, the boys start talking and that's when Henry tries to give Lyman the red convertible. Lyman refuses to take the red convertible, which causes a fight between the two brothers. Not only does Erdrich use the red convertible as symbolism of the brothers relationship, but to Lyman the red convertible truly is his connection with his brother. Lyman knows that if he takes the convertible for himself then he is losing his relationship with Henry. When Lyman finally agrees to take the car it foreshadows the end of the brothers relationship and the end of Henry. For Henry, giving the red convertible to Lyman is giving his younger brother something to remember him by, to keep their relationship and memories alive through the car. The last scene that involves the red convertible symbolizing the brothers relationship is when Lyman sinks the red convertible in the water. Henry had decided to go for a swim and "his boots filled with water"(370). Henry committed suicide by drowning because he knew he had changed for the worse and didn't want to live his life the way it was. As soon as Lyman realized that his brother had drowned and was dead he got in the red convertible and drove it into the water. The red convertible symbolized the brothers relationship, and now that Henry was gone the car no longer represented the their connection. So Lyman drowned the