The Red Convertible Essay with Quotes

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The Red Convertible
The red convertible is a story authored by Louise Erdich. The story describes the memory of Lyman about his brother Henry, who is the protagonist. The two brothers bought a red convertible on impulse; it gave them many experiences, which marked the good times, during their brotherhood. However, after Henry leaves for the Vietnam War, his spirit breaks, he grows into a worrisome man, and the relationship with the brother changes – never to get back to the way they used to be before. This essay discusses the theme of brotherhood – which explicates the change of outlook towards life and relationships – from the case of Henry, as told in The Red Convertible by Louise Erdich.
DISCUSSION
The theme of brotherhood is told through the experience of Lyman, about his brother Henry, who used to be a calm man, but after his experiences and time at the war, he changed to an exceedingly restless man. Lyman expresses the nature of his brother, as one who “sat for afternoons, never moving a muscle” (936). The experiences of the brother demonstrate the profound change in Henry, which could have resulted from his entry into the military and his combat experience, which changed his calm nature. Lyman elaborates his feelings about the brother, explaining that he must have experienced many bad experiences, as “the change ... in him ... was no good” (936). He changes from the brother that Lyman used to know; to a man that he was not sure, whether he was really the brother. Henry’s indifferent mood strains their brotherhood and the brother, and as a result hurt his emotions about him. The brother appears very different from the man Lyman would spend quality time with, sharing the carefree and calm time with the red olds. To Lyman, “it was a fact ... that...Henry had become jumpy and mean” (936). The feelings of the brother communicate...