The Red Convertible
Have you ever met anyone after they’ve returned home for a war? Or even the Vietnam War to be specific. Most soldiers experienced something called post-traumaticstress, or war trauma. The story “The Red Convertible” is the second chapter of the book “Love Medicine” written by Louise Erdrich in 1984. The story deals a lot with the disorder in the life of one of its main characters; Henry. This story deals with the theme of brotherhood, and takes a look at how lives were still being affected months and even years after the Vietnam War. The beginning of the story “The Red Convertible” takes place in North Dakota and follows the lives of two Native American brothers growing up during the time of the Vietnam War which was from 1959 to 1975. The story starts out with Lyman, the younger brother, talking about how money had always comeeasy to him. He started at a restaurant as a dishwasherand rapidly moved to owner, only to have the restaurant get destroyed when a tornado came through the town. After all the insurance money her received from the restaurant he and his slightly older brother Henry decided to go to Winnipeg, a nearby town. This was when they first saw the car. “There it was, parked large as life. Really as if it was alive . . . the car reposed, clam and gleaming, a FOR SALE sign in its left front window. Then before we had thought it over at all, the car belonged to us and our pockets were empty.” After buying the convertible that summer they decided to go on a road trip. A lengthy one. Their first destination was Wakpala, South Dakota, and then they were off to Montana, and the Rocky Mountains. This was where they met a girlwho was hitch-hiking. The boys ended up driving her all the way home to Alaska, where they Guerra 2 stay with her for a while. The summer starts to come to an end so the two decide its time to make their long journey home. The trip really brought together the two brothers, which was one of the prominent...