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Glen Medved

Professor Chuck Malenfant

ENC1102, Tuesday, 12:30 PM

7 February 2012

Masterfully Crafted Symbolism in Erdrich's "The Red Convertible"

The symbolism in Louise Erdrich's "The Red Convertible" is not as simple as one

may think. There is an apparent link between the symbolic value of the car and its

correlation to the stability of Henry and Lyman's friendship, a correlation that can also be

considered outstandingly complex. The average reader could put the two and two

together and view it plainly. However, when one looks further into the actual symbolism

the car itself holds, one is left with a surprisingly complex story, a story so masterfully

crafted and perfectly composed that it keeps one wondering about the author's initial

intentions behind the detailed structure of the story. As you are given the story at face

valueand now being aware of the overt symbolism in the storycontinue to look

further and further using the treasure map in your hand.

The most important symbol in the story is the red convertible itself (this is your

given map)"the significance of which changes as the story unfolds" (Bussey).

According to Bussey, "Erdrich's use of symbolism in this way gives her story depth and

complexity and enables her to communicate ideas and character developments without

lengthy explanations." Throughout nearly every point in the story, the red convertible is

an all-embodiment of everything the story itself is meant to express. Another critic,

whom I also agree with, states that the car is ultimately a source of comfort and

connection between Lyman and Henry (Kryhoski). One critic thinks that "Erdrich
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associates the red convertible with Henry's state of mind," basing it on the belief that

"Erdrich correlates Henry's emotional disrepair with the condition of the red convertible"

(Sutton). I do not completely agree, the red convertible is revolving not only around

Henry and his "state of mind," but it is revolving around Lyman as well. Nevertheless,

the car's dynamic condition is symbolic of Henry and Lyman's relationship because it

reflects the status of their friendship; it initially represents their close companionship

(Bussey). Bussey gets the point across very well"a seemingly simple story, but the

changing symbolism of the car gives it richness and depth."

The first road trip occurs for Henry and Lymana summer of freedom,

friendship, and good memories (stage one). "We went places in that car, me and Henry.

We took off driving all one whole summer" (Erdrich 394). Here occurred a summer of

freedom and happiness, and as Bussey correctly displayed in her critical essay, it initially

"represents their close companionship." The first stage out of five, as shown here,

represents the best point in the brothers' life, but with a correlating symbolic pattern. The

car itself was bought in new and good condition to them, able to be driven, just as was

their friendshipa close and strong bond, in motion. One critic went as far as saying that

"the Henry that departs the reservation, the Henry of the summer trip in the red

convertible, is full of life, vitality, and strength" (Korb).

Henry is deployed to Vietnam during the war, a period where Lyman is separated

from him, where Lyman regards his existence even with no returning letters (stage two).

"I kept him informed all about the car. Most of the time I had it up on blocks in the yard

or half taken apart, because that long trip did a hard job on it under the hood" (Erdrich

396). At this point, Henry and Lyman are separated. Henry is somewhere in Vietnam
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fighting a war, Lyman is writing to him in hopes of getting in touch. Just as Lyman

regards Henry's existence (albeit no returning letters), he also regards the car, which was

always "meticulously maintained" (Sutton). The friendship still stands, although not

physically together, they are still together in mind. As Bussey argues, "the convertible

symbolizes the brothers' reaching out to each other." You can see this obviously reflected

through Lyman's point of view with him anxiously sending letters, thus debunking

Sutton's critical viewpoint about the car solely revolving around "Henry's state of mind."

Henry has returned messed up and possesses disturbing qualities, rendering him

broken (stage three). Lyman wants to change this, so he takes apart the car in hope that

Henry begins to work on it. "I thought the car might bring the old Henry back somehow"

(Erdrich 397). After seeing him return in a bad mental condition, Lyman feels nostalgic

about their past. That drives him to reach out to his brother through an unusual method.

"The car is then violated, just as Henry has been violated, as Lyman smashes it with a

sledgehammer" (Kryhoski). Sutton shows a point which is deemed agreeableLyman

"now methodically damages it, hoping that Henry will decide to repair the car and in

doing so will begin to repair himself." They are rendered distant at around this point so

Lyman intentionally damages the convertible "because he saw the car as his brother's

only change of regaining his sense of self" (Bussey). Just as the car is now taken apart

into pieces, you can also metaphorically apply that to their friendshipa weak bond, and

damaged.

Henry has the idea to start working on the car again, and begins to repair it every

day, eventually fixing it into a barely workable condition (stage four). "After that I

thought he'd freeze himself to death working on that car. He was out there all day. He
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was better than he had been before, but that's still not saying much" (Erdrich 397).

Bussey states: "When Lyman damaged the car, cosmetically and mechanically, he

demonstrated his willingness to risk not only a prized possession but also his relationship

with his brother (symbolized by the car) for his brother's happiness." It's shown here that

Henry fell for Lyman's bait. Although it took over a month, Henry finally gives in and

starts to work on it every day, eventually repairing it in a functional condition. However,

at this point the car's barely working condition reflects their barely functioning

relationship. While significantly revived, the relationship's stability is still threatenedon

one hand, it has a chance to live on, and on the other, it has a chance to break apart and

fall.

Henry and Lyman go off on one last road trip (stage five). At the campsite, they

quarrel intensely but end up in a wild fit of laughter. Eventually, Henry dances around in

a foolish manner (with subtle, disturbing qualities at play here) and they both have their

final moment. Henry jumps into the Red River to cool down but ends up drowning to

death. "Although Henry does recover partially, the damage that has been done to his

spirit is irreversible, and he chooses to drown himself in the red river. After his brother's

death, Lyman sacrifices the red convertible to the red river. After Henry's death, it serves

no further purpose" (Dutta). Here lies the final tie of friendship between the two brothers,

being reflected upon the condition of the car. Just as Henry is assumed to have drowned

to death, Lyman sees the car as a final sacrifice. With Henry gone forever, it is time for

Lyman to do the same for the car, and so he pushes it into the water and leaves it to rest

there indefinitely.

The last couple paragraphs display a poetic ending with seemingly apparent
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symbolic undertones. "I walk back to the car, turn on the high beams, and drive it up the

bank. I put it in first gear and then I take my foot off the clutch. I get out, close the door,

and watch it plow softly into the water. The headlights reach in as they go down,

searching, still lighted even after the water swirls over the back end. I wait. The wires

short out. It is all finally dark" (Erdrich 400). The car is destroyed, left in the water never

to return to Lyman's life. The same goes for the friendshiptheir bond is nonexistent,

over forever, impossible to bring back to any extent. "The car undergoes a sort of death,

too. Lyman watches as it sinks in the water" (Korb).

Was Erdrich attempting to display something subtle here? Should the symbolism

of the car (and its condition) pertaining to their attachment be treated at face value, or

should we look further into it? One might say you're only setting yourself up for failure

by doing so, but it's assured that you will find yourself discovering more than just a

meaningless coincidence as you continue to read in between the lines. You will find

yourself unraveling a twisted mess of details and end up with something of a solved

puzzlean evident display of organized connections (with or without intent) that make

you feel like you just successfully linked two points. In other words, "connecting the

dots." Not only that, but you will ultimately find out that you've dug the hole enough to

uncover and possess an actual treasurethe precious truth that only few know and

holdand not just the commonly held map.

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Works Cited

Bussey, Jennifer. "Critical Essay on 'The Red Convertible'." Short Stories for Students.

Ed. Jennifer Smith. Vol. 14. Detroit: Gale Group, 2002. Literature Resources

from Gale. Web. 29 Jan. 2012.

Dutta, Pratima. "Erdrich's 'The Red Convertible.'." Explicator 61.2 (Winter 2003): 119-

121. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Jelena O. Krstovic. Vol. 121. Detroit: Gale,

2009. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 29 Jan. 2012.

Erdrich, Louise. "The Red Convertible." Literature and the Writing Process. Ed.

Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X. Day, Robert Funk, and Linda S. Coleman. 9th ed.

Boston: Longman, 2011. 394-400. Print.

Korb, Rena. "Critical Essay on 'The Red Convertible'." Short Stories for Students. Ed.

Jennifer Smith. Vol. 14. Detroit: Gale Group, 2002. Literature Resources from

Gale. Web. 29 Jan. 2012.

Kryhoski, Laura. "Critical Essay on 'The Red Convertible'." Short Stories for Students.

Ed. Jennifer Smith. Vol. 14. Detroit: Gale Group, 2002. Literature Resources

from Gale. Web. 29 Jan. 2012.

Sutton, Brian. "Erdrich's 'Love Medicine.'." The Explicator 57.3 (1999): 187+. Literature

Resources from Gale. Web. 29 Jan. 2012.

 Medved 7

OCCURRING CONDITION STRENGTH

EVENTS OF THE OF THE
CAR BOND
The first road trip Bought as somewhat At the best point in

1 occurs for Henry and

Lymana summer of
freedom, friendship,
and good memories.
new, up and running,
and being driven and
used.
the story, nearly
perfect.

Henry is deployed to
Vietnam during the Half-taken apart, Still stands, together

2 war, a period where

Lyman is separated
from him, where
Lyman regards his
existence even with no
worked on at times,
never neglected,
always somewhat
kept in shape.
in mind and spirit,
although not
together physically,
strength is at a
neutral zero.
returning letters.
Henry has returned
messed up and Entirely taken apart Terrible, damaged,

3 possesses disturbing
qualities, rendering
him broken. Lyman
wants to change this,
so he takes apart the
into pieces
(intentionally).
and in the negative
spectrum.

car in hope that Henry

begins to work on it.
Henry has the idea to Reviving (almost to
start working on the Worked on again, the point of falling

4 car again, and begins

to repair it every day,
then deemed
functional, but about
eventually fixing it into to possibly fall apart.
a (barely) workable
condition.
apart, but still has a
chance to be fully
revived and perhaps
even saved for
good).
Henry and Lyman go
off on one last road Destroyed, left in the Over, nonexistent,

5 trip, where eventually water forever (pushed

Henry has a wild fit,
jumps in the river to
cool down, and then
drowns to death.
in by Lyman).
the bond itself is
impossible to bring
back.