Louise Erdrich's Short Story 'The Red Convertible'

Brotherhood
Little boys, young men, and even adult men all at one point or another develop and share some type of bond with their brother. Whether it is a tree house, sports, movies, music, or perhaps an event or particular incident, brothers always seem to have some common thing they can share and identify with, which brings them closer and acts as the foundation for their relationship. For Lyman and Henry, the narrator and his brother in Louise Erdrich’s short story “The Red Convertible”, it was a red Oldsmobile convertible that they shared, and it was that car that brought them closer together. They purchased the car together in Winnipeg, drove all over the country one summer together, and shared a lot of time and memories together
Although he says he is just jumping in the river to cool off, clearly it is a suicide. He fixed up the red convertible to give to Lyman “for good”. He jumps in the river with his boots on, it is highly doubtful he had another pair of boots to change in to. Granted, Henry was not all there, mentally, after the war, but physically he was made out to be in great shape. Henry was a Marine, yet he couldn’t stay afloat in the current of the Red River, however Lyman who was chubby and out of shape jumped in the river after him and eventually pulled himself out. Henry didn’t struggle or panic which is what all drown victims do, he just very calmly and quietly says “My boots are filling” and floats off downstream. Although Henry seemed to be getting back to his normal self, talking more and smiling, working on the car and spending time with his brother, he obviously was still a broken man. Lyman is filled with such joy for his brother and their red convertible Oldsmobile in the beginning of “The Red Convertible”. It truly is a tragedy the way Henry exits his brother’s life. However, it is bittersweet that Lyman lets the bond they shared, their red convertible, rest at the bottom of the Red River along with his