Red Convertible the Vietnam War

Red Convertible

The Vietnam War had negative psychological impact on many veterans and their families and the Red Convertible is another story that attest to this fact. It follows the lives of two Native American brothers, Henry and Lyman, who are very close to each other and share a special emotional bond that deteriorates after Henry returns from Vietnam War. The story begins with Lyman Lamartine reminiscing about his car and how he gathered money to buy that. What is really important in the book is symbols through which the author has conveyed his messages. For example the Red Convertible holds significance since it offers an insight into the mental state of Henry and emotional connection the two brothers share. The color Red on the other hand is significant because it has been as a symbol of death and destruction. It is critical to understand the significance of such things and symbols because they convey certain important messages and foreshadow the tragic ending of the story.

Lyman and Henry are two brothers who develop a deep bond when they purchase a Red Convertible. It is important to remember that the story is written in first person, which means that we get to know more about Lyman and his emotions than we do about Henry. But the author has tried to offer a deeper insight into the character of Henry by means of the Red Convertible that he purchases. Throughout the story, the journey of the Red Convertible becomes the life story of Henry and everything that it represents is somehow associated with Henry and his changing condition. In the beginning when the two brothers first see the car, they fee, "Really as if it was alive. I thought of the word repose, because the car wasn't simply stopped, parked, or whatever. That car reposed, calm and gleaming"(144). This is exactly the condition or mental state of Henry who is calm and happy and is delighted to see this car.

Lyman on the other hand appears to be in awe of his brother, the way he was in awe of the car. While Lyman is the more mature of the two, Lyman always looks up to his brother for he considers him a free spirit, unlike himself. Lyman was more grounded for he believes in making money and have a steady business while Henry craves adventure. Lyman is influenced by American way of thinking as money-making is an important thing for him.

My one talent was I could always make money. I had a touch for it, unusual in the Chippewa. From the first I was different that way, and everyone recognized it. [...] Once I started, it seemed the more money I made the easier the money came. Everyone encouraged it" (142).

We must notice how throughout the story, the Red Convertible helps us study Henry's character in greater depth. Initially, after they purchase the car, the Red Convertible represents freedom to the two brothers. "We went places in that car, me and Henry. We took off driving the whole summer" (144). They can move out of their North Dakota reservation to travel all over the country and this give them a new perspective on life. They immensely enjoy this brief period of freedom and when they return, they are closer to each other than ever before. Just like the Red Convertible, Henry is also a symbol of freedom and thus the two share many common traits, which is author's way of giving us a glimpse of Henry's inner state of mind and his character. Before he leaves for war, Lyman once describes his brother as "so comfortable [...] and quiet," and "asleep with his arms thrown wide" (145).

However all this changes drastically when Henry is called to join the armed forces during the Vietnam War. Before this moment, we are kept in complete dark about the time in which the story took place. It is when the Vietnam War is mentioned that the author tells us that the year was 1970. The two brothers who had developed a beautiful bond are forced to seek separation when the war begins. And this changes almost everything between them. Lyman is more aware of this bond than his brother. He wants to hold on to it for he intuitively knows that war would change things between them. Before he leaves, Henry hands over the car to Lyman and this gesture foreshadows his death. Lyman keeps the car in perfect shape and takes immensely good car of it as if it was Henry himself. This is another point of association between the car and Henry. Lyman loves his brother and therefore the way he takes care of the car symbolizes his love for his older brother. He would have taken equally good care of him had he been with him. When Henry comes back from the war, he has changed a lot so much so that he barely resembles the old Henry he is usually "jumpy and mean"(148).

Because of extreme posttraumatic stress disorder, Henry is always in a state of agitation as if he was still at the battlefield, ready for action. He "would sit in front of the family television, bought by Lyman, "gripping the armrests with all his might, as if the chair itself was moving at a high speed and if he let go at all he would rocket forward and maybe crash right through the set" (148). So while the war had come to an end externally, it was living in the hearts and minds of those who had been a part of it. The war had left a deep scar on Henry's soul and for him the war "keep on going" (147). Lyman can no longer relate to his brother who is "never comfortable sitting still anywhere but always up and moving around" (147).

Henry has lost interest in this world and his life. In fact his life has become a burden becomes everything reminds him of the pain and suffering that he witnessed during the war. He often bites his lips and doesn't notice that the blood is coming out: "even though every time he took a bite of his bread his blood fell onto it and he was eating his own blood mixed in with the food" (148). Their mother refuses to admit Henry to a hospital claiming that, "they don't fix them in those places" (149). Again the connection between the car and Henry is obvious. Seeing his condition, Lyman recalls the days when the two brothers had enjoyed great times roaming around the country in their beloved car. However since Henry had returned, he had not paid any attention to the Red Convertible and had more or less ignored it completely. Lyman uses the car as the last resort to bring back the old Henry. He smashes the surface of the car with a hammer to attract Henry's attention. This scheme works and Henry shows his disapproval at the sad condition of the car. Again the car represents the inner mental state of Henry because both bear deep scars. It is when Henry sits in the car that Lyman notices how "clear, more peaceful" (151-152) he looked.