The Red Convertible, written by Louise Erdich, is a beautiful story
             about two Native American brothers who live on a North Dakota reservation.
             Erdich uses symbolism and foreshadowing to provide a deeper meaning within
             The story is told in the first person by Lyman Lamartine. It begins
             with an introduction, where we first become acquainted with Lyman's older
             brother Henry and the red Oldsmobile they bought together on a whim. Lyman
             tells us that they shared the car until Henry's "boots filled with water on
             a windy night and he bought out [Lyman's] share" (Erdich, 183). This
             introduction not only foreshadows the tragic ending to follow, but it also
             establishes the important role that the red convertible plays in the
             relationship between the Henry and Lyman.
             As we can see from the title of the story, the red convertible plays
             an instrumental role in the story. The red coloring of the car is not a
             coincidence, but rather it is a purposeful detail that illustrates the
             important role of the car in the brothers' relationship. Every culture has
             different associations with the color red, but in the Native American
             culture it represents communication and faith. This is an interesting
             detail because the red convertible is a main source of communication
             between the brothers. Lyman also had a great deal of faith in his and
             Henry's shared love for the car. This is why Lyman banged the car up in
             attempt to bring back the Henry he once knew. Through having to repair it,
             Henry was able to remember the love he once had for their car.
             Not only does Erdich use Native American associations with the color
             red, but there is a lot of symbolization involving associations common in
             many cultures. These associations are both positive and negative, and
             provide further insight throughout the story. Positive associations include
             strength, passion, and love. These are symbolized throughout the story. In
             the ...