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Literary analysis on the red convertible story
Psychological impact war has on soldiers
Literary analysis of the red convertible
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Louise Edrich’s
“The Red Convertible”
Among several points brought up in Louise Edrich’s simple yet powerful short story “The Red Convertible” is that of the effects of war on brotherhood. Certainly this is not the only topic of the story, however, it is a topic of significance when the story is thought-about in its historical backdrop – a Native American reservation in North Dakota, post-Vietnam War. When understood in its historical context, the story is not just about brothers who have their relationship damaged by war, but, how the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder can completely distort a person, and in turn, a brotherly bond. A main character in the story, Henry, shows a definite contrast between
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William J. Cromie points out that “a national survey concluded that almost one in three (30.9 percent) of those who served in Vietnam came home with PTSD” (Cromie). The link between PTSD and suicide is more common than some might think. Authors from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs note that “PTSD alone out of six anxiety diagnoses was significantly associated with suicidal ideation or attempts” (ptsd.va.gov). Furthermore, Nicole D. Pukay-Martin notes “major depressive disorder (MDD) co-occurs frequently with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and both disorders are linked to suicidal ideation” (Pukay-Martin). A main character of the book, Henry, displays symptoms of PTSD and they contribute to his suicide at the end of the story. The poor treatment of American prisoners of war who were captured in North Vietnam may have contributed to Henry’s PTSD while he was in one of these war camps. Merle Pribbenow writes that “American prisoners were not entitled to the privileges and rights granted to prisoners of war (POW) under the terms of the Geneva Convention” (Pribbenow). The high levels of PTSD caused in veterans returning from the war in Vietnam had a definite effect on Henry’s
Junger 125: Through this quote, Junger gives a realistic wake-up call to the readers. Depression and PTSD rates in soldiers are so high because they come back from war, to a society that is at war with itself. Junger concludes that modern society is completely disconnected from our tribal instincts, this disconnection is what leads to PTSD and other mental disorders. This disconnection is shown through the hostility that civilians in America have towards one another, as well as the many statistics Junger provides on a variety of topics.
The Red Convertible, written by Louise Erdrich, is a short story written in the first person perspective of a Chippewa Indian named Lyman. It portrays the story of his brother, Henry, who joins the Marines and fights in the Vietnam War. Before recruiters pick up Henry, Lyman describes him and his brother’s road trip in their brand new red Olds. Lyman explains Henry’s characteristic during their joy-ride as friendly, joking, and fun. Returning from their road trip, Henry leaves for Vietnam. When he returns, Henry is not the same joyful man that he once was before he had left. Louise Erdrich’s short story, The Red Convertible, follows the life of Henry who is as funny joking guy. Although war has changed him, and it was not for the best. Louise Erdrich’s theme for The Red Convertible is that war can devastate peoples’ lives.
In “The Red Convertible,” Louise Erdrich through her first- person narrator Lyman, creates an unspoken emotional bond between two brothers. This emotional bond between the brothers is not directly spoken to each other, but rather is communicated through and symbolized by “The Red Convertible.” In spite of what appears as a selfless act by one brother, in turn, causes pain in the other brother, as no feelings were communicated. In this case, Lyman explains his version as he takes us through the experiences that he and his brother Henry have with the car.
To what lengths would you go for a loved one? Would you destroy something in hopes that it would save them? That 's what Lyman Lamartine did in hopes to fix his PTSD afflicted brother. "The Red Convertible" was written by Louise Erdrich in 1974 and published in 2009 along with several other short stories. Lyman, and Henry, are brothers. The story starts by telling us about how the two brothers acquired a red convertible. Henry ends up being drafted into the Vietnam War, and comes back home suffering from PTSD. One day the pair decided to take a drive to the Red River because Henry wanted to see the high water. Ultimately, the story ends with a cliff-hanger, and we are left wondering what happens to the boys. The symbolic nature of the red convertible will play a key role in this literary analysis, along with underling themes of PTSD and war.
Your number is up! Louise Erdich’s short story “The Red Convertible”, written in 1984, shows the difficulties a family experiences while dealing with a son in The Vietnam War. The affects the war has on Henry and how his personality changes when he returns home are of vital importance throughout the story. The red convertible symbolizes happiness before the war and destruction after the war, while leading to a sorrowful result.
Being forced into a war he has no interest in, Tim O’brien recounts his time fighting in the vietnam war. Many of the soldiers there carried things deep to their hearts. Others carried fear, guilt, and despair of what they had done and what was to come. These physical things were a way these soldiers could cope with their feelings and try and stay sane during these times. “Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried letters from a girl named Martha, a junior at Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey.”(1) These letters were coping mechanisms for Jimmy and he read them when he needed comforting or just to read them to help him forget.
Imagine living in despair after coming back home, dismayed from a war that got no appreciation. Robert Kroger once said in his quote, “The brave men and women, who serve their country and as a result, live constantly with the war inside them, exist in a world of chaos. But the turmoil they experience isn’t who they are, the PTSD invades their minds and bodies.” Eleven percent of Vietnam Veterans still suffer with symptoms of the terrifying disorder of PTSD (Handwerk). Vietnam Veterans struggle with the physiological effects of PTSD after war, which leads to despair and many deaths.
Everyone encounters some type of battle or challenge in their lives. Some have to deal with something like passing a class, some with the stress of not knowing when their next meal will be. Some have to cope with the after-effects of the war. All war veterans have to bear the mental weight of the events that occurred while at war, feelings of fear and guilt, and sometimes the thoughts don’t seem to go away. We see this looking through the psychological lens in the book The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien.
War has been a constant part of human history. It has greatly affected the lives of people around the world. These effects, however, are extremely detrimental. Soldiers must shoulder extreme stress on the battlefield. Those that cannot mentally overcome these challenges may develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sadly, some resort to suicide to escape their insecurities. Soldiers, however, are not the only ones affected by wars; family members also experience mental hardships when their loved ones are sent to war. Timothy Findley accurately portrays the detrimental effects wars have on individuals in his masterpiece The Wars.
"War is always, in all ways, appalling." This is how author Gary Paulsen describes war in his novel Soldier's Heart. Soldier's Heart is what we now know as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Paulsen displayed many examples of appalling events in Soldier's Heart. Some events were from deaths of fellow men, or traumatic experiences. Many of these events have scarred many soldiers around the world. Here are a few examples of scarring, appalling events included in Gary Paulsen's novel, Soldier's Heart.
Our soldiers not only risked life and limb for our country while serving in the Vietnam War, but they continue to suffer immensely. Americans as well as Vietnamese troops and civilians suffered great losses when it comes to casualties. Witnessing first-hand the pain and death of strangers and allies, isn’t something one is likely to forget. Post-Traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been one of the many repercussions of witnessing these gruesome events (Mental Health America). Veterans, their families, and the government have come together in combat in attempts to address the detrimental effects of PTSD.
War is cruel. The Vietnam War, which lasted for 21 years from 1954 to 1975, was a horrific and tragic event in human history. The Second World War was as frightening and tragic even though it lasted for only 6 years from 1939 to 1945 comparing with the longer-lasting war in Vietnam. During both wars, thousands of millions of soldiers and civilians had been killed. Especially during the Second World War, numerous innocent people were sent into concentration camps, or some places as internment camps for no specific reasons told. Some of these people came out sound after the war, but others were never heard of again. After both wars, people that were alive experienced not only the physical damages, but also the psychic trauma by seeing the deaths and injuries of family members, friends or even just strangers. In the short story “A Marker on the Side of the Boat” by Bao Ninh about the Vietnam War, and the documentary film Barbed Wire and Mandolins directed by Nicola Zavaglia with a background of the Second World War, they both explore and convey the trauma of war. However, the short story “A Marker on the Side of the Boat” is more effective in conveying the trauma of war than the film Barbed Wire and Mandolins because of its well-developed plot with well-illustrated details, and its ability to raise emotional responses from its readers.
The soldiers feel that the only people they can talk to about the war are their “brothers”, the other men who experienced the Vietnam War. The friendship and kinship that grew in the jungles of Vietnam survived and lived on here in the United States. By talking to each other, the soldiers help to sort out the incidents that happened in the War and to put these incidents behind them. “The thing to do, we decided, was to forget the coffee and switch to gin, which improved the mood, and not much later we were laughing at some of the craziness that used to go on” (O’Brien, 29).
Louise Erdrich’s short story “American horse” is a literary piece written by an author whose works emphasize the American experience for a multitude of different people from a plethora of various ethnic backgrounds. While Erdrich utilizes a full arsenal of literary elements to better convey this particular story to the reader, perhaps the two most prominent are theme and point of view. At first glance this story seems to portray the struggle of a mother who has her son ripped from her arms by government authorities; however, if the reader simply steps back to analyze the larger picture, the theme becomes clear. It is important to understand the backgrounds of both the protagonist and antagonists when analyzing theme of this short story. Albetrine, who is the short story’s protagonist, is a Native American woman who characterizes her son Buddy as “the best thing that has ever happened to me”. The antagonist, are westerners who work on behalf of the United States Government. Given this dynamic, the stage is set for a clash between the two forces. The struggle between these two can be viewed as a microcosm for what has occurred throughout history between Native Americans and Caucasians. With all this in mind, the reader can see that the theme of this piece is the battle of Native Americans to maintain their culture and way of life as their homeland is invaded by Caucasians. In addition to the theme, Erdrich’s usage of the third person limited point of view helps the reader understand the short story from several different perspectives while allowing the story to maintain the ambiguity and mysteriousness that was felt by many Natives Americans as they endured similar struggles. These two literary elements help set an underlying atmos...
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental condition that ails soldiers and civilians alike who have been unfortunate enough to endure terrifying life harrowing experiences. Those who experience this disorder are prone to pejorative flashbacks to the time of the incident that triggered the neurological disorder. Most soldiers are capable of withstanding the withering physiological strain of combat, however a growing portion of people exposed to the graphic belligerence of war are prone to PTSD. In the novel 1984, George Orwell writes on multiple occasions of graphic war depictions and human pain. Having served in the Spanish Civil War, Orwell was exposed to violent reactions long before PTSD was officially diagnosed or even recognized. Not only did the novel display clear symptoms of his syndrome, Orwell released the tremendous stress he experienced on a daily basis as a result of the post traumatic stress he experienced through writing his novel. 1984 was inspired purely by the need to relinquish the internal pressures Orwell had experienced earlier in life, in a society where the open display of such symptoms was a sign of cowardice and weakness in the face of battle.