Red Convertible

At the beginning of the story, there is a prelude to the fatal accident. It is depicted that both Henry and Lyman both owned the red convertible “until his boots filled with water on a windy night and he bought out my share” (126). This is relevant because it prepares the reader for Henry’s death. Additionally, it’s also stated that “Lyman walks everywhere he goes” (126) another prelude to future events. In the middle of the story, Lyman “took [his] hammer…went out to that car and [Lyman] did a number on its underside” (130). Due to Henry’s early signs of PTSD, he has begun to distance himself from his family. Lyman realizes that the Henry who left before the war isn’t the same; therefore, Lyman believed if he tampered with the car (red corvette) Henry will return back to normal. Finally, the last relevant event is when Lyman sinks the red corvette after Henry’s death, Lyman watches “it plow softly into the water” (133). This event symbolically represents the brotherhood between Henry and Lyman. As mentioned previously, within the first section of the story, Lyman stated “Henry owns the whole car” (126). Lyman choose to sink the car in the same manner as Henry probably because he want to be reminded of Henry’s death.

Henry

War veteran from Vietnam

Prisoner of war

Experiences PTSD

Was drunk and drowned in the river

Lyman

Younger brother and narrator of the Red Convertible

Upset and appalled at the sudden changes of his brother Henry

Destroys the red convertible to bring Henry back to normal

Went to the mountains with Henry

Fist