The Red Convertible

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The Red Convertible Louise Erdrich Read the quote from Louise Erdrich's journal that precedes the story. What is she saying? - She is talking about how we need know how to deal with our past present and future problems also not having a happy-ending mentality may be something we need which means that we need to do whats right not what we want sometimes. What “one talent” did Lyman have? List the jobs he had. - Lyman fixed up and essentially restored the car that his brother Henry left for him. What took Lyman and Henry to Alaska? In other words why did they go there? What mood is established by the narrator in this part of the story? - While Lyman and Henry were on their road trip they met a native Indian girl named Susy that was hitchhiking back to her home in Alaska. They stayed there because Susy’s family invited to stay the summer. The mood established is a friendly bond between brothers and a strangers family. How was Henry changed when he returned from the war? - He wasn’t concerned about things like his red convertible and he wasn’t his normal happy self. What does Lyman think will bring back the old Henry? -Lyman was fed up with Henry’s mood so he smashed up the car to draw his attention Summarize what happens at the end of the story. - Henry and Lyman get into a small fight about who gets the car. Then henry says hes going to go cool off in the river but ends up committing suicide getting drowned and washed away by the river. Then Lyman drives the car into the water. How important is the setting in this story? Is it important to know that Henry and Lyman are Chippewa and that they live on a reserve? - I think that it may be important that Henry is Chippewa because the marines might treat him differently but as for Lyman, i don’t think it matters at all. It does effect my view on the story.

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