Brotherhood in The Red Convertible Essay

Brotherhood and The Red Convertible

Family is an essential part to the development of every human life. They are there for guidance, support, and mostly for love. The bond between brothers is a bond that cannot be forged. There are many types of relationships. Husband and wife; Father and son; Mother and daughter; but the bond between brothers is one like no other. In The Red Convertible Lymans motivation for telling the story is to keep his brothers memory alive.

At the center of The Red Convertible is the relationship between two brothers Lyman and Henry. The story is told from Lymans point of view. Lyman is the younger of the two throughout the story the reader has no direct insight into Henrys thoughts and feelings. His words and actions toward Lyman, however, indicate that he loved him very much and he valued their relationship. Before Henry left to serve in the Vietnam War, he wanted to give his younger brother the car that had brought them so much joy. Obviously, he didnt know whether he would survive, and he wanted his brother to become more independent. This may also explain why he wrote home so erratically. When he came home from the war he was a totally different person. When Lyman intentionally damaged and dismantled the car so that Henry would have to fix it, Henry understood what Lyman was trying to do for him. Rather than respond with rage or resentment, he proceeded to fix the car so that Lyman could have it. The fact that Henry apparently committed suicide when he was alone with Lyman suggests that Lyman was the only person Henry truly trusted and the only person with whom he was willing to share this tragic moment.