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The Native American Culture in The Red Convertible In the short story The Red
Convertible, by Louise Erdrich, the author, contrasts the old way of life versus
the new. Erdrich does this through metaphorical symbols: the color red,
convertible, summer trip, and the fancy dance Henry performs before his death (Erdrich
p. 468). In the story, the color red symbolizes many things. The convertible is
red. Lyman also said his brother, had a nose big and sharp as a hatchet, like
the nose on Red Tomahawk (Erdrich p. 467). Also when the brothers took their
final journey Lyman says, We started off east, toward Pembina and the Red River
(Erdrich p. 467). The color red, in this story, represents Henry's will to be
free. The convertible appears in a bright red because, while driving the car,
Henry feels trapped by the white man's war (Erdrich p. 467). By returning to the
Red River Henry regains his spiritual freedom. According to The American
Heritage book of Indians, the Red Sticks were and anti-American faction that
fought to keep the white man out, and their heritage strong (p. 221).
With this
information, the Red Sticks, and the color red, represented in the story can be
linked in their feelings with anti-Americanism (The American Heritage book of
Indians p. 221). Lyman says, He said he wanted to give the car to me for good
now, it was no use (Erdrich p. 468). By Henry giving Lyman the red convertible,
he is foreshadowing his death. In the Chippawa culture gifts are given to the
family of the deceased (The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 16). A remnant of the
deceased was kept, wrapped in birch bark, this spirit bundle was then kept for a
year and later given to the family (The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 16). Lyman
knows that Henry is preparing him for Henry's death by giving him the car. Lyman
states, No way. I don't want it, referring to the car (Erdrich p. 468). Lyman
refuses this gift because he does not want Henry to die. The red convertible
also represents a curative charm (The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 19). In the
Chippawa culture, a charm was given to the injured or diseased. This charm was
used in many ways to: stimulate love, attract wealth, insure a successful
journey, and to counteract evil (The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 19). The
charm consisted of an artifact that represented the individual or a figurine
(The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 19). The car was Henry's charm form Lyman.
Lyman states, I thought the car might bring the old Henry back somehow (Erdrich
p. 466). Lyman could see Henry was sick, so by reconnection Henry with the car,
he thought the Henry would get better. To understand why the brothers took tow
trips, one to Alaska, and the other at the end of the story, the Nomadic
lifestyle of the Chippawas must be examined. The Chippawas led a seminomadic
life, dependent upon the seasons (The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 10).
At the
beginning of the story, Henry and Lyman venture off for the summer. The brothers
end up in Alaska, which symbolizes their search for new hunting ground (The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 11). The final journey, that the boys embark on,
represents Henry's return to nature. Lyman identifies Henry's feeling by
stating, When everything starts changing, drying up, clearing off, you feel like
your whole life is starting. Henry felt it too (Erdrich p. 467). When Henry and
Lyman reach their final destination, something comes over Henry. Lyman
identifies this change when he states, I think it's the old Henry (Erdrich p.
468). However, Lyman doesn't understand Henry's next move when he says, He
throws off his jacket and starts springing his legs up form the knees like a
fancy dancer...He's wild (Erdrich p. 468). To understand Henry's fancy dancing,
the reader must be aware of the cultural ties the Chippawa have to dancing. The
origin of the Chippawa dancing drum is told through an old legend (The Ojibwa
Dance Drum p. 44). The legend begins with an old Indian woman, who lost her four
sons fighting the white man. This woman took refuge in a lake. Hiding from the
white man, under lillypads, the Great Spirit told her how to ward off the white
man (The Ojibwa Dance Drum p. 44). To do this, the Great Spirit told her to make
a drum, and taught her songs to sing when the white man returned (The Ojibwa
Dance Drum p. 44). When the woman returned to her people, she told the men how
to sing the songs.
The Great Spirit said, It will be the only way you are going
to stop the soldiers from killing your people (The Ojibwa Dance Drum p. 44).
When the white men returned to the village, they heard the drum and saw the
dancing, they then put down their arms, and stopped the killing (The Ojibwa
Dance Drum p. 44). By looking at this story's background, and understanding the
difficulties Henry went through, the reader can understand the meaning of
Henry's fancy, wild dance (Erdrich p. 468). Henry was sent to fight in a white
man's war, and upon his return, he had changed. henry's dance symbolically
represents his rejection of war. Henry, tortured by the memories of war,
performs this dance in hopes of warding of the nightmares. The lake country red
man's lifestyle developed from an acceptance of his environment, not from its
transformation (The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 6). This statement in effect
describes Henry. Henry couldn't accept the changes that were occurring around
him, therefore he took his own life. Symbolically, the author, Louise Erdrich
uses the culture of the old Native Americans to explain the actions demonstrated
by the characters in the story. The convertible can be looked at as a charm to
help the sick. The nomadic lifestyle is demonstrated by the trips taken by the
brothers. Also Henry's dance symbolizes the fighting of the American soldiers.
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