The Red Convertible

Somewhere between the main narrative and the point from which Lyman tells this story, Lyman grew up. His nostalgic gaze and stoic acceptance of tragedy indicate a major shift in the way he experiences life. What does Coming of Age mean in this story? Does the story depict a single moment when Lyman becomes a man, or is it a more gradual transformation?

Henry and Lyman sit in extended silence together regularly. However, there are different kinds of silences, and not all of them are desirable. Give examples from the text of at least two different moments of silence. What makes a good silence different from a bad one?

In the final moments at the river, the narrator eschews interiority, instead focusing on description, action, and dialogue. How would this scene look from Henry’s perspective? If the reader had access to his inner monologue and motives, what would that add to the reading experience? What would it take away?

Consider how gender roles and masculine ideals shape Henry and Lyman’s behavior. How do the female characters contribute to this dynamic? Are these characters indispensable to the story? Why or why not?

In a 1985 New York Times article, Louise Erdrich writes about the importance of place in her work, specifically as it connects to her Indigenous heritage: “In a tribal view of the world, where one place has been inhabited by generations, the landscape becomes enlivened by a sense of group and family history” (Erdrich, Louise. “Where I Ought to Be: A Writer’s Sense of Place.” The New York Times, 28 July 1985). How does Lyman’s sense of place affect his narration?

A famous writing exercise from John Gardner prompts the reader to describe a barn from the perspective of a man who has just lost his son in a war without explicitly mentioning the war, the son, or his death. According to Gardner, the skilled writer who works hard on this prompt will have written “a powerful and disturbing image, a faithful description of some apparently real barn but one from which the reader gets a sense of the father’s emotion” (Gardner, John. “Basic Skills, Genre, and Fiction as Dream.” The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers. Vintage, 1991, pp. 37). How do Lyman’s descriptions demonstrate his emotions?

Place and setting are central to Lyman’s experience of the story as well as to his narration. According to this story, what makes a place a place? What are the necessary features? What makes a place meaningful?

Lyman beats up the red convertible as a desperate act to “fix” his brother and salvage their friendship. Was Lyman justified in his actions? Was this choice selfless, selfish, or both? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.