In this unit, you read the short story “The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich. You have completed discussion questions about the story. You have written a short, documented essay on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a concept that is illustrated in the story. Now, you will write a 5-7 paragraph essay to discuss symbolism in the story.
Think about the car that Lyman and Henry purchase. Think about what the brothers do to fix up the car and where they go in it. What ideas or connotations are associated with the car in the story? What do you think the car symbolizes in the story? Choose 3 ideas that you think the car symbolizes and represents. For each idea, provide 2 passages from the story that support your opinion. Cite passages correctly using your “Creating Documented Paragraphs/ OCPI” note sheet. Create your own planning sheet (see the planning sheet template on Course Content) to help you plan your essay. Create 5-7 paragraphs to answer.