Red Convertible by OConnor and Guests of the Nation by Erdrich Essay

Red Convertible by OConnor and Guests of the Nation by Erdrich - Essay Example These stories are analyzed in this essay along with the current status of the Indian American culture. The story the Red Convertible talks about the experiences of two Indian brothers one summer prior to one of the going to war. The story focuses on the experience these two adventurers had a red convertible which was the first convertible car to arrive at their reservation. The red convertible to them was a symbol of freedom and let them escape from the struggle their people were facing. It provides insight into the tribal lifestyle and how these two learned to enjoy the simpler things in life such as nature, family, culture, and loyalty. Following that summer one of the brothers went to war. He struggled with psychological problems and could not cope with everyday life after he came back as damaged goods from the war. The brother tried to sheer his sibling up by restoring the red convertible but to no avail. War left scars on him which could not be repaired. The second story dealt w ith Irish army platoons and how the war can create friendships and destroy life and how these memories can last a lifetime. The story centers around a small group of Irish soldiers and a couple of English soldier prisoners under their care. For months they lived together in a shack sharing stories and becoming weird friends even though they were enemies. The stories go into detail about the struggles these people went through during the war and how by sharing each other lives the men took compassion and understood what each other was enduring. In the end, despite the relationship, these people had built the Irish soldiers were forced to kill the English prisoners who had become their friends under order from their superiors. These stories showed the type of struggle different cultures has gone through under tough situations.