Dissecting the short stories, The Red Convertible by Louise Erdrich, and An Occurrence.
At Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce, by their use of characters, settings and points of view,.
and plot structures to help distinguish how the writers illustrate their short story.
In The Red Convertible, the main character is Lyman Lamartine. Lyman is a young man.
of Chippewa Indian decent, who spent his younger years at the reservation. Lyman speaks highly.
about himself by his commitment and responsibility he has had. He is a hard worker who has.
done anything to make money, beginning at an early age. He started out shining shoes, and.
eventually owned and managed a restaurant by the age of sixteen. Lyman grows up, and changes.
through out his story. One major effect on Lyman is the event of his brother Henry joining the.
army and going to Vietnam. Lyman's relationship with his brother was important to him, but was.
changed after he returned, and finally when Henry drowned in the Red River.
The main character is Peyton Farquar in, An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge. Peyton is.
a well-to-do planter of an old and highly respected Alabama family. Peyton was a slave owner.
and was devoted to the southern cause. Circumstances prevented him from becoming a soldier,.
yet he believed no service was too humble, and no adventure too perilous in aid of the South.
Peyton was awaiting an opportunity for him to help fight for his way of. This opportunity came.
to him when a federal scout told Peyton of the Yanks repairing the railroad, and that the Owl.
Creek Bridge had plenty of dry driftwood up against the pier at the end of the bridge that would.
burn well. Peyton's heroic quest to help the Southern cause couldn't have been an easier, if he.
had only got the better of the sentinels guarding the bridge. Yet he failed and was to be hung.
Louise Erdrich uses many truths to help develop the setting of her fictional story. She.
reflects her experiences as a native Chippewa Indian to enrich her character Lyman's background.