The Red Convertible
Obviously, the car itself is the story’s central symbol, but its significance is complex and multi-layered rather than existing to represent just one thing. For instance, the joy of driving in across the country that summer situates the car as a symbol of the freedom of youth. The attempts by Henry to give Lyman full ownership makes the car a symbol of their brotherhood and Lyman’s final act solidifies that meaning. When Lyman purposely causes the car to become a broken down heap for Henry to work on, the car is very directly intended to symbolize the irreparably broken state of Henry himself.
Susy's Hair
When the brothers first pick up their hitchhiker, the most notable physical feature is the buns around her ears into which she has put her. Later, she will undo the buns and allow her hair to spread out to its full glorious length; so long it nearly touches the ground. This transformation astonishes the two boys who are amazed that she could actually manage to hide all that hair within her buns. Thus, Susy’s hair becomes a symbol of foreshadowing for what happens to Henry during the war. Just as it seems impossible Susy could hide that much hair, so is Lyman shocked that the Henry who comes back from the war could have possibly exist with the same brother he knew.
The Beer Cans
Another symbol that foreshadows the end is the beer cans that Lyman and Henry toss into the river after drinking the contents. The image of the two brothers watching how fast the current takes each can and how far it can get before filling up with water sinking foreshadows the story’s climax. The imagery of how far and fast the cans get before sinking is also an image that connects to the story’s theme of loss of innocence and the speed at which life brings each brother to that point in their lives.
Bonita's Photo
The boys’ younger sister takes a photo of the two of them posing in front of the car and the photo comes to almost literally haunt Lyman. He tacks it to the wall at one point but before long the image of Henry staring at him is such he cannot even stay in the same room. The image reveals the true darkness inside Henry that his younger brother could not see in real life. He remembers his sister calling for them to smile and that Henry actually did, but now when he looks at the picture it seems as if the smile has gone away. Or, maybe, was never really there in the first place. The photograph becomes a symbol of maturation; the point when Lyman finally sees the pain of brother through eyes no longer innocent.
The Color TV
In his innocent effort to bring comfort to his brother, Lyman buys a color TV, but it only serves to intensify the already negative characteristics which Henry has brought back from Vietnam. He later regrets not buying a black & white set because the color images seem too immediate and too real in comparison to the nostalgic, out-of-time effect of seeing things in black & white. This makes the TV another complex symbol. One on level it becomes symbolic of the way the white man’s wars intruded upon the innocence of reservation life the boys enjoyed. On another level the reality of the color represents how Henry has already reached that point where innocence is gone and he sees things as they really are while Henry, still not there yet, thinks that having opted for a black and white TV would have actually made some kind of difference.
