In the story “Love in L. A.”, Jake has a car accident, leading to a significant dispute with Mariana, an attractive woman. Instead of addressing the car damage, Jake attempts to charm Mariana and deceives her to divert her attention. Although Mariana appears flattered, Jake’s sole objective is to escape without consequences. He provides her with completely false details. Comparatively, Henry in “The Red Convertible” can be likened to Jake. Henry is the older brother in his relationship with Lyman and endures severe trauma after being drafted into the Vietnam War.
He is no longer his true self, behaving strangely until Lyman destroys the beloved car. Henry restores the car and appears almost normal once again. However, his apparent normality was a deception to his family. Eventually, he loses his sanity and commits suicide by drowning in the lake. I draw a comparison between Jake and Henry in their use of lies. However, their lies take different forms: Jake’s are sly and persuasive, while Henry’s involve pretending to be normal. Another similarity between the two short stories is the time period in which they are set.
In the stories “Love in L.A.” and “The Red Convertible,” the time periods are hinted at through various clues. In “Love in L.A.,” Jake drives a 1958 Buick, suggesting an older era. Meanwhile, in “The Red Convertible,” Henry is drafted into Vietnam, placing the story in the 1970s. Despite their different time periods, both stories take place relatively close to one another. However, the settings differ greatly. “The Red Convertible” occurs on an Indian reservation in the Idaho/Montana region, while “Love in L.A.” is set on the crowded freeways of Los Angeles.
The plots of both stories share similarities. Both Jake and Henry feel remorseful after their experiences, but express it differently. Henry even contemplates suicide, while Jake feels more pity for himself and his actions. Additionally, both Lyman and Mariana are deceived by their respective partners. Lyman suffers from lies and the loss of his brother, while Mariana is trapped by false information. Despite these similarities, Jake’s experience differs significantly from Henry’s.
Jake experienced a minor fender bender that was quickly resolved. In contrast, Henry witnessed death, suffering, and struggled with severe mental problems. Both stories exhibit differences and similarities. While Henry tragically took his own life, Jake felt guilt. This demonstrates how characters cope with issues in diverse ways. Although the severity and importance of these problems differed greatly, certain similarities in character behavior and settings allowed for comparison.
