Abstract
This paper focuses on the attempts of Christians to convert Jews, including an analysis of their successes and failures. Much of the information available on conversion attempts has focused on historical efforts at converting the Jews to Christianity. As such the primary emphasis of this document includes an overview of historical efforts at conversion. In modern society, most Christian faiths - including those that once persecuted the Jews with much enthusiasm - have focused their efforts on causes other than conversion. Still, even in contemporary society there is evidence that certain faiths, the Baptist faith in particular, still believes they have a moral obligation to convert the remaining population of Jews to Christianity. Their attempts, successes and failures in this respect are explored in the second half of this analysis.

From the Paper
"Other attempts have been made by the Evangelical church to convert Jews to Christianity, or to suppress the rights of Jews and the Jewish faith (Wikipedia, 2005). This trend began in early history, with Charles Semeon of the Evangelical church stating that the efforts at conversion including daily prayers for the conversion of Jews were as much a part of Christianity and "the finest flower of Evangelicalism" (Ragussis, 4). The Evangelicals have often been cited as agreeing with the Southern Baptist Convention, which suggests that it is the duty of Christians to continue in their attempts to convert Jews (Wikipedia, 2005)."

Tags:Jesus, salvation, Protestant, Crusaders, Evangelicalism

Abstract
This paper discusses the tension between man's inner desire to do what he wants and the universal need to do the right and proper thing, as discussed by St. Augustine.

From the Paper
"Confessions, written by St. Augustine, is considered by most to be the forerunner of the modern autobiography. In it, Augustine talks about a number of things, including his childhood, his conversion to Christianity, and a good deal of philosophy. Throughout most of the autobiographical portion of the work, there is a noticeable tension between the Christian and the Classical. Augustine seems to say over and over again that he knows in his heart that he should bend toward the Bible and follow God, yet he continually chooses the Classical (or at least the non-Christian) over the Christian."

Tags:augustine, bible, christian, cicero, classical, confessions, fine, saint, st, truth

Abstract
The paper analyzes "The Red Convertible" by Louise Erdrich.

From the Paper
"Louise Erdrich published a series of short stories that are complexly connected in "Love Medicine". The tenth story in this book is "The Red Convertible", describing the relationship between Lyman Lamartine, a North Dakotan Chippewa, and his brother, Henry. Suzanne Ferguson says of Erdrich's short stories; "The reader is more likely to focus on theme and symbol. In this particular story, the symbol is blatant; the red convertible. Though we learn that Henry owns the car, foreshadowing promises this story to be anything but..."

Tags:The Red Convertible, Love Medicine, Louise Erdrich, Lyman Lamartine

Abstract
The paper examines how Louise Erdrich's story "The Red Convertible" portrays the transformational effects of the Vietnam War on one Native American family, and particularly on two brothers, Lyman and Henry Lamartine. The paper shows how in a carefully nuanced short story, Erdrich focuses the reader's attention primarily on the red convertible of the title. The paper discusses how the effect is doubly disturbing when the reader becomes aware of the true topic of the story: the psychological trauma endured by the protagonist's brother, Henry, and his subsequent suicide. Thus, the paper demonstrates how although ostensibly the tale of a red convertible, on a psychological level the story functions primarily to show that veterans of war can be so traumatized that they destroy their own lives, and the lives of their families.

From the Paper
"Louise Erdrich's story "The Red Convertible" portrays the transformational effects of the Vietnam War on one Native American family, and particularly on two brothers, Lyman and Henry Lamartine. In a carefully nuanced short story, Erdrich focuses the reader's attention primarily on the red convertible of the title. Thus, the effect is doubly disturbing when the..."

Tags:vietnam, veterans, stress

Abstract
The paper looks at "The Red Convertible" by Louise Edrich that depicts how the Lamartine family, especially the two brothers, deal with the older brother's return from Vietnam. The paper discusses how the altered family dynamics are shown by the symbol of the red convertible and how this symbol changes throughout the story.

From the Paper
"The story presents the struggles of two brothers to cope with their changing relationship, as well as the changes taking places in the post-Vietnam world. In fact, the relationship between the two brothers is used as a direct parallel of the post-war situation in the sense that their story is a symbol of the difficulties and readjustments that many Vietnam veterans and their families were faced with after the war. The theme of brotherhood is central to the plot. The story is told from Lyman's point of view which means the reader has no direct insight into Lyman's brother's thoughts."

Tags:war, Vietnam, veterans, brotherhood

Abstract
The paper shows how the short stories "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker and "The Red Convertible" by Louise Erdrich both concern the American dream and how it has been dashed. The paper illustrates how the characters have a past in which the dream is whole, with the rich potential of fulfillment, but the dreams are destroyed by powers beyond the characters' ability to control.

Outline:
Everyday Use by Alice Walker
"The Red Convertible" by Louise Erdrich
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The short stories "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker and "The Red Convertible" by Louise Erdrich both concern the American Dream to some extent. Rather than its fulfillment however, the stories describe how the dream has been broken. The persons in each respective story have a past in which the dream was whole, with the rich potential of fulfillment. The trauma and the unhappiness of reality however break the dreams and leave in their wake only a hollow echo of the innocence that was once the beginning of a dream and the promise of joy. Everyday Use by Alice Walker The three mainly important characters in Alice Walker's "Everyday Use" are a black mother and two daughters, each representing a different aspect of the manifestation of the current form of their hopes and dreams. Mama is the mother, Dee the beautiful but empty-hearted daughter and Maggie the representative of the past (Powell). Mama is practical, and takes pride in the things she is able to do. Her "dream" lives in the present moment, without being overly concerned over the past or the future."

Tags:American, dream, tragedy, sorrow

Abstract
This paper examines "The Red Convertible", a story of two Native American brothers, Henry and Lyman, both of whom share a deep bond and a very close relationship before things start falling apart. It looks at how, in the story, the most important object for interpretation is the red convertible. It analyzes how the color red also holds special significance and is used as a symbol of death and destruction and how it is extremely important to understand the significance of such things and symbols because they convey certain important messages and foreshadow the tragic ending of the story.

From the Paper
"Lyman and Henry are two brothers who develop a deep bond when they purchase a Red Convertible. It is important to remember that the story is written in first person, which means that we get to know more about Lyman and his emotions than we do about Henry. But the author has tried to offer a deeper insight into the character of Henry by means of the Red Convertible that he purchases. Throughout the story, the journey of the Red Convertible becomes the life story of Henry and everything that it represents is somehow associated with Henry and his changing condition. In the beginning when the two brothers first see the car, they fee, "Really as if it was alive. I thought of the word repose, because the car wasn't simply stopped, parked, or whatever. That car reposed, calm and gleaming"(144). This is exactly the condition or mental state of Henry who is calm and happy and is delighted to see this car."

Tags:henry, lyman, car

Abstract
The paper examines Louise Erdrich's short story "The Red Convertible", which was published as part of her book "Love Medicine," as a blend of the autobiographical and the artistically Modernist. The paper discusses how her own life has been marked by the fundamental themes of her background as one of cultural and biological division, with a German-American father and a Chippewa mother who combined their traditions and beliefs in Erdrich's natal household.

From the Paper
"Louise Erdrich's short story "The Red Convertible" which was published as part of her book "Love Medicine" is a blend of the authentically autobiographical and the artistically Modernist. Her own life has been marked in many ways by the fundamental themes of Modernism, alienation, disillusionment, fragmentation and uncertainty, for Erdrich's background is one of cultural and biological division with a German-American father and a Chippewa mother who combined their traditions and beliefs in Erdrich's natal household."

Tags:erdrich, alienation, identity

Abstract
This paper analyzes and summarizes "The Red Convertible", while picking apart the story to show how Erdrich uses key details to depict "brotherhood" between to two main characters. It discusses whether Erdrich truly provides an accurate description of brotherhood through the story, based on the fact she has no siblings.

From the Paper
"There are many types of relationships. Husband and wife; Father and son; Mother and daughter; but the bond between brothers is one of true friendship like no other. Brotherhood is a unique and powerful bond that cannot be forged. It is hard to recreate a feeling or experience such as brotherhood without experiencing it yourself. This experience (of brotherhood) is clearly shown in Louise Erdrich's, "The Red Convertible." Which brings me to the point. Can Louise Erdrich, being female, still create an accurate portrayal of brotherhood in her story?"

Tags:sibling

Abstract
This paper reviews Julie Jeffrey's biography of Narcissa Whitman, "Converting the West". It contends that there are at least two stories of the Pacific Northwest in mid-nineteenth century America.

Tags:Cayuse, Indians, Catholicism, Christianity, Oregon, culture, customs, language, ethnocentrism