Foreshadowing appears throughout “The Red Convertible” as the story unfolds through the lens of Lyman’s memories. The very first paragraph foreshadows Henry Junior’s tragic death. Lyman uses the metaphorical language of Henry Junior’s boots filling with water to imply that his brother has drowned. The demise of the red convertible is similarly foreshadowed when Lyman once again uses metaphorical language to explain that his brother bought his share of the car and Lyman now has to walk everywhere to get around. The foreshadowing suggests that Henry Junior does not literally buy the car but takes it with him to the grave. While the tone of his storytelling is conversational, the details are ominous. Lyman’s frequent comparison of his luck with Henry Junior’s misfortune foreshadows not only Henry Junior’s death but also the terrible things that happen to him before he dies. All Lyman’s talk of luck and misfortune makes it unsurprising when Henry Junior goes to fight in the Vietnam War, is taken prisoner, and returns home suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Similarly, the banter between Lyman and Henry Junior about the ownership of the red convertible foreshadows that both the car and Henry Junior are doomed. All these instances of foreshadowing build suspense as Lyman and Henry Junior make their final drive in the red convertible toward the river. The story’s tragic climax as Henry Junior drowns and Lyman pushes the car into the river feels particularly tragic as it is clear the story has been building to this moment from its opening.