I'm no english major, but I think the brighter and redder was just ment to be a ironic funny.

I have had that same light for a while now and it even prevented me from passing my emmision test. the mechanic said I had to drive it for a few days to eliminate the code not just from the dash but also from the memory in the car's computer before I could emission's computer would allow it to go forward and complete the emission's test.