“The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst is a short story that is told by a brother reminiscing about his departed young brother Doodle. The story is focused around Brother’s sorrow and regret for Doodles death and thus forms Brother as a sort of villain. Brother’s lack of maturity and careless actions throughout the story are what paint him as having too much pride. Brother is able to look back and see a monster because he has come-of-age through coping for Doodle’s death. James Hurst answers the question what does it mean to come-of-age in the short story “The Scarlet Ibis” through Brother teaching Doodle to walk, the impact of Doodle’s death, and Brother’s reflection at the beginning and throughout the story. Brother teaching Doodle to walk …show more content…
Death is an often seen source of coming of age because it forces one to come to terms with the reality that a loved one is dead. If this death comes at a young age the child is forced to see that life cannot last forever. In the moments before Doodle’s death Doodle cries out to Brother “Brother, Brother, Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me!” (Hurst 6). Brother is unable to understand the consequences of leaving doodle at the time and is so fueled by his childish cruelty that he refuses to stay with Doodle. Doodle is so exposed at this moment, but childish Brother doesn’t understand. This act is what creates the moment in which Brother is able to come-of-age. When Brother finally goes back for fallen Doodle he finally does as Doodle asked and doesn’t leave him “For a long time, it seemed forever, I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy of rain.” (Hurst 6). This final grant of Doodle’s wish is another step into adulthood. He has yet to come-of-age because he hasn’t come to terms with Doodle’s death but obeying Doodle and staying with him is Brother’s first act of acceptance. Brother is able to put together the similarities of Doodle and the scarlet ibis and this evaluation is another key step in coming-of-age. Brother never got to say goodbye and apologize to Doodle for leaving him and Brother must accept this to be able to
this shows how he doesn't want doodle to be his brother at all and is ashamed of him. This proves the theme because the text shown shows that the brother has a bad side of pride. this pride will bring more bad Than good to the brother as the story progresses. Which bring the bad. After a certain amount of time the brother stats to have homicidal thoughts.
The Couraging Brother Sometimes people feel the need to give up on themselves or others after failing to achieve a goal. In “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, Doodle’s big brother has no confidence or hope in what Doodle, his challenged brother, could do. Throughout this story, Doodle and the narrator never give up no matter how hard the obstacles were to overcome. When Doodle was born, everyone had their doubts. Doodle’s family knew that they were going to struggle once Doodle entered the family.
In the short story, “The Scarlet Ibis' ' by James Hurst, there are many big ideas that play a crucial role in shaping the relationship between Doodle and the older brother. Many examples of these big idea roles are shown within the relationship, but Hubris creates the greatest impact in determining the relationship between Doodle and his older brother Within the relationship of the brother Hubris is shown in various ways including how the narrator isn’t content with the brother he has and is set out to teach him to the impossible. When Doodle was born no one had faith in him, except Aunt Nicey. Everyone in the family thought Doodle wasn’t gonna make it far in life so they built a mohangony coffin for him.
Doodles brother was embarrassed to have a not all there brother. It was very clear at the beginning of the book that the brother wanted doodle dead. His brother never wanted to be around him because he was scared to be made fun of. He wanted doodle to run and swim and play like all the other children
Brother didn’t want Doodle as a brother because of his disabilities. “I began to make plans to kill him by smothering him with a pillow.” (2) In other words, just when Doodle was a
In the story “Scarlet Ibis,” the narrator is flawed in his inability to let go of his desire to have a normal brother. The narrator has a little brother named Doodle, with an extreme amount of disabilities. Before Doodle was born, the narrator fantasized about having a little brother who would be his playmate. Doodle, however, was not the ideal brother. He could not walk or do much on his own.
In “The Scarlet Ibis”, James Hurst shows that one should not take the easy way out by submitting to one’s obstacles because in the end, it won’t be worth it. “I heaved him up again collapsed… ‘I just can’t do it.’ [Doodle says]” (Hurts 598). An example of the theme is when Doodle submits to his obstacle, which is his brother setting a goal for him he doesn’t care to achieve. By not facing his problems, The narrator’s younger brother’s problems get worse, and somewhat lead to his death.
Doodle taught Brother the lesson that people mistreat the ones they love most. Even though Brother loved Doodle, he would push his anger on him, without thinking about it. He made Doodle touch the coffin that was made for him as an infant, because no one thought he would live. Brother did this just because he was frustrated “One day I took him up to the barn loft and showed him his casket”(4).
Brother, the main character of the short story, "The Scarlet Ibis," proves himself to have a double sided personality. On one hand, Brother can be characterized as mean and harsh. The author portrays this behavior when Brother neglectfully tries to shape Doodle into his image despite his clear inability. On the other hand, Brother can be characterized as nice and caring. This personality is shown through his motivation and pride in Doodle due to his accomplishments.
I do believe the brother did have to have some love for Doodle, he gave him his name after all. On page 345 it says, “It was I who renamed him… Crawling backward made him look like a doodlebug so I began to call him Doodle. Renaming my brother was perhaps the kindest thing I ever did for him, because nobody expects much from someone called Doodle.” But all in all if this brother truly had a sincere love for Doodle he would never have done the things he did to him or had any of the thoughts I’ve mentioned above.
The Complex Relationship between Brother and Doodle Pride, will always be the longest distance between two people, the reason of betrayal, and even death. In the Scarlet Ibis, James Hurst describes Brother as a slave of pride unable to establish a real relationship with Doodle. The Scarlet Ibis, narrates the complex relationship between the narrator and his physically ill brother Doodle. Pride always invades the weak bond between the two brothers and leads them to a tragic end.
The Color of Pride In James Hurst's "The Scarlet Ibis" the red imagery is symbolized as pride and how it can get its way in a persons life and causes a person to make bad choices. There are many pieces of evidence to prove this and I have chosen two pieces to prove this correct. The first piece is "He had been bleeding from his mouth and his neck and the front of his shirt was a brilliant red". This shows that Doodle paid for his brothers pride and selfishness.
"Doodle!" I screamed above the pounding storm and threw my body to the earth above his. For a long time, it seemed forever, I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy of rain”(Hurst 6).This section shows from the end of Doodle’s life onward Brother has felt guilty. The whole story is Brothers story of the dangers of pride and his personal experience.
Brother planned to spend his entire life with Doodle, They "decided that when [they] were grown [they'd] live in Old Woman Swamp and pick dog-tongue" (Hurst). He wanted Doodle to have pride in himself and be able to do everything Brother wanted to do with him. Brother had pride in Doodle since he was first able to stand on his own and walk. He taught Doodle out of his own selfishness, he was ashamed of having an "invalid" brother and wanted to have "someone to race to Horsehead Landing, someone to box with, and someone to perch within the top fork of the great pine behind the barn, where across the fields and swamps you could see the sea" (Hurst). Brother was ashamed of the way he felt and his self-indulgent efforts for Doodle.
The quote “He seemed all head with a tiny body which was red and shriveled like an old man’s”, Gave the reader a view of how fragile Doodle’s body is. They thought at first, he was not going to make it, but he ended up surviving. When the mom explains to the older brother, Doodle is different and will not be able to do things that other kids do, he is then disappointed at having Doodle as his brother. He wants to be able to do things with Doodle, like he would be able to do with the other kids,