...Who is responsible for the death of Doodle? In “The Scarlet Ibis” Doodle was not “all there”. Everyone thought he would die at birth. In James Hurst’s short story, the narrator is responsible for Doodle’s death. The following are the evidence: he over worked him, treated him badly, and left him in the storm. The doctor did not want Doodle to strain himself or he would die. The narrator is responsible for Doodle's death because he made Doodle over work himself. He made Doodle learn how to walk so he would not embarrass him. He let him do most of the things the doctor said not to do. He let him get excited and let him tired. He also let Doodle get hot. The narrative threatened him. The narrator threatened...
Words: 344 - Pages: 2
...Everybody dies. Sometimes someone is responsible for the death, and other times it was something that couldn't be stopped. For example, if someone murders another person, then that person is responsible for the death. If a person dies from a heart attack or cancer, then it was something that couldn't be stopped. In James Hurst’s short story “The Scarlet Ibis,” the older brother is responsible for Doodle’s death. The older brother pushed Doodle to walk and run, showed him no mercy, and left him. Doodle, the younger brother, had a heart condition and if he got overly stressed, or did too much, he could die. The older brother was ashamed to have a five year old brother who couldn't walk. So, the older brother decided to teach Doodle...
Words: 520 - Pages: 3
...Have you ever killed a bug? Anyone human will more than likely have answered yes. Now, think of reasons as to why you chose to kill it. Was it because it was annoying or pesky? Was it because you just wanted to because you like to think that you are better? "The Scarlet Ibis" written by James Hurst, similarly relates to the idea of the bug's death. The difference of the situation is that this thing happens to be between siblings. There are two main characters in the story, two brothers, the older brother's name is unknown, so he is referred to as Brother. Doodle, the young sibling is physically disabled, as it had been expected for him to die after birth. Surprisingly, Doodle lived and began to become a little better and he survived....
Words: 818 - Pages: 4
...“The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst is about William Armstrong, also known as Doodle, who had a physical and mental condition. When he was born William’s brother was six years old, and when William died his brother was thirteen. The story is called “The Scarlet Ibis” because the family saw a bird dying in their backyard which was far away from its native land, and William died away from his home. Mr. Hurst was born in North Carolina at a farm by the sea. He studied singing and in Italy and he became a banker. During his thirty four years as a banker he also published a few short stories including “The Scarlet Ibis”. I personally did not like how the story went but I do like how Mr. Hurst wrote it. I also like how he referred the scarlet ibis...
Words: 1444 - Pages: 6
...A Fatal Consequence of Selfishness in the Scarlet Ibis How often does one act without regard for those around them? It is incredibly easy to become selfish in one’s actions. “The Scarlet Ibis” shows this in Brother’s actions in regard to his younger brother, Doodle. He only assists him when it benefits himself, and throughout his life Brother forces Doodle into activities and abandons him with no thought as to why this is inconsiderate. James Hurst’s “The Scarlet Ibis” uses foreshadowing and symbols to show how selfishness leads to severe consequences, even fatal ones, and the overall maltreatment of others. The family of Doodle commits many selfish actions which foreshadow the demise of Doodle. Early on in their lives, Brother takes Doodle...
Words: 591 - Pages: 3
...Doodle is a scarlet Ibis because of the characteristics they have in common. As stated in the story the Scarlet Ibis "lives in the tropics--South America to Florida, so as a reader I can infer that the Scarlet Ibis was an indigenous bird to Doodle's area. Why is this important? Well it's important because it shows how the Scarlet Ibis was out of place. This concept of being out of place also relates to Doodle because he is described in the story as "......From the outset, a disappointment. He seemed all head, with a tiny body which was red ad shriveled like an old man's." From this, it is told that Doodle too was out of place in the world since he was sickly. Lastly, Doodle is like the Scarlet Ibis because of their physical similarities between...
Words: 258 - Pages: 2
...imply the brother Doodle’s death and the bad ending of this short story.In the first paragraph,the first sentence “It was in the clove of seasons, summer was dead but autumn had not yet been born, that the ibis lit in the bleeding tree” uses the season’s changing to imply that Doodle will die before autumn.The last sentence “The last graveyard flowers were blooming, and their smell drifted across the cotton field and through every room of our house, speaking softly the names of our dead”is another foreshadowing of it.And his name William Armstrong ,“which is like tying a big tail on a small kite. Such a name sounds good only on a tombstone” is absolutely the hint that he will die.Other important foreshadowings are mainly about the the scarlet ibis.For example,the arrival of the red bird and its death,and it’s bad luck gives it a red death, “it tumbled down, bumping through the limbs of the bleeding tree …death did not mar its grace, for it lay on the earth like a broken vase of red flowers”, which imply the way of Doodle’s death,because at the end of the story, the sentence “He had been bleeding from the mouth, and his neck and the front of his shirt were stained a brilliant red”shows us the similarity between the death of the scarlet ibis and Doodle. The symbols in the short story are also important to help the author illustrate the theme of it.The scarlet ibis which stands for Doole,is one of these symbols.They have some similarities.For example,The scarlet ibis is small and...
Words: 493 - Pages: 2
...“The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst places a large focus on humanity and the humane treatment of others. In this short story, the narrator mistreats his younger brother in order to make him more like normal boys who can play, run, and swim. However, this backfires as his younger brother Doodle dies from overexertion because the narrator pushes him past his limits. In “The Scarlet Ibis”, the absence of humanity is a large component and is portrayed in the way Doodle is treated by the narrator. In this story, the narrator’s great pride and lack of humanity is what causes Doodle’s death. Because he is so focused on making Doodle like the other children, the narrator forgets that Doodle has feelings and shortcomings. The narrator is “embarrassed...
Words: 360 - Pages: 2
...Scarlet Ibis Paragraph In the short story, The Scarlet Ibis, James Hurst uses symbolism of the colour red to foreshadow Doodle’s death. The colour red used various times throughout the text, symbolizes death and destruction. Early on in the first sentence, the author inaugurates this symbol of red and death by way of the “...bleeding tree.” , amongst other examples such as “...for it (the dead scarlet ibis) lay on the earth like a broken vase of red flowers.” , (1) (9). Therefore, the author is trying to establish a direct correlation between the colour red and death. This foreshadows Doodle’s death because at the end of the story, Doodle was bleeding from his mouth, with his shirt stained red and a vermillion neck. Furthermore, the fact that...
Words: 287 - Pages: 2
...The Boy with the Scarlet Heart Murder: the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. This crime can be committed by a pull on a trigger, a stab from a knife, an addiction birthed by the deadly dance with drugs, a signing of a tear-stained letter, an attempt to fly from a tree too high…... or the abuse of power one presents over a fragile human; neglecting what struggles they face in order to push them to the edge. With every murder, there is a body left with no soul, a killer hiding somewhere dark, and the inevitable destruction of the senses. The latter happens not just to the victim, but their loved ones as well. All they can smell is fresh dirt from the graveyard. All they can hear is their own thoughts drowning in the abyss of their mind. All they can taste is the metallic flavor of blood in their mouth. They touch everything but feel nothing. It’s only their sight that doesn’t fail them. They see everything crystal clear, just painted in a different color: red. It’s the one color that won’t leave their mind, haunting and confusing them with its’ ambiguous nature. Red could mean something...
Words: 1014 - Pages: 5
...The Scarlet Ibis by: James Hurst In “The Scarlet Ibis”, the older brother is coaching his younger brother, who has physical disabilities, on how to fit in, mostly for his own sake. The story brings up all sorts of questions such as, why is it that we sometimes fear people who are different? Why do many people think it's so important to fit in? If someone doesn't mind being different, why do we often still pressure them to conform? This story shows that pushing others too hard to fit in can end in tragedy. Most people think living life a certain way is the most important thing. When they see someone acting a strange way or a way that is different, they react negatively. They get confused because they aren’t used to people not caring about how...
Words: 543 - Pages: 3
...born, that the ibis lit in the bleeding tree. The flower garden was stained with rotting brown magnolia petals, and ironweeds grew rank amid the purple phlox” (Hurst 416). As summer dies the pretty plants begin to die as well, and it leaves a beautiful sadness in the air. James Hurst uses words like ‘rank’ ‘dead’, ‘bleeding’, ‘stained’, and ‘rotting’, words like these wouldn’t set a happy tone for the start of any story. The narrator in “The Scarlet Ibis” only wanted his brother, Doodle, to fit in. Unfortunately, he would always stick out because he couldn’t get too tired, too hot, and too cold. Doodle died from over exhaustion, same...
Words: 417 - Pages: 2
...The Scarlet Ibis Have you ever let your pride overcome who you are? Pride allows us to enhance the way we act and look. However, it can cause us to look down upon others when things don’t turn out the way we want it. For instance, “ The Scarlet Ibis” shows how pride can motivate us to strive for achievements and still be the source of harm towards ourselves and our loved ones. The story is told through the brother’s eyes in which he continuously persists his brother, Doodle, into doing “normal kid things,” despite Doodle’s physical limitations. “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst is a story that revolves around pride. To begin with, Doodle’s brother wanted to teach Doodle how to live like a “normal boy.” Doodle’s brother was resolute as he...
Words: 529 - Pages: 3
...fallen Scarlet Ibis from the heresy of rain.” In James Hurst’s short story; “The Scarlet Ibis”, two brothers create a good relationship over a short amount of time. There are three main concepts within the short story. Pride, love and death. Pride; there’s not much to say. Brother ends up doing anything to Doodle for his own pride. Brother has done actions for his own pride instead of doing it for Doodle’s well-being. When Brother and Doodle showed Mama, Daddy and aunt Nicey that Doodle can walk brother thought, “They did not know that I did it for myself, that pride.” When Brother taught Doodle how to walk he did it for his own pride. Little did Doodle know Brother wasn’t...
Words: 436 - Pages: 2
...Jessica Lange, a famous actress once beautifully stated, “Acceptance and tolerance and forgiveness, those are life altering lessons.” Acceptance and tolerance mean appreciating the differences in people and respecting people for who they are. When one is tolerant, they understand and reverence others that have a different gender, ethics, feelings, and behaviors than them. In the stories “The Scarlet Ibis” written by James Hurst, and “Raymond’s Run” written by Toni Cade Bambara, the authors depicted the relationships with disabled siblings. These relationships could have a significant impact on these siblings’ life later on. Notwithstanding bearing the fact that Doodle’s brother and Squeaky previously displayed infinitesimal tolerance towards their younger siblings’ incapacity, the differences that it unfold in their stages of tolerance as the stories continue are relatively remarkable. Initially, a similarity relating to tolerance found in “The Scarlet Ibis” and “Raymond’s Run” is how both Squeaky and Brother both take care their disabled sibling. In the short story “The Scarlet Ibis,” Doodle was the younger brother who was born with physical disabilities. The narrator, who was known as Brother in the story supervises Doodle because he was determined to make Doodle to become his ideal brother. Specifically on paragraph 10 Brother remarked, “ When Doodle was five years old, I was embarrassed at having a brother of that age who couldn’t walk, so I set out to teach him.” This...
Words: 880 - Pages: 4