Preview

The unfair Killing of the SCarlet Ibis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1057 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The unfair Killing of the SCarlet Ibis
"The Scarlet Ibis", a short story by James Hurst, demonstrates how selfishness and greed can be used for the betterment of others. As shown in this short story, Doodle's brother's perseverance comes only from selfishness, greed and pride. In the end guilt takes over, bringing out the brother's love for Doodle, even though Doodle was the exact opposite of what his brother had wished for. "The Scarlet Ibis" is a short story about a boy and his malformed brother, named Doodle. Doodle's brother wants to have a regular brother, so he teaches Doodle how to walk, he pushes Doodle on, so he can be a regular kid. He pushes Doodle on to an extreme, and kills Doodle in the process. Doodle's brother acted out of pure selfishness, greed, and pride; nothing else.

Doodle's brother wanted a brother for the sole purpose of his entertainment, and Doodle did not fit in his brother's mold. "It was bad enough having an invalid brother", says the brother, "but having one who possibly was not all there was unbearable, so I began to make plans to kill him..." (345). This statement by Doodle's brother shows his interest in having a brother is not that of love, not that of mental companionship, but a brother that he could use for personal entertainment. Doodle's brother wanted a brother who was just like him. A brother that could take care of himself and go on adventures with his brother, a brother like Doodle was not good enough for him, thus showing his level of insensitivity and selfishness. On page 346 Doodle's brother takes Doodle up to where his casket is and makes him touch it. Doodle's brother would only do this to reiterate his control on Doodle and Doodle's actions. This control which Doodle's brother wanted, gave him enjoyment; enjoyment to boss around his brother, enjoyment to boss a crippled kid. Doodle's brother has a mean streak in him, and from that mean streak he finds enjoyment, and throughout the whole story that streak continually comes up, and in the end, Doodle's
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Brief Summary And Character Analysis: Brother
    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Brief Summary And Character Analysis: Brother

    Brother is accountable for Doodle’s death since he was warned by the doctors not to push him, but he disregarded it and tried to make him like a “normal” boy. As Brother thinks back to him and Doodle walking home from Old Woman’s Swamp, he confessed, “The faster I walked the faster he walked, so I began to run” (Hurst 394). Brothers walking pace displays how he walked faster, just to make Doodle walk faster. Since Brother did this he pushed Doodle too far, putting his life in danger. Brother teaches Doodle how to swim and row, he made Doodle “swim until he turned blue and row until he couldn’t lift an oar” (Hurst 391). Brother wants Doodle to learn faster, so he makes him practice heavily. If Doodle hadn’t of had the heart disabilities that…

    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Scarlet Ibis Character Analysis
    • 270 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Scarlet Ibis Character Analysis

    Doodle, a younger disabled brother in James Hurst’s “The Scarlet Ibis”, is uniquely symbolic to the beautiful red bird seen dying in his yard. The scarlet ibis, like Doodle, both are exotic in many wonderful ways. For one instance, the ibis is beautiful, while Doodle has a creative imagination. The ibis is a rare phenomenal bird, likewise, Doodle is an extraordinary boy. He is sensitive, like when he sees Old Woman Swamp. “His eyes were round with wonder as he gazed about him, and his little hands began to stroke the rubber grass. Then he began to cry. “It’s so pretty, so pretty, pretty, pretty.” (318). Despite the Ibis and Doodle’s magnificent traits, both ibis and Doodle suffer from a horrible storm. The ibis faced a storm that blew it all…

    • 270 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Brother's Role In The Scarlet Ibis
    • 278 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Brother's Role In The Scarlet Ibis

    Brother was a good person. In fact he Doodle how to walk. This show he wanted help Doodle so that he would not be dumb. Brother cared about Doodle a lot that is why he taught Doodle to walk. Brother shared all the places he loved with Doodle. For example Old Woman Swamp Brother loved this place it was his favorite place in the world. Brother wanted to have a good relationship with Doodle therefore he loved Doodle.…

    • 278 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Red And Death In The Scarlet Ibis By James Hurst
    • 397 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Red And Death In The Scarlet Ibis By James Hurst

    In James Hurst's “The Scarlet Ibis”, a tragic tale is told about the Narrator’s younger, disabled brother who he teaches to walk. The whole story has a sad nostalgic shadow cast across it due to many symbols, motifs, and foreshadowing. Doodle, the young boy was born in a cual and wasn’t thought to survive he looked very strange when he was born, “ He seemed all head with a tiny body, which was red and shriveled like an old man’s” The mention of red is throughout the story leading up to the appearance of the ibis, as the story continues on we see more possibilities of how Doodle is going to meet his end. Red and death are brought up in contrast to happy memories of Doodle, almost representing the ibis before it arrives. The ibis appears out…

    • 397 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Summary Of Doodle's Death
    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Summary Of Doodle's Death

    The brother caused Doodle early death by encouraging him to run and get to hot. The doctor had said that he mustn't…

    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Scarlet Ibis By James Hurst: Literary Analysis
    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Scarlet Ibis By James Hurst: Literary Analysis

    The short story written by James Hurst “The Scarlet Ibis” explains that a selfish deed is not always bad. The story starts with the narrator, Brother, and his little brother Doodle. When Doodle was being born, he was red, and all shriveled up, a disappointment, and everyone thought he would die. When their mother always told Brother to take Doodle with him everywhere he went, Brother is embarrassed to be seen with his 5 year-old brother, who couldn’t walk, but had to be pulled everywhere in a mini go-cart. The narrator made it his mission to set out to teach Doodle to walk and everything else, so he wasn’t behind everyone in his grade. One day they went to Horsehead Landing, so narrator could teach Doodle how to swim but there came a lightning storm.…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Scarlet Ibis Compare And Contrast
    • 350 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Scarlet Ibis Compare And Contrast

    Doodle is very different from his brother. One way he is different is because he is a frail little boy. Doodle is a boy who can’t walk and loves to spend time with his brother. Doodle is almost always with his brother because his dependent of doing stuff by himself. While Doodle was…

    • 350 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Brother Vscarlet Ibis Argumentative Essay
    • 321 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Brother Vscarlet Ibis Argumentative Essay

    My first piece of evidence is that Brother knew from the day Doodle was born that he wouldn't be able to do all the things a normal, healthy child would be able to do such as being able to walk and do other things for a long time without getting tired after a long time. When Doodle was born Brother stated that ¨I began to make plans to kill him by smothering him with a pillow¨(Hurst pg.595) and saying how ¨He was a burden in many ways¨(Hurst pg.596) when Doodle was still very young. Along…

    • 321 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Did Doodles Death A Cause Of Dodles's Death?
    • 295 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Did Doodles Death A Cause Of Dodles's Death?

    Other may claim that doodles death was an accident and his brother is innocent, but that is simply not true. He taught doodle to walk. He admits with a few months doodle has learned to walk well and do things better. He taught his brother for his own benefits. He ignored his pain. He thinks his brother is normal I skipped down the halls shouting “mama he’s all there and he smiled”. He was all there. Before that he wanted to smuggle his brother with a pillow. He admits “there is within me (an with sadness I have watched it in others). A knot of cruelty born by the steam of love. He said he hated him at first and he wanted to hurt his brother a lot. He is guilty because he said he wanted to murder doodle multiple times in multiple ways. Now he finally did kill his innocent little brother that didn’t deserve that kind of treatment.…

    • 295 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Scarlet Ibis Quote Analysis
    • 499 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Scarlet Ibis Quote Analysis

    The quote, “The knowledge that Doodle’s and my plans had come to naught was bitter, and that streak of cruelty within me awakened. I ran as fast as I could, leaving him far behind with a wall of rain dividing us” is where it comes to Brother’s attention that his plan to train Doodle ultimately failed, and in a quick moment of cruelty and selfishness based on his bitter pride, he left Doodle to die by leaving him behind in a thunderstorm (Hurst 475). Brother, in the end of the story, leaving Doodle behind to be dead because of his hurt pride in knowing that his plan to train him failed is ultimately symbolism for how one’s pride can eventually bring down others. Since Brother’s pride in himself was based around his success in training Doodle to be an ideal sibling, Hurst further exemplifies his overall message in the story by having Brother kill his beloved sibling Doodle out of selfish pride. All in all, in “The Scarlet Ibis”, James Hurst uses motifs about Brother bringing Doodle to death as a way to symbolize his message that pride can lead to the downfall of…

    • 499 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Scarlet Ibis Coming Of Age Analysis
    • 694 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Scarlet Ibis Coming Of Age Analysis

    In the short story The Scarlet Ibis there is a boy named Doodle who has a condition that gives him small legs, a big head, and a weak heart. Doodle’s older brother, Big Brother, taught Doodle how to walk so he wouldn’t be picked on for having a disabled little brother. After teaching Doodle how to walk, he taught him how to do other things too. From the recognition Big Brother receives from Doodle, it made him realize something. Big Brother changed his motive and started teaching Doodle for Doodle’s benefit rather than his own, until he pushed him too hard and Doodle dies. These are the chain of events Big Brother experienced in his coming of age story. Initially, Big Brother looked at Doodle’s life as a barrier to his own, when Doodle dies, Big Brother’s sees that it didn’t matter what anybody thought.…

    • 694 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Doodle In The Scarlet Ibis
    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Doodle In The Scarlet Ibis

    In the story “The Scarlet Ibis,” the character Doodle is born with some mental and physical disabilities. While his family and doctor all believe him to die or not live long he learns to do things such as walk and talk with the help of his older brother, that may not have been predicted he would be capable of. The main character in this story wants to help Doodle be “normal” and do the things other children can do before Doodle starts school. While the character helps his brother out of shame and selfish reasons, he does make progress with Doodle until his pride gets the better of him and Doodle passes away. In the story the family finds a Scarlet Ibis in their yard that had passed away the same day that Doodle is pushed to his limits and…

    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Scarlet Ibis Literary Analysis
    • 446 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Scarlet Ibis Literary Analysis

    Even though Brother saw Doodle as a crazy brother that you would see in your dreams he was mean to him by making him do things he didn't want to. Too much pride had ridden over Brother as he did his best to change Doodle into an ordinary boy for he was ashamed of him even if it meant he was cruel and harsh in the process. Another example is after Brother had finally taught Doodle to successfully walk on his own. The narrator says “They did not know that I did it for myself; that pride, whose slave I was, spoke to me louder than all their voices, and that Doodle walked only because I was ashamed of having a crippled brother”(3). What Brother had done for Doodle was great, but Brother had been mean to him in the process of teaching Doodle how to do anything like a normal boy. The narrator had too much pride for himself instead of his brother that everything he did was for himself simply because he was embarrassed. The short story “The Scarlet Ibis” written by James Hurst displays that too much pride has us treat our loved ones in a cruel…

    • 446 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Scarlet Ibis Character Analysis
    • 754 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Scarlet Ibis Character Analysis

    “Doodle was paralyzed, so I put him on my shoulder and carried him down the ladder, and even when we were outside in the bright sunshine, he clung to me, crying, ‘Don't leave me. Don't leave me.’” (Hurst) The passage from the story, The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst, shows how even as the narrator found pleasure in tormenting his younger brother Doodle, he still felt a responsibility to Doodle and cared for him. Throughout the story the narrator often forces his weak brother to do seemingly impossible tasks but is brought with joy and happiness when Doodle completes these tasks. The narrator is seen to be a negative character but if you dig deeper into the text the elder brother is young and naive but also feels guilt and sorrow for his sibling…

    • 754 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Scarlet Ibis: A Love Story
    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Scarlet Ibis: A Love Story

    The narrator showed that he didn’t care for Doodle when he left him out in the middle of a thunderstorm. One piece of evidence is, “The faster I walked, the faster he walked, so I began to run.” The narrator clearly ran off without his brother and didn’t turn around until the storm had calmed down. Doodle being crippled couldn’t run so he left him in the dust. That shows how he didn’t show any concern for his brother. Also right before Doodle had died he had said,”...don’t leave me! Don’t leave me!” The narrator heard him say that and instead of turning around and helping his brother get to shelter, he took off and left Doodle behind. He clearly heard his brother say don’t leave me but he left him and didn’t care. These two pieces of evidence show how the narrator of this short story didn’t feel concerned of his brother. Doodle was also exhausted when the storm…

    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics