Preview

What Does The Scarlet Ibis Symbolize

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
331 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
What Does The Scarlet Ibis Symbolize
The Scarlet Ibis serves as an appropriate symbol in the story “The Scarlet Ibis” because it symbolizes Doodle’s death. When Doodle is born he is not expected to live long. However he proved everyone wrong. Doodle’s life, from when he was born till his tragic death mirrored the Scarlet Ibis's because of the similaires they have, and they share alot of memories in red. Doodle was born red and died in run

When Doodle sees the Ibis perching up on the bleeding tree from his window, he began to run outside with his family in owe. The bird could not stand on the branch correctly so he fell. “Its long, graceful neck jerked twice into an S, then straightened out, and the bird was still” (321). That relates to Doodle’s death because when Doodle dies

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    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
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Scarlet Ibis Symbolism

    • 190 Words
    • 1 Page

    In the short story “Scarlet Ibis” James Hurst shows the scarlet ibis a symbol for Doodle by describing how both bodies were in death broken and on the ground. In the story a storm brought in the scarlet ibis from the tropics. The bird falls off the tree hits the ground and dies Aunt Nicey said “Dead birds is bad luck… especially red dead birds!” this sysmbolies that aunt Nicey knows that it’s not a good thing to have thing to have a red bird die in front of your house. Also, both doodle and the red ibis die with the same devastating was “it’s long graceful; neck jerked twice into an S, and then straightened out. And the bird was still. Then brother leaves doodle running after him in the storm brother comes back to find that doodle “had been…

    • 190 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Death can usually be illustrated by the color red, hints the “Scarlet Ibis”. The “Scarlet Ibis” is based off of the cruel theme of death. Doodle dies in this reading, but before the story portrays his death, the piece gives many hints and clues that he is going to pass away soon. Hurst does a great job in the “Scarlet Ibis” of showing strength, the strength of doodle. Though Doodle overcame a lot of barriers, his strength could hold up no more at the end. He was a clear of the theme of this writing, the harsh, coldblooded theme of death.…

    • 398 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    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
  • Good Essays

    Summary Of Doodle's Death

    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages

    All the narrator wanted was a brother. The narrator got his wish but was not grateful and now Doodle is gone. The narrator regrets his decision. Doodle wasn't like most boys. The narrator expected more of him. Eventually Doodle was pushed to hard and withered away. The scar of ibis, Doodle, the narrator, and the old woman's swamp. The author is James Hurst. The brother caused Doodle early death by encouraging him to run and get to hot and also causing his heart rate to go high also, he was cold because of the rain from the storm.…

    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The narrator is unable to accept his disabled brother. The pride the narrator has convinces him to teach Doodle how to be normal. Once Doodle learns to walk, he goes on to teach Doodle other things. One day, the family finds a scarlet ibis that dies.in front of them. Later in the story, Doodle and Brother are at Old Woman Lake when the weather changes and Brother leave Doodle behind. Once he's done this he goes back only to find Doodle dies just like the Scarlet Ibis…

    • 88 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    “The Scarlet Ibis” is about a kid named Doodle and his brother. “The Scarlet Ibis” is about a normal family that had a kid who was born and at the age of five he still wasn't able to walk. The older brother always takes care of him. The older brother calls his little brother Doodle because he crawled like a doodlebug. The older brother went through many troubles to help his little brother Doodle. They are different in many ways and are similar at the same time.…

    • 350 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Scarlet Ibis” James Hurst uses colors as a way to indirectly tell the reader a message, he uses three major colors red, black, and green. Firstly James Hurst uses black as a symbol of fear, and danger. The author connects the black clouds forming, to the kids moving faster to escape it. “Black clouds began to gather in the southwest, and he kept watching, trying to pull the oars a little faster”(62). Black is being used to describe the clouds in a fearful way, hence the reason why Doodle and his brother began to pull the oars faster. It supports the topic sentence because black is being used as a symbol for fear, and danger. Secondly James uses green as a symbol for tranquility, coolness, and life. James contrast the dark green woods…

    • 415 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The short story The Scarlet Ibis also demonstrates how the narrator’s one choice of leaving his brother in the woods is regrettable. School is starting soon for Doodle and the narrator wants to teach Doodle to run so he will “fit” in. But, when Doodle is not able to accomplish these activities in time the narrator becomes spiteful. The narrator believes Doodle being not being able to run is in his head and purposely runs faster and ahead of Doodle to make Doodle strive to catch up with him. Soon after Doodle collapses, instead of turning around to help him, the narrator chooses to leave him behind in the forest. But, the spitefulness of the narrator eventually subsides and he goes back to help Doodle. When the narrator is finally in view of…

    • 265 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    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
  • Satisfactory Essays

    | Known for the public as the spot to show everybody’s sin and judge them. Makes you knowledge your mistakes and sins with others judging you constantly.…

    • 327 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Every writer creates a unique story that takes a life of its own, and teaches us a lesson. These stories can be similar with the same themes, plots, and other characteristics however overall they are unmistakably different. The similarities and differences of, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst is the quintessential example of this.…

    • 474 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Scarlet Letter contains many reflective and important symbols. The device of symbolism is described in the novel with different meanings. In the beginning of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, he uses a rosebush, a letter A on Hester Prynne’s blossom, and Pearl as examples to symbolism for the Scarlet Letter. As the novel goes on the meaning of the Scarlet Letter A on Hester’s blossom changes from Adultery to Able to Angel. This shows that symbolism can change from one thing to another.…

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The rose bush is a discreet yet important symbol in the novel The Scarlet Letter. The rosebush is first mentioned in the chapter, “The Prison Door.” The narrator is setting the first major scene by describing the scenery. He is comparing the Puritan society to and “ugly edifice” and contrasting the rose bush to “the deep heart of Nature.” Later, in “The Governor’s Hall,” Hester and Governor Bellingham are talking about taking Pearl away from her. Pearl starts throwing a tantrum until she can have a rose from a rosebush. These events show major symbolism in a delicate flower.…

    • 316 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    First in “The Scarlet Ibis” the bird the scarlet Ibis represents Doodle, the little boy everyone thought would die. The bird was a symbol for Doodle because both of them seem out of place and feel like they do not belong. Both had died and had red related somehow to their deaths. Doodle’s brother had said, “Limply, he fell backwards onto the Earth. He had been bleeding from the mouth, and his neck and the front of his shirt were stained a brilliant Red” (Hurst 395). Also “The bird’s arrival on the wings of a freak-storm raises the questions: What is Doodle’s natural environment? Where is his flock? The answers are not given exactly but are suggested symbolically” (Robinson 1). This symbol is important because it tells the readers that Doodle was kind of out of place but was a very strong person.…

    • 918 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays