“The Scarlet Ibis”

By: James Hurst

Setting:

Time: 1912-1918 WWIPlace: Southern U.S.P.D.: the beauty of “Old Woman Swamp”,

the bleeding tree, the withering effects of fall, the storm

Plot:

1. Doodle’s birth and the discovery that he may not be “all there”.

2. Age three- Doodle begins to crawl, becomes “one of the family” and is renamed by Brother.

3. Age five- the narrator teaches Doodle to walk.4. Summer of 1918- the narrator develops a plan

to teach Doodle to do everything a boy his age is supposed to know how to do.

5. Same summer- the incident of the death of the scarlet ibis.

6. Because of over-exertion, Doodle dies.

Characterization:

Doodle: weak physically, but mentally

alert Real name – William

Armstrong Weak heart Frightened of being alone Good at lying Beautiful inside Courageous Amusing Intelligent Strength of character Loyal Wants to please Brother

Brother Narrator Six years older than Doodle Disappointed in his brother;

wanted a playmate Cruel to Doodle Too much pride After teaching Doodle to walk,

he feels infallible Wants Doodle to be like all

other kids Feels guilty when Doodle dies

Conflict and Resolution:

Type: Man vs. Self (Brother vs. pride and cruelty)

Develop: Once Brother teaches Doodle to walk, he becomes so prideful, he pushes Doodle too far.

Resolution: Brother’s treatment of Doodle contributes to his death.

Conflict and Resolution:

Type: Man vs. AF (Brother and Doodle vs. the natural disabilities of Doodle)

Develop: Brother would like Doodle to be a typical little brother and pushes him too hard. Doodle only wants to please his brother.

Resolution: Despite the grand plan to make Doodle like everyone else, Brother fails and Doodle dies.

Theme:We often hurt the ones we love – “There is

within me a knot of cruelty born by the stream of love, much as our blood sometimes bears the seed of our destruction.”

The human need for companionship and love – “Brother, don’t leave me.”

Pride – “Pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death.”

Literary Elements and Techniques:

Point of View – first person participant (Brother) Foreshadowing – the first paragraph (images of

death), the coffin, Doodle’s statements to Brother about not hurting or leaving him, the death of the scarlet ibis.

Symbol – the scarlet ibis represents Doodle’s spirit (both are tired, sick, crippled by the storm [physical weakness], delicate, struggled until death, beautiful, rare and those who are different are ultimately destroyed by society. Doodle resembled the ibis in position and color when he died.