Scarlet Ibis Essay

Submitted By Austin-Pitts

Words: 340

Pages: 2

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Austin Pitts
Dr. Irvin
Advanced Composition
24 October 2014
Necessary Evil
“Anger is the enemy of non-violence and pride is a monster that swallows it up.”-Mahatma Gandhi
What is pride? Pride can be many things; in perspective of “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst however pride is bitter-sweet. The narrator says “But all of us must have something or someone to be proud of, and Doodle had become mine. I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death.” (Hurst para 16) this illustrates that all of the actions he takes out of pride will bring both happiness and pain. Pride is necessary and bitter sweet, as it shows self-complacency, but also vanity.
Pride is defined as “pleasure or satisfaction taken in something done by or belonging to oneself or believed to reflect credit upon oneself”. Doodle’s brother feels a very prominent sense of satisfaction when he teaches Doodle how to walk. He felt confident in his abilities to teach his handicapped younger brother. “Once I had succeeded on teaching Doodle to walk I began to believe in my own infallibility…” (Hurt Para 26). After helping Doodle overcome one of the biggest obstacles in his life he felt more important and capable. Pride in some cases can be a motivator to do what may seem impossible. However, if pride gets to you emotionally; it can do more harm than good. Vanity is defined as “excessive pride in or admiration of one's own appearance or achievements.” As the

The Scarlet Ibis Symbolism

The Scarlet Ibis is a story about two brothers who have an unusual relationship. There is the Older Brother and Doodle who was expected not to live after his birth. Doodle has a heart condition and can’t do many physical activities. The older brother decided to take matter into his own hands and decided to teach him how to do physical activities. Near the end of the story a scarlet ibis was spotted by Doodle. However , when the reader is reading they realize that this bird isn’t just there to uplift…

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The Scarlet Ibis Climax

“The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst is a short story about a boy and his crippled brother, Doodle. Doodle had always been different. He didn’t begin to crawl until he was three, but his brother started to teach him things like walking and running, so they could surprise their parents. Doodle’s brother was helping him to improve his Doodle’s life but also improve his own. “The Scarlet Ibis” contains symbols, climax, and situational irony to help express the theme of the story, doing good isn’t always…

Words 879 - Pages 4

Scarlet Ibis Challenges

between the article, “11-year-old Takes Steps to Help Other Children in Need” and the short story, “The Scarlet Ibis” is an obstacle or challenge can be overcome, and even celebrated when shared with friends. Obtaining assistance from a friend when faced with a challenge lightens the load and the resolution of problems can also offer a time of celebration and triumph. In the story, “The Scarlet Ibis,” Doodle and his brother work together for several weeks trying to get Doodle to learn to walk despite…

Words 232 - Pages 1

'Irony In The Scarlet Ibis'

variety of emotion, you must be imperfect, you must make mistakes and be unique. In “egg horror poem,” the eggs in the carton are afraid of being chosen to be eaten, in “The Scarlet Ibis,” the narrator's brother, Doodle has a weak heart, and the narrator had a plan to help him, and when his plan failed, he got angry. In “The Scarlet Ibis,” Doodle has a weak heart and is unable to walk until he was five. Anger, fear, and embarrassment at how others view…

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The Scarlet Ibis Theme

The theme statement of “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst would be that if someone isn’t grateful enough for something,they just might be the one to take it away from themselves. “The Scarlet Ibis” is a story about a boy and his little brother, Doodle, who is disabled, and not exactly like everybody else. The older brother established a strong disliking toward Doodle. He feared that he would be the one ridiculed for having a sibling who was “different”. Having this in mind, he taught Doodle basic…

Words 365 - Pages 2

Scarlet Ibis Symbolism

The short story “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst uses symbolism to show parallels between Doodle and the Ibis in a few different ways which include: how listless the ibis and Doodle are, their struggles throughout their lives, and their similarities in death. The first indication of symbolism in the ibis is how listless they are both described to be. When Doodle and Brother look outside, they notice the ibis on the tree. Then “the bird began to flutter, but the wings were uncoordinated” (Hurst 9)…

Words 502 - Pages 3

Scarlet Ibis Death

In the short story “The Scarlet Ibis”, the author James Hurst uses the symbol of death as he shows how the main character is guilty of a major loss. The first time the author shows how Brother feels guilty is when Doodle is talking to Brother about who told him that he can’t walk. “‘I can’t walk, Brother, says Mama, the doctor- everybody.’” pg. 2-3. How to use a sandbox? Brother made Doodle walk, even though the doctor told Doodle that he couldn’t. It makes Brother feel guilty because once Doodle…

Words 208 - Pages 1

Symbolism In The Scarlet Ibis

this story which makes it more likable and enjoyable to the readers. The Scarlet Ibis is a bird that plays a very important role in the story. The bird foreshadows Doodle’s death and the color of the bird represents Doodle’s blood when he died. Even though Doodle was an underprivileged child he still showed courage to live through his complications. Doodle is more vulnerable to the world around him just like the Scarlet Ibis was. The color red is a powerful message throughout this text…

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Doodle In The Scarlet Ibis

Throughout “The Scarlet Ibis,” the reader gets to know Doodle and how he is determined to hang out with Brother. But by the end of the story, that becomes harder and harder to do. Even though, Doodle is almost seven years old, he is still not like his brother or other children. In “The Scarlet Ibis” Doodle is characterized as frail, kind, and very easily frightened. First, Doodle is very frail. Everybody thought he was going to die because he was born in a caul. “He seemed all head, with a…

Words 416 - Pages 2

Scarlet Ibis Limits

Limits are The Color Red In James Hurst’s short story “The Scarlet Ibis” the author uses anything red to symbolize the need to recognize people's limits. The first time the author shows this is when Brother is pushing Doodle to his limits knowing Doodle can’t go anymore. “Trembling he’d push himself back up first turning a shade of red then a shade of light purple.” This explains how scared Doodle is of failing his brother at the moment, pushing himself so hard that he gets physically exhausted.…

Words 206 - Pages 1