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Figurative Language In The Scarlet Ibis

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“The Scarlet Ibis”

“It was in the clove of seasons, summer was dead but autumn had not yet been born, that ibis lit in the bleeding tree” (Hurst 350). James Hurts creates a depressing tone, or attitude, by using figurative language, symbolism, and imagery. This sad story is about a child who is born with a deficiency and expected to die however, lives. His brother soon realizes that Doodle is not like the other kids so he pushes him to be like the others, which actually hurts him more.
Figurative Language helps show the gloomy tone throughout the story from the first paragraph onwards. “...but the oriole nest the elm was unattended and knocked back and forth like an empty cradle” (Hurst 350). This simile gives a comparison to a tree to an empty cradle. The story goes on and tells how the older brother has watched other parents or relatives grieve over people who struggle …show more content…

The rotting brown petals can be linked to Doodle. Another image given that fleshes out the tone is when Doodle is shown his coffin. “Daddy had Mr. Heath, the carpenter, build a little mahogany coffin for him” (Hurst 351). This highlights the truly depressing tone and shows the expectation of Doodle not making it. The image of death is highlighted by the flat statement saying there is poison on the coffin when Doodle is made to touch it. “It was covered with a film of Paris green sprinkled to kill the rat, and the screech owls had built a nest inside it” (Hurst 353).
The tone of the “Scarlet Ibis” is mournful and melancholy from start to finish about a boy who struggled through his life trying to be like his older brother. Through the use of figurative language, imagery, and symbolism James Hurst wove a tale that touched everyone's hearts. A question to be asked is, how is one supposed to act in the situation as the brother is with

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