The Scarlet Ibis: The Complex Relationship Between Brother And Doodle

Pride can be a really good thing that keeps you going and makes you try hard, but it is also a very destructive force that can hurt you and others. Doodle was one of those people who got hurt because of someone's pride. In “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst the story shows that the narrator is guilty of Doodle’s death. These are my two reasons supporting this claim. First off the narrator was ashamed of Doodle, and second He just simply did not like Doodle. Here is my evidence.

In The Scarlet Ibis, Brother and Doodles story is a perfect example as to why pride can be a destructive force. Doodle was pushed to the extreme by his brother. His brothers selfish pride took over his life and he just lost control, he couldn't handle it and his pride, and as a result an innocent life was lost, therefore Brother is guilty of Doodles death.

Disability is a physical or mental condition that limits a person's movement, senses, or activities. "The Scarlet Ibis," a short story written by James Hurst, focuses on the relationship between two brothers: the narrator and his disabled brother, Doodle. Doodle is born when the narrator, Brother, is only six years old. Since the narrator is young and does not know how to cope with a situation like this, he plans to kill Doodle. The prideful narrator wants a brother he can play with and is disappointed and embarrassed that he will not be like a regular boy. Therefore, the theme of the story is too much pride can be a bad thing; the narrator lets his pride get the best of him and ends up killing Doodle. Three symbols that enrich the understanding of the story and relate to the theme are the Old Woman Swamp, the color red, and the scarlet ibis.

“The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst is a short story that is told by a brother reminiscing about his departed young brother Doodle. The story is focused around Brother’s sorrow and regret for Doodles death and thus forms Brother as a sort of villain. Brother’s lack of maturity and careless actions throughout the story are what paint him as having too much pride. Brother is able to look back and see a monster because he has come-of-age through coping for Doodle’s death. James Hurst answers the question what does it mean to come-of-age in the short story “The Scarlet Ibis” through Brother teaching Doodle to walk, the impact of Doodle’s death, and Brother’s reflection at the beginning and throughout the story.

The brother was easily the guilty suspect in this case. The question here is whether or not Doodle’s cause of death was his brother’s own pride. Throughout the book, The Scarlet Ibis, Doodle’s brother gives us a plethora of quality examples as to why the death of his brother was surely his to bear.

The brother is to blame for doodles death. Doodle was a disabled young child with a selfish brother that only looks out for himself. His brother was ashamed to be with or around him. One of the biggest reasons wanted him dead is because he was embarrassed to be around him. The three reasons I believe that the brother wanted to kill doodle was he was embarrassed, he pushed him to hard, and he was selfish.

“Selfish people tend to only be good to themselves… then are surprised when they are alone”,(unknown).This is how Brother found himself when he abandoned Doodle during a storm. In The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst a child named William Armstrong (Doodle) is born with a medical condition who revokes him the ability to walk. But the selfishness, his Brother has been blinded by makes him want to teach his Brother to walk out of embarrassment “of having a crippled brother.” Therefore Brother is two faced he can be selfish or he can be altruistic to Doodle, which demonstrates how complex brotherly love can be.

Pushing to extremes can be extremely dangerous when talking about something. There is a line between pushing to the limits and pushing beyond the limits. Pushing beyond the limits can create danger with something that someone maybe might not be capable of. In the story Scarlet Ibis Brother pushes his brother Doodle beyond the limits. Brother pushing Doodle beyond the limits created great danger throughout the story. Brother was at fault for Doodle’s death for pushing him too hard.

“It's okay to lose your pride over someone you love. Don't lose someone you love over your pride.”(Unknown) Pride is a powerful thing. It can kill and raise up, it can keep you from admitting your wrong. Pride...is something to fear. This quote is directly connected with the story “The Scarlet Ibis”. Brother’s past now haunts him. Pride is a powerful thing and it's not always good.

“There is nothing wrong with having pride, but there is something wrong with letting pride destroy your relationship.” The short story “the Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst was based on the prideness between two brothers and its effects. Sense of Infallibility was one effect that took control over Brother, that lead to deceitfulness. The proudness between the two brothers was two sided, also know as biased.

How did Doodle die? Why did Doodle die? Was it his Brother? Doodle was born a disabled kid who was loved by everybody in his family except his brother (The narrator of this story). The narrator wished for a perfect brother that his would be able to do things with but when he wasn’t given that it caused him to do things that no brother should ever do or think about doing to his younger brother. Given all the evidence in the story there’s no doubt about it that Doodle’s death was because of his brother’s dislike for him, self-pride, and decisions when Doodle needed his brother most.

“When you have expectations you are setting yourself up for disappointment” (Ryan Reynolds). In James Hurst’s short story “The Scarlet Ibis” Doodle learns how to deal with the unreasonable expectations Brother composes for him. These expectations aid him for the time being, but become useless in the end. Being born into a set of expectations may have benefits, but can ultimately be ineffective.

Pride can be a positive or negative element in someone's life. It can help them succeed in their efforts or cause them to become greedy and selfish. In the short story "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst, the main character Brother shows the theme of pride through his persistence and love for Doodle.

As the protagonist unfolds his tale, he paints a picture of himself initially as a malevolent force, planning the smothering death of his crippled brother, to a bully, force-teaching Doodle to walk to satisfy his own ends, and finally a neglectful older brother whose acts lead to Doodle’s demise. It is the central event of his brother’s death that gives full meaning to the title, “The Scarlet Ibis.” In this short story by James Hurst, the author conveys the Narrator’s guilt over Doodle’s life and, more importantly, his death. Due to his hurtful actions, inflicted upon Doodle throughout his life, the Narrator feels deep shame for what he has caused. Through the elements of foreshadowing and dialogue, Hurst’s narration reveals the protagonist’s guilt, emphasizing his deep regret over his actions regarding his crippled brother.

I confirm that the work presented here is my own and is not copied from any source.