William Armstrong And His Brother: A Love Story

“I wanted a brother. But Mama, crying, told me that even if William Armstrong lived, he would never do these things with me. He might not, she sobbed, even be “all there.” He might as long as he lived, lie on the rubber sheet in the center of the bed in the front bedroom where the white marquisette curtains billowed out in the afternoon sea breeze, rustling like palmetto fronds” (Hurst 1). In this story William Armstrong (Doodle) is a little kid who has heart problems. His brother doesn't want to be embarrassed when he is with him so he sets out to make him well. When his brother makes him well he pushes him too much to the point where he keeps getting sick. Brother loves him very much but doesn't realize what he is doing is bad. Brother should show less pride towards Doodle and not let it get in the way of his love for him.

In the story brother pushed Doodle too hard. He couldn’t do what brother wanted him to do because of his physical health. “Oh you can walk,” I said, and took him by the arms and stood him up. He collapsed onto the grass like a half-empty flour sack. It was as if he had no bones in his little legs. “Don’t hurt me, Brother,” he warned. “Shut up. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to teach you to walk.” I heaved him up again, and again he collapsed (Hurst 3). This shows how determined Brother was to make him walk. Brother could've accidentally hurt him but he did it anyway. Brother was willing to let his brother get hurt so that he could feel pride. Brother let Doodle get hurt many other times in the story to the point where he would collapse from exhaustion. When Brother pushes Doodle it gives him a less of a chance to be normal