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Doodle's Death In The Scarlet Ibis

706 Words3 Pages

The Scarlet Ibis

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.
The Narrator is responsible for his brother, Doodle's, death because he never really liked him to begin with. William Armstrong (Doodle) was born a disabled child when the narrator was 6 years old. The narrator was wishing for a brother that he would be able to do things with and have fun with, but when the narrator was …show more content…

It starts off by them just walking to Horsehead Landing but while walking down there he realizes that Doodle has fallen. He helps him up but realizes that he has failed to get Doodle prepared for school if he still can’t walk long distances (Hurst, 360). He also realizes that he has failed in finding pride for his brother. They hear a thunderstorm approaching and begin to head home. It then begins to rain so they start running home. A Gum Tree hit by lighting then falls, knocking down Doodle. Doodle yells for the narrator’s help but the narrator ignores it and runs faster knowing that it would probably be better to have no brother at all than to have a crippled one as supported by this quote from the narrator “ The knowledge that Doodle’s and my plans had come to naught was bitter, and that streak of cruelty within me awakened“ (Hurst,360). After the storm lets up he then goes back and realizes what he has done and begins weeping over his dead

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Doodle died because his brother didn't want to be weighed down anymore. Another piece is at the beginning of the story and Brother says "... That the Ibis lit in the Bleeding tree". This also shows that the Ibis and Doodle are connected when Doodle buries the bird in the yard. The

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392 Words | 2 Pages

Doodles brother was embarrassed to have a not all there brother. It was very clear at the beginning of the book that the brother wanted doodle dead. His brother never wanted to be around him because he was scared to be made fun of. He wanted doodle to run and swim and play like all the other children

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In “The Scarlet Ibis” one of the most important characters was the brother of Doodle. He is also the one telling the story. He is really important to the story because in a way he shaped Doodles personality. He took care of Doodle, pushed him to walk and killed doodle. He is very determined, somewhat careless, and selfish.

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386 Words | 2 Pages

Who's responsible for Doodles death? James Hurst short story "The Scarlet Ibis" the narrator is responsible for Doodle's death. During the story, the narrator complains about his brother and how he is an embarrassment. The narrator forced Doodle to walk, run, swim, fight, and climb when he was already sick. It puts so much pressure on Doodle that it made him give up.

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Doodle was right behind his brother all of the way so his brothers pride caused him to run faster and away from Doodle to try to push him to see if he could catch to up him. Doodle’s brother was far ahead of him now so he slowed down he began to hear Doodle call out to him saying,“Brother stop help me!” but his pride would not let him turn around and help his brother. When Doodle’s brother made it to the house he started to wait on his brother but he could no longer hear him calling so he ran back to go find him and he found him against a tree dead because his heart had burst.

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383 Words | 2 Pages

Here is my evidence. First reason the narrator is guilty of Doodle’s death is because he was ashamed of him. This is clearly shown when brother makes the statement on page 347 “I was ashamed of having a crippled brother.” This clearly shows the narrator's shame in Doodle. Another statement

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670 Words | 3 Pages

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 was overly prideful.

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In the story The Scarlet Ibis the narrator is not at fault with doodles death because the narrator did not intend for doodle to die. If the narrator truly wanted his brother dead and was to blame for his death why did he waste all his time in trying to help his brother out. The narrator was a bad brother in the start of the story and was only six years old at the start of the story (hurst,pg.350). Before doodle was born he did want a brother one to care for and play with one to be a brother with (hurst,351. When doodle was born the narrator saw doodle as a dissapointment.

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This all adds to the end of the story when Brother does leave Doodle. This shows how strong brothers feelings were that he put doodle through his worst fear after he let his emotions get the best of him. In this next part of the story, the family is eating lunch when they notice a red bird in their yard. When they take a closer look, they realize the bird was dying. “A scarlet ibis!

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However, the turning point seems to be when William Armstrong, aka Doodle, is born. The narrator explains the conditions of his birth, that “Doodle was born when I was seven and was . . . a disappointment. He seemed all head, with a tiny body that was red and shriveled like an old man's. Everybody thought he was going to die.

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666 Words | 3 Pages

“I began to weep, and the tear-blurred vision in the red before me looked very familiar.” Forrest 3 (Hurst 354) When Doodles life was ended prematurely Brother realized after all of this time, how horrible he had been to poor Doodle and how much he truly loved and will miss him. In the end he may be .upset and all of his emotions came out, but he still is the one that made Doodle do all of the things. He is the reason that Doodle is gone and therefore is guilty. Brothers pride spun his life out of control.

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His brother kept walking and then he didn’t hear Doodle anymore. His brother stopped to wait for him, but he never came. He called out for him, but there was no answer. When he found him, he wasn't breathing. Doodle died and his brother cried for a while.

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In the story “Scarlet Ibis,” the narrator is flawed in his inability to let go of his desire to have a normal brother. The narrator has a little brother named Doodle, with an extreme amount of disabilities. Before Doodle was born, the narrator fantasized about having a little brother who would be his playmate. Doodle, however, was not the ideal brother. He could not walk or do much on his own.

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“The Scarlet Ibis” Literary Analysis Essay 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.

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The Complex Relationship between Brother and Doodle Pride, will always be the longest distance between two people, the reason of betrayal, and even death. In the Scarlet Ibis, James Hurst describes Brother as a slave of pride unable to establish a real relationship with Doodle. The Scarlet Ibis, narrates the complex relationship between the narrator and his physically ill brother Doodle. Pride always invades the weak bond between the two brothers and leads them to a tragic end.

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