Doodle's Reputation In 'The Scarlet Ibis'

After reading the Scarlet Ibis for homework we came into class and discussed. Many good points and counterpoints were made throughout. We discovered that the narrator was a selfish boy who was very worried about his reputation and how people saw him. In the story it said, “Doodle only walked because I was ashamed to have a crippled brother.” That shows that even the narrator saw how horrible he was being yet he continued on.The reader can now tell that the narrator had strong feelings of disgust toward his brother’s disability. Maddy had a theory that the boy never liked Doodle in the first place. There are three reasons why she says this, one is that he was planning to smother his brother with a pillow to kill him. In the text it states, “It was bad enough having an invalid brother, but having one who

The doctor had said that he mustn't get too excited, too hot, too cold, or too tired and that he must always be treated gently.” Another reason he seems to hate Doodle is because he is ashamed of him and how he can’t walk. All this boy cares about is looking good in other people’s eyes. He can’t stand the idea of someone not liking him because of him brother. Lastly, to support Maddy’s theory she said that he kept running even though he heard Doodle calling out to him. In the text it states,” When the deafening peal of thunder had died, and in the moment before the rain arrived, I heard Doodle, who had fallen behind, cry out, "Brother, Brother, don't leave me! Don't leave me!"” Why would someone who cares deeply about his brother leave him in the rain? He knows that he can’t be pushed too hard or he could die. Another thing discussed was the fact that the Scarlet Ibis that died foreshadowed and then represented the death of Doodle. This can be proved because the bird wasn’t suppose to be in the tree but a storm had pulled it there and then killed it.