Scarlet Ibis Analysis Essay

Title of Your Report In the “Scarlet Ibis” James Hurst uses indirect characterization, mainly through the narrator's own actions and feeling toward his brother, to communicate the main theme that pride is constructed upon selfish thoughts whether it’s for good or bad intentions. Early in the story, the narrator expresses his feeling towards Doodle, a child who was born physically disabled and incapable of activities such as “Running, jumping, and climbing the vines in Old Woman Swamp”, as a downset and a disappointment that only death could fix. No longer being able to hold back dealing with an invalid brother, the narrator has thoughts of murder. “I began plans to kill him by smothering him with my pillow”(3). This act of cruelty and inhumane behaviour displays that the narrator is shameful of his brother to the point of death.

Embarrassment was the one element which motivated the narrator to faithful in Doodle. The use of indirect characterization is clearly visible through the show of pride from the narrator to Doodle. Later on, when the two brothers headed of to Horseshead Landing to train Doodle, for he had “long way to go if he was going to keep up with the other boys”. In the middle of skiffing, a massive rainstorm was approaching them, requiring to fled the site.Both the brother one a foot step ahead and the other trying to keep up. Suddenly, “that streak of cruelty within me awakened”(19). The narrator kept on speeding away from Doodle leaving him farther and farther behind in the pouring rain, later to detect that Doodle was nothing but a “ Fallen Scarlet Ibis from the heresy of rain”. Rupture of the narrator’s own cruelty had caused Doodles life who once was the item of his pride. Through the actions of the narrator, Hurst makes it self evident that the narrator is been described as an indirect character. Throughout the story Hurst communicates that being enslaved to pride can lead to selfish thoughts no matter if their for