Symbols In The Scarlet Ibis

“At that moment the bird began to flutter, but the wings were uncoordinated, and amid much flapping and a spray of flying feathers, it tumbled down, bumping through the limbs of the bleeding tree and landing at our feet with a thud. Its long, graceful neck jerked twice into an S, then straightened out, and the bird was still,” (Hurst 3). The Ibis is a symbol of Doodle and is used for the reader to see Doodle in another way. The Scarlet Ibis uses imagery and symbolism to build a deep and rich story. James Hurst uses imagery to bring the reader closer to the story and creates a deeper emotion. “We’d bedeck ourselves with our handiwork and loll about thus beautified, beyond the touch of the everyday world. Then when the slanted rays of the sun burned orange in the tops of the pines, we’d drop our jewels into the stream and watch them float away toward the sea,”(Hurst 2). Every time Doodle goes to the Old Woman Swamp, the swamp is rich in imagery. The brothers love this place because of its beauty, so it makes sense to focus on the descriptions of its beautiful components. Symbolism is also widely used in this short story. The red

And from the tree, the bird tumbles and dies. “At that moment the bird began to flutter, but the wings were uncoordinated, and amid much flapping and a spray of flying feathers, it tumbled down, bumping through the limbs of the bleeding tree and landing at our feet with a thud,” (Hurst 3). The storm that brought the Ibis also symbolizes a bad omen. Also the early darkness symbolizes the approach of death. “The sun disappeared and darkness descended, almost like night,” (Hurst 4). Jame Hurst creates a vivid and meaningful world in The Scarlet Ibis. Imagery and symbolism are used to bring deeper emotion to the story. With Hurst adding the parallel of the Ibis and Doodle, it makes for a more thoughtful story and compelling