The Scarlet Ibis Character Analysis

In the story “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst the narrator’s pride over comes his love for his brother, Doodle. Doodle is physically disabled and is not able to do mostly anything a normal person would be able to do. Although he is disabled he is still jovial but the narrator doesn't see that side of him. This makes Doodle not fit in with others and embarrasses the narrator, which is his brother. The narrator pushes Doodle towards difficult goals not only for Doodle’s good but also for himself and his selfish reasons. The narrator pushes Doodle because he doesn't want Doodle to feel out of place, or in other words he wants him to fit in. In school there is a wide variety of different people such as bullies. Bullies are people who don't make

As Doodle doesn't thinks he is not a paltry because he is able to make things with his hands, the narrator convinces Doodle that he is worthless if he is just always in a wagon. “Then I’d paint a picture for him a picture of us as old men, white-haired, him with a long white beard and me still pulling him around in the go-cart” (p.147-148). When painting this picture he is making Doodle feel bad because not only does his disabilities affect him but also the narrator. Doodle is pushed towards difficult goals because the narrator is embarrassed of pulling his younger brother around in a wagon. The narrator has been embarrassed of Doodle because he can’t walk at the age he is at.” When Doodle was five years old I was embarrassed at having brother of that age who couldn’t walk, so I set out to teach him” (p.147). The narrator being embarrassed is a big reason he pushed Doodle to an extent that he shouldn't be pushed to based on his health conditions. Since the narrator is embarrassed it makes him more determined to teach Doodle how to walk because him being embarrassed is more important than in his brother’s, Doodle, health. Embarrassment made both Doodle and the narrator strive harder for the difficult goals