Does anyone ever truly recover from the loss of a loved one? In “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, the narrator reminisces about his younger, physically inhibited brother, Doodle. After Doodle’s birth, everyone, except his Aunt Nicey, loses hope for Doodle. When the narrator realizes his peers will see him with his deficient brother, Doodle’s limitations embarrass the narrator. This embarrassment motivates the narrator to push Doodle to his physical limits. Up until the summer of 1918 in North Carolina, the development program successfully trains Doodle to talk, walk, swim, etc., but at the clove of seasons, the narrator becomes frustrated with Doodle and indirectly causes his brother’s death. James Hurst foreshadows Doodle’s end, exhibits hope, and develops the mood of sadness through skillful use of the setting in “The Scarlet Ibis.” Throughout “The Scarlet Ibis,” the setting foreshadows …show more content…
When Doodle stands alone for the first time, the narrator compares the hope from this achievement to “a cardinal in the lacy toothbrush tree, brilliantly visible” in Old Woman Swamp (156). The narrator uses the cardinal to emphasize the hope he feels about his brother’s progress. Following the 1917 winter, when the narrator is preoccupied with school and Doodle often becomes ill, “spring [comes],” which helps “[raise their] sights again” (217-218), reigniting the narrator’s hope for Doodle’s training before school resumes. Additionally, as the narrator’s development program continues to improve Doodle’s abilities, the narrator compares the promise he feels to “the leaves,” which surround them “wherever [they] look” (223-224). Again, the narrator uses the setting to emphasize his feelings of hope and promise surrounding Doodle’s achievement. Even in difficult times, through hard work and determination, hope can shine through and bring positivity to a