By James Hurst

• Rank
– Social standing
• Piazzo
– A large porch
• Doodlebug
– A bug that crawls backward
• Marquisette
– A lightweight fabric
• Imminent
– Likely to occur
• Brogans
– Heavy, ankle-high work shoes
• Infallibility
– Trustworthy
• Iridescent
– Beautiful colors
• Entrails
– Intestines
• Mar
– To damage/spoil

• Exposition
– Doodle is born and is “different”
• Rising Action
– Doodle learns to crawl and speak
• Climax
– Brother teaches Doodle to walk, run, swim, etc.
• Falling Action
– Ibis dies; Doodle gets tired from running in the rain
• Resolution
– Doodle dies

• Geographical Place
– Old Woman Swamp
• Historical Year
– 1908
• Physical Place
– A cotton farm in NC
• Atmosphere
– Calm, working, bad weather

• What point of view is the story told from?
– 1 st person
• What is the tone of the story based off of the first paragraph?
– Empathetic
• Who is the dynamic character in the story? Explain.
– Doodle – he never gives up and keeps learning; he is always changing.
• Give an example of imagery in the story.
– The hurricane is a bloodthirsty hawk at the entrails of a chicken.
• Give an example of symbolism in the story.
– The Scarlet Ibis symbolizes Doodle; they are both fragile.

• How old was the narrator when Doodle was born?
– 6 years old
• What is wrong with Doodle?
– He is mentally and physically disabled.
• Describe Doodle’s appearance as a baby.
– He had a big head, looked like a wrinkly old man, was redskinned and very fragile.
• What is the narrator’s reaction to his new brother?
– He’s upset because he can’t do anything but lay there.

• What kind of brother did the narrator want?
– One he could play with.
• How long does it take to teach Doodle to walk?
– Almost a year.
• Describe Doodle’s reaction to seeing Old Woman
Swamp for the first time.
– He is amazed; it’s “pretty.”
• Why does the narrator cry when everyone congratulates him for teaching Doodle to walk?
– He completed a quest with his brother and is proud.

• Give two examples now the narrator is cruel to his brother.
– He shows him his coffin and ran so fast it killed him.
• What lies is Doodle good at telling?
– Bad ones.
• What is the theme of most of Doodle’s lies and what does this tell us about what is important to him?
– Flying people – he has a vivid imagination.
• How does Doodle imagine his perfect future will be?
– He will marry his mother and always live with his family.

• Why did Doodle die?
– His heart was too weak and exploded.
• How was Doodle like the Scarlet Ibis?
– When taken out of their element, they die.
– They were both red-colored.
– They died in the same position – crouching.
– Both beautiful prodigies.
– Both very fragile.
• What emotions is the color red usually associated with?
– Rage, fear, anger, death and/or passion.
• What happens to the Scarlet Ibis when in captivity? Far from home?
– It dies. Its color fades to pink. It grows fearful and gets out of sorts.

• Discuss the connection between the
Scarlet Ibis and Doodle.
– Both were far from home.
– Both were small and fragile.
– Both were exhausted to death to get where they were trying to go.
– Neither could live up the standards they faced (the Ibis – weather/climate, Doodle – his brother)