“The Scarlet Ibis”
James Hurst
Symbols
 What is a symbol?
 What do each of the following stand for?
 Heart
 The color green
 American Flag
Important Terms
 Symbol-an ordinary object, event, person, or animal
to which we have attached extraordinary meaning and
significance.
 Public Symbol-a symbol that shows up in art and
literature.
 Allegory-a story in which characters, settings, and
actions stand for something beyond themselves.
Practice…
 What do the items below stand for:
 1. A snake 2. An eagle 3. Spring 4. An owl 5. A white flag What does the fen stand for in the poem?
Webquest
 What is a symbol?
 5 letters of the alphabet and symbolic significance
 What is a Scarlet Ibis?
 The Scarlet Ibis’s environment
 Why is the environment important for the bird’s
survival?
 “The First Lesson”
Quickwrite
 Think about the ties that bind you to your family,
friends, and community. What keeps you connected
to them—love and loyalty, shared interests and
experiences, or similar backgrounds for example?
What factors sometimes separate you from others?
Keep in Mind…
 The scarlet ibis is the most powerful symbol in the
story. As you read, think about what it might stand
for?
 PAGE 415
Read the Story
 Group 1 – Vocab and Diction
 Group 2 – Plot and Setting
 Group 3 – Point of View, Tone and Imagery
 Group 4 – Character
 Group 5 – Similes, Metaphors, Symbols
 Group 6 - Theme
Discuss
 Who narrates the story?
 When does the story about Doodle take place?
 Why does the narrator teach Doodle to walk, and why
does he cry when his family congratulates him for his
effort?
 After Doodle has learned to walk, what does his
brother try to teach him to prepare him for school?
 How does Doodle respond to the scarlet ibis and to its
death?
Discuss
 Is the narrator in some way responsible for Doodle’s
death? Is his emotion at the very end sorrow, guilt, or
something else?
 By the end, whom do you pity more—the narrator or
Doodle?
 Do you think the narrator makes any kind of discovery
at the end, as he cradles his brother’s little body?
 What does the ibis symbolize in the story?