“The Scarlet Ibis”
By James Hurst
“The Scarlet Ibis”
 A story about two brothers
– The Narrator – Older brother
– “Doodle” – Younger brother that has a severe
physical disability
 What is an Ibis?
– A long-legged water bird related to the heron, crane,
and stork. Ibises eat plants, small shellfish, and
mollusks. Ancient Egyptians worshipped the sacred
Ibis of Northern Africa, a relative of the scarlet ibis in
this story. Altogether, there are about 20 different
species of Ibis.
“The Scarlet Ibis”
By James Hurst
Brother
He is not given a name, but is referred to by Doodle, his brother, only as
"Brother." He is six years old when Doodle is born and grows ashamed of
Doodle's limitations and regularly taunts him. Though Brother loves Doodle, the
love is tainted with cruelty and embarrassment. Brother, who is determined that
Doodle will not shame him by being seen as different when school starts, pushes
Doodle to do more and more strenuous activities.
Doodle
Doodle is the physically challenged younger brother of the narrator. His family
initially calls him by his given name, William Armstrong, but Brother nicknames
him Doodle (after a doodle-bug, because of his habit of crawling backwards). In
the beginning, Doodle is a disappointment to his brother and everyone expects
him to die. Doodle defies them all and survives, becoming a loving boy with a
strong attachment to Brother. Brother teaches Doodle to walk but this
achievement seems more important to Brother than it does to Doodle.
Daddy
Daddy, the father of Brother's family, has a coffin built for Doodle soon after his
birth, in the belief that he will die. When Doodle survives, Daddy builds a go-cart
for Doodle so that Brother can pull him around.
Mama
Mama, the mother in Brother's family, despairs of Doodle's future from the
beginning. She tearfully predicts that Doodle will never run or climb with Brother
and believes that he will not be normal.
Aunt Nicey
Aunt Nicey is aunt to Brother and Doodle. She delivers Doodle and is the only
person who believes that he will live. She has a religious nature, giving thanks to
God when Doodle shows everyone that he can walk.
Climax
Basic Plot
Diagram
“Brother, Brother don’t leave me” - Doodle
9. Doodle buries Ibis in yard
8. Ibis in tree falls to ground and dies.
7. Teaches Doodle to swim, climb, fight
6.
Doodle is left behind in storm
Narrator goes back to find Doodle
Teaches Doodle to walk
5. Threatens to leave Doodle
with coffin
4. Narrator embarrassed of
brother
3.
Visit Old Women Swamp
2. Doodle goes everywhere
with narrator – on cart
1.
Resolution
Doodle is born
Exposition
Narrator is embarrassed of
new born brother.
When pushed too far by his brother,
Doodle's worsening condition gets the
best of him and he dies. Brother finds
his little brother dead like the scarlet
ibis, and he breaks down crying. He
shelters his fallen little brother from the
rain and regrets pushing Doodle so far.
The Scarlet Ibis Notes
1. ______________ are the names of the
main characters.
2. Brother’s family thought Doodle was going
to die except for _____________.
3. Doodle's real name is ____________.
4. ______________ builds a coffin for
Doodle.
5. Brother and Doodle enjoy playing in
________________.
The Scarlet Ibis Notes
6. When Doodle began to _________, he became
one of the family.
7. Brother gave his little brother the nickname of
Doodle because he looked like a ____________.
8. ___________ built a go-cart for Doodle so he
could be pulled around.
9. The ________ stated that Doodle mustn’t get too
excited, too hot, too cold ….
10. Brother took Doodle up to the barn loft and
showed him his ____________.
11. Doodle was _______ yrs. old when brother
started to teach him how to walk.
The Scarlet Ibis Notes
12. After Doodle _______ alone for a few
seconds, they knew Doodle could walk.
13. Doodle and brother decided to show
everyone that Doodle could walk on his
______ birthday.
14. Brother danced with __________ after
Doodle walked over to the dinner table for
the first time.
15. Why was brother crying after Doodle
walked for the first time in front of his
parents and Aunt Nicey?
The Scarlet Ibis Notes
16. Doodle liked to lie about a boy named
_______.
17. Doodle was being taught to swim at
____________.
18. One morning in July a __________ came
out of the east and tipped over trees.
19. Why did brother want Doodle to learn how
to swim and row a boat?
20. What did the family see perched in a tree?
The Scarlet Ibis Notes
21. _______ wanted to bury the Scarlet Ibis.
22. Who stated that dead birds are bad luck?
____________.
23. What happened when Doodle said
“Brother, Brother, don’t leave me!”?
24. What happened when Brother went back
to look for Doodle?