The Scarlet Ibis by Hurst
Scarlet Ibis
“The Scarlet Ibis”
Do you believe the narrator is guilty or
innocent?
On the back of your guided notes sheet or a
separate sheet:
• Explain if you believe the narrator is guilty
or innocent of what happens at the end of
the story.
• Find THREE pieces of “evidence” in the
story to support your position. List them in
your explanation.
“The Scarlet Ibis” Discussion Questions (pd. 1)
1. How does Doodle die, and what are the signs that
it will happen?
2. Why did the older brother abandon Doodle?
3. Why was the older brother so motivated to teach
Doodle so many things?
4. What’s so important about the scarlet ibis? / Why
does the author focus on the bird?
5. Why doesn’t anyone in the family help Doodle
bury the bird?
6. Did the narrator have a mental problem that
caused him to do such terrible things to Doodle?
7. Why did Doodle care so much about the scarlet
ibis?
“The Scarlet Ibis” Discussion Questions (pd. 2)
1. How does Doodle die?
2. Why did the narrator want to teach Doodle to walk, etc. so
badly?
3. Why didn’t the author let the narrator be the first to see the
scarlet ibis? Why Doodle?
4. How does the narrator deal with the death of Doodle (his
remorse)?
5. What will be their parents’ reaction to Doodle’s death?
6. Why did the parents keep the coffin all that time?
7. Why can’t the narrator accept Doodle for who he is?
8. What inspired the author to write this?
9. Was the narrator teaching Doodle to help him or was he
doing it completely for himself?
10. Did anything in the narrator’s life cause him to act cruelly to
Doodle?
“The Scarlet Ibis” Discussion Questions (pd. 4)
1. The narrator wanted Doodle to be normal so
badly… why?
2. Does Doodle actually die? / How does Doodle die?
3. Why did the narrator push Doodle so hard? Why
didn’t he give him a break?
4. What’s so important about the scarlet ibis? / Why
does the author focus on the bird?
5. Why did Doodle care so much about the scarlet
ibis?
6. If the narrator hadn’t left Doodle, would Doodle
have died?
7. Did the older brother want Doodle to die?
“The Scarlet Ibis” Discussion Questions (pd. 5)
1. How did Doodle learn to walk when the doctor
said he would never be able to?
2. Why does the narrator seem to hate Doodle?
3. Does Doodle actually die? / How does Doodle die?
4. Why did the narrator push Doodle so hard?
5. Why would the older brother leave Doodle
behind?
6. Why did Doodle care so much about the scarlet
ibis?
7. Does the older brother feel guilty about what
happened?
8. What’s so important about the scarlet ibis? / Why
does the author focus on the bird?
“The Scarlet Ibis” Discussion Questions (pd. 6)
1. This family wasn’t very hopeful – why?
2. Did Doodle really want to learn how to swim, fight, run,
etc. or was it him trying to live up to his brother’s
expectations?
3. Does Doodle actually die? / How does Doodle die?
4. Why would the author choose such a morbid death for a
young child?
5. Why would the narrator want Doodle to touch the coffin?
6. Why would the narrator leave Doodle behind in a
lightning storm?
7. Why didn’t the parents realize the narrator had problems?
8. Why was the narrator’s pride so important to him?
9. Why did it matter so much to the narrator that Doodle
walked, swam, etc.?