“The Scarlet Ibis” Literary Elements

Symbolism:
Symbol
Literal Representation
Figurative Representation
Doodle’s lies: the ten fool tail of the
small peacock
Doodle’s imaginative stories
Refers to the author’s description of doodle’s full
name “William Armstrong,” as a “big tail on a small
kite
The grindstone grinds away the
years
Time passes by
The brother’s memories of doodle
The mahogany coffin
Dad has this made shortly after Doodle is born when
he believes that he will die shortly.
The coffin is a wooden box that symbolizes Doodles
approaching death
Mahogany- reddish brown wood-death imagery
The go-cart
Dad makes this for Doodle when they find out that he
will live. He expects brother to pull him around
because he will be immobile.
Dad’s love for Doodle, but more so his desire to
confine his disabilities.
Beautiful old woman swamp
The boys spend their happiest days here
Paradise for the two boys – perhaps, heaven
The scarlet Ibis
A beautiful bird that Doodle comes to love in the story
Doodle- both are rare and wonderful and both die on
the same day
The Scarlet Ibis’ Beauty
The beauty of the bird is obvious to Doodle and the
reader.
Doodle's beauty of spirit is hidden inside an
unattractive exterior; thus, the bird externalizes
Doodle's inner nature.
The connection between Doodle and
the “winged” Ibis.
The bird is literally a winged creature.
Because of the relationship between Doodle and the
Ibis, and the ibis is literally winged, they both come to
be associates with winged and divine beings
Take a closer look at symbolism in the relationship between an actual scarlet ibis and Doodle…
The Scarlet Ibis
The scarlet ibis is vivid red. Its color derives from the shrimps that
form the bulk of its diet. If there are no shrimps it looses its color.
It needs a particular in order to thrive as it only feeds in shallow
waters along the coast, in mud flats and lagoons.
Scarlet ibises are colonial nesters, meaning that they nest in large
flocks; they rely on the presence of other birds of their own species.
 Foreshadowing
Passage
"The last graveyard flowers were blooming, and their smell drifted
[through] our house, speaking softly the names of our dead."
Hurst comments on Doodle's full name, "William Armstrong," that
"such a name sounds good only on a tombstone,"
Doodle's cries of "Don't leave me! Don't leave me
Aunt Nicey says that red dead birds are very bad luck.
The death of the scarlet ibis
"I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible thing."
Doodle
Doodle being small (a shrimp) – the Ibis will loses its color without
Doodle
Like the ibis, he does not thrive in the environment in which he finds
himself: he is delicate, sickly, and fragile
Doodle relies on the presence and help of others to survive. Brother
teaches him to walk. When left alone, Doodle dies.
What it foreshadows
Doodle’s death
Doodle’s death
Parallel to the moment when the terrified little boy once again cries
out, "Don't leave me!" when his older brother does actually leave him
Doodle’s death
Doodle’s death
Pride is a wonderful thing because of the undoubted progress that
Doodle makes under Brother’s demanding tutelage. However, it is a
terrible thing because of the fate of Doodle.

Imagery_
Image
“withered crops shriveling under the blistering gaze of the thirsty
sun.”
The hurricane is compared to a bloodthirsty "hawk at the entrails of a
chicken."
Old woman Swamp and the happy times the boys spent there are
described in vivid, glowing terms.
- "beyond the reach of the everyday world."
- - "The slanted rays of the sun burn orange in the pines"
The yard is described with such terms as "rank," "rotting," "empty
cradle," and "bleeding tree.”
The phrase "speaking softly the names of our dead"
Rain drips incessantly from the gray clouds onto Doodle, his thin neck
gleaming sharply red, and the fallen elder brother sheltering his
"fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy of rain."

What it depicts
summer of drought and misfortune
creates a picture of ruin and destruction in the mind of the reader
produces an image of peace, beauty, and happiness in the reader’s
mind
bringing to the reader's mind a picture of degradation
a black note of solemn, eerie doom
calls forth an image of desolate grief that the lone brother feels for
his lifeless sibling
Theme______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.
Conflict between Love and Pride: explores the conflict between love and pride in Brother's relationship with his physically and
mentally disabled brother, Doodle.
The brothers fantasize about living in Old Woman Swamp and Brother is overwhelmed by the beauty of the images that Doodle conjures up.
Love OR Pride?
Brother feels embarrassed and ashamed of Doodle's limitations and obvious differences from other people. Love OR
Pride?
He decides to make Doodle do all the things that other people do in spite of the fact that Doodle himself sees no need to conform. Love OR
Pride?
Brother's family congratulates him on his success, he cries with shame, because he knows that he acted not out of love but out of pride, "whose
slave [he] was."
Brother continues to push Doodle to harder physical feats in spite of Doodle's obviously declining health.
Love
OR
Pride?
In the end, Doodle's heart fails under the strain, a victim of Brother's insistence.
2.
The Desire to Make over Others in One's Own Image: All of the family, except Brother, accepts Doodle as he is. However, their
acceptance is not portrayed as entirely positive, as it comes with a heavy dose of resignation and hopelessness about Doodle's prospects.
Brother's impatience with Doodle's limitations is ambiguous.
Brother's attitude is dangerous.
It forces change on a body that is not equipped to deal with it and on a mind that does not desire it.
Brother's success in re-making Doodle in his own image is greeted as wonderful progress by everyone except Doodle When Brother tells him
that he must learn to walk, Doodle asks, "'Why?'"
Doodle does not understand why he should struggle to avoid being different from everybody else at school.
Because the story is told from the point of view of Brother and not Doodle, it is not clear how much Doodle's life is improved by his new skills.
After the initial success of the walking project, Brother's attempts to push Doodle further are destructive to Doodle's health and eventually
contribute to his death.
 Characterization
Passage
I skipped through the rooms, down the
echoing halls, shouting “Mama, he smiled. He’s
all there! He’s all there!” And he was. (163)
Question
What can you tell about the narrator based
on his actions and words?
After that day Doodle and I often went down
into Old Woman Swamp. (164)
How has the narrator changed?
And even when we were outside in the bright
sunshine he clung to me (165)
He, too, now believed in my infallibility, so we
set the deadline for these accomplishments
less than a year away, (167)
We were frightened, and Doodle slipped his
hand into mine (169)
“I did,” declared Doodle. “Down in the
swamp.” (169)
How do the narrator’s words and actions
reveal the two sides of his personality?
How has Doodle changed since the
beginning of the story?
Doodle’s hands were clasped at his throat,
and I had never seen him and stand still so
long. (170)
What do Doodle’s actions show about him?
”I’m going to bury him.” (170)
What does this action reveal about Doodle
and his relationship with his older brother?
What might Doodle’s words show about his
character?
Has Doodle changed?
Answer
He’s thrilled to have a brother who will not
embarrass him. His level of excitement shows that he
was worried about his brother and didn’t really want
to harm him.
The narrator has accepted the idea that he is stuck
with his brother and willingly takes Doodle to a place
that they can both enjoy.
The narrator’s mean streak is revealed through his
words, but his actions reveal his love.
In addition to having learned to walk, Doodle now has
confidence that his brother can succeed in teaching
him.
Doodle a reached out to his brother for comfort and
protection.
He may be in tune with nature. Some students may
say he is lying. His earlier lies are fanciful. This one
is not.
Doodle is greatly upset by what he sees. Perhaps he
feels sympathy for the bird or views it as some kind
of sign.
This is the first time in the story that he takes the
initiative.
I knew he was watching me, watching for a
sign of mercy. (172)
What fundamental difference between the
brothers has not changed?
The narrator is still in control; he can still be
insensitive and cruel; Doodle still looks to his brother
for encouragement and approval.
I ran as fast as I could, leaving him far behind
with a wall of rain dividing us.
How the narrator’s response to Doodle
does’s cry compare with his response to a
similar cry earlier in the story?
When the boys were in the loft, Doodle begged hid
brother not to leave him, and the narrator carried
him down the ladder. Here, however the narrator
runs away from him. The narrator’s pride and
frustration have derailed his caring for his brother.
Comparing and Contrasting Characters
*decide whether each passage is an example of direct or indirect characterization by marking the box with “dc” or “ic”
Passage
What it says about Doodle
What it says about Brother
He was born when I was six. (162)
Doodle is six years younger than brother.
Brother is six years older than Doodle.
Even if William Armstrong lived, he would
Even if Doodle lives, he will never be able
The narrator likes to run, jump and climb.
never do those things with me. (163)
to do “boy” things.
“It is,” I said. “And before I’ll help you down
Doodle will have to touch the coffin if he
Brother is cruelly going to make Doodle touch
from the loft, you’re going to have to touch it. wants to get down from the loft.
his own coffin or else he will leave him in the loft.
(164)
“Yes, yes,” I cried, and he cried it too, and the Doodle and Brother are united by the thrill Doodle and Brother are united by the thrill and
grass beneath us was soft and the smell of
and joy of success. They keenly feel the
joy of success. They keenly feel the significance
the swamp was sweet. (166)
significance of the moment.
of the moment.
“Doodle could beat me lying. (167)
Doodle has more of a need of a fictional
Brother can exist in the real world without
world and he has difficulties in the real
needing to have an imagination.
world. Also, because doodle could not walk
yet, he could literally beat him lying down.
“Does it make any difference?” It certainly
Doodle does not care about his disabilities. Brother cares about Doodle’s disabilities.
does,” I said. Now, come on,” (169)
“I’m not hungry,” he said.
Doodle is moved by the death of the ibis
Brother is less sensitive.
and cannot eat, while the family is eating
with great enthusiasm.