The Scarlet Ibis Paper

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When I read “The Scarlet Ibis” a driving passion for success comes to mind. This non-fiction book written by James Hurst is about the determination of a boy that can be pushed to because he is ashamed of his brother. “The Scarlet Ibis” is a book about a boy who is unhappy about his handicapped brother Doodle. Brother pushes Doodle to accomplish his goals but does he push him to far? Brother does not want to be known as the kid with the handicap brother, so he teaches him to do all the things a normal person can do. When Brother is teaching Doodle to walk at Old Women Swamp, this marks the determination of Brother to teach Doodle to walk, but is it because he doesn’t a crippled brother. “ Every day that summer we went to the pine beside the stream of Old Women Swamp, and I put him on his feet at least a hundred times each afternoon” (Hurst 112), just so Brother won’t have a crippled brother. When I think of someone who tries to teach someone something and takes every day of the summer, that is that is what I call determination. Sadly Brother is not doing this for Doodle but for himself. Therefor Old Women Swamp marks the determination of Brother. He wants to teach Doodle to walk but at the same time he just doesn’t want an odd brother. Brother, “It seemed so hopeless from the beginning it’s a miracle I didn’t give up” (Hurst 110). The hopelessness that Doodle has is no match for Brothers determination to overcome the challenges Doodle faces though it is for himself. When I think of a swamp I think of green water and just a bad place, but in the story it is used to show the place where Doodle learns to walk. Just as a swamp can be a fun place it can also be a bad place where bad things can happen. The wagon can symbolize Brother helping Doodle but also shows that Brother pushes Doodle to far just so he won’t have to push him around. Brother “I’m going to teach you to walk Doodle … Why?... so I won’t have to haul you around all the time” (Hurst 112). Brother is only trying to help Doodle but because pushing him around is an annoyance. Doodle depends so much on the wagon that when Brother takes it away he denies he can go without.

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