The short story “The Scarlet Ibis”, by James Hurst was about a boy named William Armstrong, and his brother. William Armstrong was crippled when he was born and he cannot walk. His brother than calls him doodle, because that name would fit him better. But as Doodle got older, and every time his brother has to go somewhere, he would have to take doodle with him too. His brother got annoyed so he taught doodle how to walk. Doodle’s brother didn’t teach doodle how to walk because he felt sorry for him, but because of his reputation.
Doodle’s brother at first in the story does not really care about him. “It was bad enough to have an invalid brother” (200) shows that he sees Doodle as invalid, useless and crippled. Doodle’s original name was William Armstrong, but his brother changed it to Doodle because he thought that William Armstrong definitely did not fit his personality. The person that disagreed was Doodle’s Aunt and she thought that William Armstrong was better.
Doodles Brother was very strict. He kept making doodle walk when he was born not to. But somehow he managed to teach him. “When Doodle was five years old, I was embarrassed to have a brother who couldn’t walk, so I set out to teach him”. (204) Doodle’s brother did not feel sorry for Doodle because he cannot walk. Doodle’s brother did it for his reputation because like he said, it was embarrassing.
Finally at the end of the story, Doodle’s brother finally learns to love his brother for his personality. As he died later on in the story he cried his heart out because they have been so much together. Doodle’s brother forgot about his reputation and taught him to swim, walk, and fight because he wanted to.
Doodle’s brother personality was strict at first but as he got to know his brother better later on in the story, he finds out that he truly cares and loves his brother very much.
Kenny has to learn what is morally right through playful incidents. When Byron, his older brother, plays pranks and repeatedly disobeys rules, Kenny notices the disappointment on his parents' faces. Even though Kenny knows that the path his brother chooses to take is not wise, he views this as the adventurous way of life, and he is torn between becoming a shadow of his brother, who always seems to be having fun, or being the good, orderly son.
He also exhibits kindness and love toward Doodle during parts of the story. For instance when Doodle’s brother tires of carrying Doodle in a go-cart, he decides to teach Doodle how to walk. Although Doodle fails numerous times, his brother keeps trying and and encourages him after a particularly disheartening fail when he says “Yes you can Doodle. All you gotta do is try. Now come on,” (Hurst 558). In this quote Doodle struggles to walk by himself. However, his determined brother stays with him the entire time and encourages Doodle to make sure he never gives up and can learn how to walk by himself. The evidence shows that Doodle’s brother does care for Doodle and that he is not always mean and cruel. The quote exemplifies Doodle’s brother’s ambivalent attitude toward his brother. The author is trying to show that Doodle’s brother grows fonder of Doodle with each passing day. Doodle’s brother’s growing love for Doodle becomes more evident as the story progresses. After Doodle learns to walk well, he and his brother, “roamed off together, resting often, we never turned back until our destination had been reached” (Hurst 559). This quote shows that Doodle’s brother grows fonder of Doodle and the two become inseparable. They go everywhere together and Doodle’s brother takes care of Doodle when they go on their journey. Hence, Doodle’s brother becomes a kind, loving brother who takes care of Doodle and tries to make Doodle have a happy life.
The feeling of obligation that Pete and Sonny’s brother feel, results from their education. In both stories, the parents pass away and it puts the strongest brothers in front of their obligations as ...
The narrator’s pride had a negative effect on Doodle. The narrator said, ”Shut up, I’m not going to hurt you,”(Hurst 3). Here the narrator is telling his little brother to shut up, but that is cruel and an ineffective way to deliver the message. Next, “‘I won’t touch it,’ Doodle said, ‘Then I will leave you here” the older brother replied (Hurst 2). The situation is that when Doodle was little, the family did not think Doodle would survive, so Doodle’s family made the decision to
Two people with two completely different characteristics have something alike. Both Dally and Johnny are mentally tough because of their parents. Johnny and Dally’s parents both do not care for them and could care less about them. For example, during Dally’s childhood he went to jail, been in a gang, and has been in many fights and his dad still would not care for him even if he won the lottery. Dally also talks about his dad's disgrace towards him in the car with Johnny and Ponyboy, “‘ Shoot, my dad don’t give a hang whether I’m in jail or dead in a car wreck or drunk in a gutter...’”(88). Dally could easily live without his dad and he does for the most part. Dally just hangs around with his friends and stays at their place. Similarly, Johnny's parents use him like a rag doll to blow off steam, “his father always beating him up”(14). The gang knows what happenes in Johnny’s house. Once Ponyboy was witnessing, “Johnny take a whipping with a two-by-four from his old man”(33). Ponyboy talks about how loud and mean Johnny's mom is and,“you can...
Dante Alighieri once said, "Avarice, envy, pride, three fatal sparks, have set the hearts of all on Fire." In the short story "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst, it shows how pride can be beneficial in some ways, and harmful in other ways. The story starts out as the narrator of the story has a recollection of his past when his younger brother Doodle was still alive. The narrator tells how everyone believed Doodle is crippled mentally and physically. However, Doodle is a normal human being mentally, but has some difficulties physically. The narrator wants Doodle to become a "normal" boy, so he teaches him to practically all the activities any boy Doodle's age would do. One day, Doodle and the narrator were playing in the fields. A large storm came and both had to run home before it became too hard to handle. Doodle started running after his brother, but couldn't withstand it, and eventually, his stamina died down and had to rest. The narrator felt ticked off by Doodle and deserted him. A few minutes later, the narrator discovered Doodle under a tree, blood trickling from his mouth, dead. In the short story "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst, it shows how pride can be beneficial in some ways, and harmful in other ways.
“They did not know that I did it for myself; that pride, whose slave I was, spoke to me louder than all their voices; and that Doodle walked only because I was ashamed of having a crippled brother.” (Hurst 50). This supports the claim that this is Brother’s fault, because if he were never ashamed of Doodle in the first place, he wouldn’t be given all of the extra stress running has brought his body. The narrator was very strict, and hard on Doodle because he wanted a brother that was “all there.” Brother would have been much nicer, and understanding if his decision to teach Doodle to do things like the other children was based on
The two characters come to the realization that they do share a brotherly bond, and that the narrator cares deeply for his brother even after all the time apart. The narrator says, “I don’t give a damn wh...
“Since Mom and Dad were killed in an auto wreck, the three of us get to stay together only as long as we behave (2).” This explains why Ponyboy, Dally and Sodapop did not have parents. In the novel, this really effected their life and character. "…It was Darry. He hit me. I don't know what happened, but I couldn't take him hollering at me and hitting me too... He didn't use to be like that... we used to get along okay... before Mom and Dad died. Now he just can't stand me (2)." This shows that not having their parents anymore effected Darry’s character and how he treated Ponyboy, which in return effected how Ponyboy felt about himself in comparison to how he was treated. This illustrates that Ponyboy believes that Darry picks on him all the time. This shows that Darry was like a caring parent in a tough way,
I learned a lot from this book I learned not to get in gangs and stay true to your family. I liked a quote in this story it said “things are rough all over” to me that meant no matter where you are where you go things are going to be rough so just stop running away from problems because it’s just going to create more. Dally and Sodapop both kind of remind me of myself because I don’t care about nothing but I can understand people and the different things they like and nothing don’t scare me. I think the theme of this story is to be your brothers keeper.
Brother doesn’t realize that his pride has done damage until the damage has been done. Brother looks back years later and he realizes that his pride got the best of him, and he won’t be able to get his brother back. When brother is younger he doesn’t realize how he has impacted Doodle’s life sometimes in a positive way but mostly in a negative way.
...utside world, where you must learn to hate and neglect. Johnny enjoys reading, as he really enjoys reading “Gone with the wind.” Dally meanwhile, is described as not having the “shade of difference that separates a Greaser from a hood” on page fourteen. Dally is rough while Johnny is soft. Dally reflects hatred while Johnny reflects sensitivity. Therefore, when Dally and Johnny both die, Ponyboy feels like he has lost himself, because two major people who had such a big influence on him has left him.
In conclusion, co-dependency and rivalry is very common in the world today. Though it is not a big issue out in the open, it is an emotional attachment that only one can define. In this short story the two main aspects of having siblings is the theme which revolves around codependency and rivalry. Having siblings is a part of everyday life and problems do occur which sometimes makes a person, or changes a person in ways. In this situation, Pete and Donald are completely different people but they are in fact very dependent upon one another.
Johnny and Dally are very important to Ponyboy. If Johnny and Dally weren't in Ponyboy’s life it would be so different. He wouldn’t have a best friend who understands him. He wouldn’t have someone to help him when he is in trouble. Ponyboy’s life would change in so many
...verything” (Hurst 1). The brother only cared about himself and having fun, and did not think about the affect his actions had on Doodle. The brother decides to “teach him [Doodle] to run, to swim, to climb trees, and to fight” (Hurst 3). Readers can begin to infer that the brother’s careless actions will later lead to serious injury or the death of Doodle.