Imagery In The Scarlet Ibis By James Hurst

In the fictional story “The Scarlet Ibis”, James Hurst illustrates several themes of the text through the symbols of the Old Woman Swamp and green. Doodle “climbed rope vines”(Hurst 3) at the Old Woman swamp and “learned [how] to walk [there]”(Hurst 3). Old memories can bring people together. For instance, Doodle going to the swamp with his brother brought back memories of them having fun. This brought them closer, he realized he didn't always dislike his brother. Doodle walked through the “shady cool… dark green woods”(Hurst 4). Innocence can be found in nature. The quote helps explain how Doodle learned how to walk in nature and felt relaxed. Consequently, Hurst places importance on the Old Woman’s Swamp and green in order to uncover hope

The setting of the story is very descriptive to where you can see it in your head:” Then when the slanted rays of the sun burned orange in the tops of the pines, we’d dropped our jewels in the stream and watch them float away toward the sea”(601). The setting of the story can be hard to understand if the author doesn’t describe it well. Yet, in “The Scarlet Ibis" the author describes a clear picture in the story and where it is set. The setting of the story can affect how the characters relate to it and shows how descriptive the writing is The bird, the scarlet ibis, is also described very well the first time we see it in the story. The bird in the story can be described as: ” … a bird the size of a chicken, with scarlet feathers and long legs… its wings hung loosely..”(601). The bird is one of the most important things in the story. It describes the birds features and characteristics. With this picture in your head, you can tell there's something wrong with it. With imagery, you are able to see vivid pictures in your mind that can help understand the story better. This is another great example that makes “The Scarlet Ibis” the best

“-The wings were uncoordinated, and amid much flapping and a spray of flying feathers, it tumbled down... Its long, graceful neck jerked twice into an S, then straightened out, and the bird was still… ‘It lives in the tropics-South America to Florida. A storm must have brought it here.’” Doodle and the scarlet ibis both have physical weaknesses; their fragile legs and arms. Specifically, the bird exhausted itself to death, and Doodle will eventually do the same thing by being overworked during the rainstorm. Besides, the bird is in the wrong region since it’s native to the tropics, and Doodle is in the wrong environment as he cannot live up to his brother's expectations and generally doesn't fit into society. “How many miles it had traveled to die like this, in our yard, beneath the bleeding tree… [I] found [Doodle] huddled beneath a red nightshade bush… He had been bleeding through his mouth, and his neck and the front of his shirt were stained a brilliant red… with his head thrown far back… His little legs, bent sharply at the knees.” In addition, they both die relatively due to the storm, under a red plant, necks both twisted, and are red after they've died. Altogether, these are all clear indications that the scarlet ibis symbolizes

The Scarlet Ibis bird symbolizes Doodle; this symbolism can be seen by the authors description of both Doodle’s and the Scarlet Ibis’s appearance after death. After the Scarlet Ibis fell from the bleeding tree his

In James Hurst’s short story “The Scarlet Ibis”, the Brother pushed Doodle to learn how to walk, swim, run and various activities so that Doodle would not seem to be crippled. Through the Brother's characterization, conflicts and eventual resolution, Hurst suggested that one's overwhelming selfishness, pride and cruelty can result in the death of a loved brother.

On the other hand, another huge piece of symbolism that the author uses is the oriole nest described in the beginning of the story, which is also used to show that Doodle will live. Hurst correlates the nest with the little mahogany coffin Doodle’s father makes when they believed he would not live. To continue on, this is because Hurst emphasizes that “the oriole nest in the elm was untenanted and rocked back and forth like an empty cradle,” (384). When he claimed that it was like an empty cradle, it is in correlation

One example of Hurst showing symbolism in the story is through birds. Doodle and the scarlet ibis are both graceless and very weak. The scarlet ibis tries to fly, but fails to do so. “At that moment the bird began to flutter, but the wings were uncoordinated, and amid much flapping and a spray of feathers, it tumbled down, bumping through the limbs of the bleeding tree and landing at our feet with a thud” (Hurst 321). Doodle is comparable to the scarlet ibis. He is very clumsy, and looked down upon by his family. They believed that he was not going to live. He is shown through the scarlet ibis because the bird is also very weak, like Doodle. They both have come over many obstacles to be alive. But still, you never know if something so little to you, could break something so fragile like a Scarlet Ibis. In the story after Doodle dies. It talks about how empty the house was. “...the oriole nest in the elm was untenanted and rocked back and forth like an empty cradle” (Hurst 315). Now that the birds are gone and the tree is not occupied, it is like the empty cradle in the house now that Doodle is gone. He is shown through the birds. Doodle is just like the birds leaving their home. And now that Doodle is gone, it is a very empty sensation lingering in the home he once lived in. Doodle is symbolically a bird in the story the Scarlet Ibis because he is very weak and fragile, just like the bird.

James Hurst’s use of symbols, imagery, and figurative language in the story “The Scarlet Ibis” creates an extremely dismal tone.

“The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst is a realistic fiction about these two brothers, Doodle, and Doodle’s brother who was the narrator of the story, many symbols are used. A symbol is a materialistic object being put in place for an abstract or complex emotion, or idea. For example the emojis you use when texting are symbols you use to express how you are feeling. In this story, Doodle is being symbolized by the Scarlet Ibis, the Scarlet Ibis is a bird and a symbol for Doodle because of their many similarities. An example of the Scarlet Ibis symbolizing Doodle is when Hurst describes the physical health of Doodle and the Ibis. He describes Doodle as being very sick and weak at the beginning of the story by saying “He seemed all head, with a tiny body which was red and shriveled like an old man's. Everybody thought he was going to die-everybody except Aunt Nicey….” (Hurst page 1). Later on in the story when the Scarlet Ibis is introduced, Doodle’s father describes the bird as: “It looks tired, or maybe sick”(Hurst page 5). By giving Doodle and the Scarlet Ibis such similar physical features, it insinuates that whatever happens to the Scarlet Ibis will more than likely happen to Doodle. Another example of the Scarlet Ibis being a symbol for Doodle is when the Scarlet Ibis dies.” At that moment the bird began to flutter, but the wings were uncoordinated, and amid much flapping and a spray of flying feathers, it tumbled down, bumping through the limbs of the bleeding tree and

In a world of empathy and selfishness, one must always prevail. The short story “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst tells a tale of a young boy and his disabled younger brother, Doodle. The narrator, also known as Brother, recalls the life of his brother and how his own actions and emotions affect his brother’s experiences. Brother’s pride determines whether he acts empathetic or selfish towards his sibling. In “The Scarlet Ibis” Hurst uses diction, symbolism, foreshadowing, and imagery to fabricate a remorseful mood as Brother looks back on his past, a compassionate feeling when the ibis dies, and a regretful mood when Doodle dies.

The first and one of the most important literary devices you can detect in this writing, is the usage of flashback. Hurst uses flashback to develop the whole story, relationship between Doodle and Brother, and explain what happened to Doodle. A majority of “The Scarlet Ibis” is told through this flashback and past tense. The flashback improves the story and is used in a way to show Brother at the beginning and how much his past with Doodle still affects him. We really get to see that guilt and even his maturity when he is older, because he goes back to all these places where him and Doodle played and grew up. Yet even though it's so far in the past, going to his old home and fields brings back painful memories. *

In “The Scarlet Ibis” James Hurst symbolizes the narrator’s brother, Doodle, as the scarlet ibis, and the narrator as the storm, in order to reveal the theme that challenging someone to go beyond their limits can help in achieving extraordinary results, however pushing the limits too far may prove fatal. As the narrator, Doodle, and their family were eating dinner, they saw a scarlet ibis getting carried by the storm and “[tumbling] down, … landing at [their] feet with a thud”. Doodle’s family doesn’t care much, however, Doodle takes time to respect the bird and to bury it, even though he saw the bird for the first time as if he had some special connection with the ibis. “It’s a scarlet ibis! … South America to Florida. A storm must have brought it here. A scarlet Ibis! How many miles it had traveled to die like this, in our yard, beneath the bleeding tree” (14). The bird, native to South America had flown all the way from “South America to Florida”, which was way beyond its natural capacity. Doodle had also come a long way from being a baby who everyone thought wouldn't survive or a cripple who couldn’t stand. “A storm … brought it here”, somewhat assisting it and somewhat forcing it. Doodle learned to walk, with help from the narrator who pushed him and didn’t let him give up. Now the narrator was pushing Doodle, even more, to learn rowing, swimming, and fighting even though his body and heart were weak. The storm had powered the amazing flight but pushed the bird’s

Someone will always die and they will have a funeral, but can you imagine losing someone close to you? How about you brother? In the short story “The Scarlet Ibis” there are many situations when death is among Doodle and his body. James Hurt wrote the story the “Scarlet Ibis” about a boy that was suppose to be a miscarriage and even the doctor said that he would not survive. He lives on with his brother to help him through his adventurous life. The brother is very ashamed that his young brother came to be disabled and he teaches his to walk. All of this James Hurt creates through his writing. Throughout essay there will be multiple ways the author is expression the tone. Through the use of figurative language, imagery, and symbolism, James Hurst creates a Mournful tone in his short story, “The Scarlet Ibis”.

Sometimes differences can even tare kin apart. Health, looks, and abilities can all result in this divide. James Hurst’s “The Scarlet Ibis” portrays the relationship of between two brothers, Brother and Doodle and the diversities that they face with each other. To create this relationship and story Hurst uses literary elements; character, setting, and symbolism.

The allegorical message in the story “The Scarlet Ibis” has to deal with the struggle Doodle underwent, being paralyzed and learning to walk and run. The story, “The Scarlet Ibis” reminds me of the story about Helen Keller. Keller was deaf and blind. Keller went through so much to become the woman she became later in life. Keller had to have special teachings for her to be able to read and write. She had to also have a special teacher to teach her these traits when she was younger and that teacher invested every minute of her teachings into Keller; sort of like the narrator invested every minute of his teachings into helping Doodle beat paralysis. Sure the intentions of Keller’s teacher and Doodle’s brother may’ve been different but it took