The Scarlet Ibis is a short story written by novelist James Hurst It was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in July 1960 and has since appeared in multiple high-school literature textbook since the late 1960s.Synopsis
The narrator's younger brother, Doodle, was born an invalid who could crawl and was taught to walk by the narrator. Time passes and Doodle becomes five. The narrator then decides to teach him how to walk out of embarrassment. After weeks of practicing, Doodle learns how to walk, and the family rejoices. After a while the narrator, feeling infallible, decides to teach Doodle to run, swim, climb trees and fight. His grueling work, shows little progress as the deadline he sets gets closer. Finally, after an encounter with a scarlet ibis dying, Doodle and the narrator set out to the swamp for one final attempt to yield results, which fail. As a storm approaches they start to make their way back. Angrily, the narrator begins to walk faster than Doodle. When Doodle falls behind, the narrator runs off leaving him. Soon he calms down and waits for Doodle, who doesn't show up. Walking back, he finds Doodle curled up next to a bush, dead and bleeding scarlet, which was exactly like the Scarlet Ibis.
Throughout the story the narrator is only referred to as brother.
The narrator's younger brother, Doodle, was born an invalid who could crawl and was taught to walk by the narrator. Time passes and Doodle becomes five. The narrator then decides to teach him how to walk out of embarrassment. After weeks of practicing, Doodle learns how to walk, and the family rejoices. After a while the narrator, feeling infallible, decides to teach Doodle to run, swim, climb trees and fight. His grueling work, shows little progress as the deadline he sets gets closer. Finally, after an encounter with a scarlet ibis dying, Doodle and the narrator set out to the swamp for one final attempt to yield results, which fail. As a storm approaches they start to make their way back. Angrily, the narrator begins to walk faster than Doodle. When Doodle falls behind, the narrator runs off leaving him. Soon he calms down and waits for Doodle, who doesn't show up. Walking back, he finds Doodle curled up next to a bush, dead and bleeding scarlet, which was exactly like the Scarlet Ibis.
Throughout the story the narrator is only referred to as brother.
HOMEWORK:
-read the Scarlet Ibis before next class
