An Analysis of The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst

Doodle and the narrator had grew closer through a disability that Doodle obtained, but this togetherness brought a series of emotions. A strong example of the narrators hatred is in the quotation, It was the clove of seasons, summer was dead but autumn had not yet been born, that the ibis lit in the bleeding tree. I feel that this quotation explains Doodles brother very elaborately. Doodles brother is a person of changes, or as the quotation explains it, he is a person of seasons.”

Therefore, his emotions too are oddly changing. His love for Doodle, according to the quotation is the season of summer. His feeling for Doodle was at sometimes very strong and I sometimes could see an image of Doodles face illuminate with happiness when summer was within his brother. Nevertheless, he also showed hatred

toward his brother, in turn forming autumn and killing his summer by replacing devotion with scorn.

Hurst also uses his creativity to create imagery when he states, Even death not mar its grace, for it lay in the earth like a broken vase of red flowers, and we stood around it awed by its beauty. When comparing the tow characters to this quotation I feel that the author explains that hatred, or death is sometimes hidden so humanity does not see its own hostility, as the narrator often does. The quotation explains that death does not mar its grace, the same way life does not.

For if it did death would be seen easily by man, and it would not be connected with the same stream, as explained in the thematic statement. The vase could be an image of Doodles heart breaking by the narrators hostility, while the flowers could be the love that he gave to his brother.

Correspondingly, the statement that also showed imagery to the feelings between the two was, The flower garden was stained with rotting brown magnolia pedals, and iron weeds grew rank amid the purple phlox. According to the quotation, I feel that the rotting pedals was Doodles brother trying to mar his garden or feelings. Doodle picked on his brother as iron weeds were cast surrounding and obliterating the wondrous flowers that grow so lovely.

The flowers would be the delicate heart that Doodle had within him, and the weeds would be the emotional pain that his brother inflicted on Doodle. This in turn, would kill the garden of flowers after so many weeds grew, as did Doodle after so much hurt was brought over him. The flowers also represented the relationship that was built between the two as Doodle was learning to walk. They shared so much laughter and joyfulness through this time as if their relationship as brothers were blossoming like flowers in the sun. A!

s his brother began to change it was as if the flowers gave up on themselves and began to wilt.

As we mature we seem to make this assumption more often. We see the world as a negative or troubled place. I believe if we seek to better ourselves we must strive not to become a person of seasons,” as Doodles brother but to become like doodle himself, a garden of wondrous flowers. Humanity should not perceive Doodles condition to be an obstacle, but as a way that brought him and his brother closer. To perceive a situation such as Doodles in that aspect would bring yourself closer to a stronger loving world.