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The Scarlet Ibis
Our narrator, a grown man, tells us about his memories of Doodle, his younger brother. We jump into the past as the narrator begins his story about his brother.
The narrator is six years old when Doodle is born. Doodle is a sickly child, and everyone but Aunt Nicey thinks he will die. Daddy even buys Doodle a coffin. When Doodle has lived for two months, Mama and Daddy name him William Armstrong. The narrator doesn't think the name suits him, so he nicknames him Doodle.
This is a tragic short story following the narrator as he tries to teach his weak younger brother to walk and play like a normal boy. It was first published in The Atlantic Monthly and won the "Atlantic First" award.
The narrator is six years old when Doodle is born. Doodle is a sickly child, and everyone but Aunt Nicey thinks he will die. Daddy even buys Doodle a coffin. When Doodle has lived for two months, Mama and Daddy name him William Armstrong. The narrator doesn't think the name suits him, so he nicknames him Doodle.
This is a tragic short story following the narrator as he tries to teach his weak younger brother to walk and play like a normal boy. It was first published in The Atlantic Monthly and won the "Atlantic First" award.
36 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 1960
About the author
James Hurst
10 books22 followersEarly life-
James Hurst grew up in North Carolina on a coastal farm, the present site of US Marine Corps. Camp LeJeune.
After attending North Carolina State College and serving in the United States Army during World War II, he studied singing and acting at the renowned Juilliard School of Music in New York. Hoping for a career in opera, he went to Italy for additional study. After three years he abandoned his musical ambitions. Upon return to the States in 1951, he began a 34-year career in the international department of a large New York City Bank.
Writing career-
During his early years at the bank, he wrote a play and short stories, some of which were published in small literary magazines. "The Scarlet Ibis" first appeared in The Atlantic Monthly in the July, 1960 issue and won the "Atlantic First" award that year. Quickly recognized by literary critics, the story appears in collections and virtually every high-school literature textbook published in the United States. When asked about the meaning of the story, Hurst answered: "I hesitate to respond, since authors seldom understand what they write. That is why we have critics. I venture to say, however, that it comments on the tenacity and the splendor of the human spirit." A key passage from the story is the following sentence: “I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible, thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death.”
James Hurst grew up in North Carolina on a coastal farm, the present site of US Marine Corps. Camp LeJeune.
After attending North Carolina State College and serving in the United States Army during World War II, he studied singing and acting at the renowned Juilliard School of Music in New York. Hoping for a career in opera, he went to Italy for additional study. After three years he abandoned his musical ambitions. Upon return to the States in 1951, he began a 34-year career in the international department of a large New York City Bank.
Writing career-
During his early years at the bank, he wrote a play and short stories, some of which were published in small literary magazines. "The Scarlet Ibis" first appeared in The Atlantic Monthly in the July, 1960 issue and won the "Atlantic First" award that year. Quickly recognized by literary critics, the story appears in collections and virtually every high-school literature textbook published in the United States. When asked about the meaning of the story, Hurst answered: "I hesitate to respond, since authors seldom understand what they write. That is why we have critics. I venture to say, however, that it comments on the tenacity and the splendor of the human spirit." A key passage from the story is the following sentence: “I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible, thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 444 reviews
March 29, 2017
I read this short story in an English class in high school, and it made a huge impression on me. I know this because some fifty years later I remembered it in amazing detail. It is perhaps the best example of symbolism and foreshadowing you will ever encounter. It is to symbolism what The Raven is to alliteration. But there is more to it than a study in symbolism. It is a story about pride, about cruelty, and about selfishness that is self-destructive. It is about the complication of loving someone who is imperfect and the desire to reshape them into our own idea of what they should be, and it is about the elusive quality of beauty and its fragility.
In the first paragraph, James Hurst writes, “The last graveyard flowers were blooming, and their smell drifted across the cotton field and through every room of our house, speaking the names of our dead.” I find that beautifully descriptive and strangely poignant. I can picture the setting and smell the pungent flower aromas that carry within them the promise of decay. That decay is evidenced in the person of Doodle, a little boy who was born with physical defects that might have taken him immediately, but instead left him weak and dependent, the sweetest and kindest of souls, with a brother who is anxious to have a friend and playmate who can run and swim and row and who tries, against all odds to make that happen.
There is an element of hope and determination about the story that I love. Doodle’s life might have meant nothing at all if not for this boy who torments him into walking and running against the protests of his own body. Doodle sees all the beauty of the world, he is captured by it, but it is the brother who gives him that chance; the brother who believes.
This story is heartbreaking. Its ending screams of consequences, of the cost of pressing too hard for something that is forbidden, of failing to think beyond the present or realize the implications of loss. But, there is that hopeful side as well. Doodle was not supposed to live, but he did, he was not supposed to walk, but he did, and his life had meaning and purpose, brought joy and achievement. Our narrator did not smother his brother in his crib (a thought he claimed to have had), and his life was richer for knowing him, and mine was richer for reading this story. Thank you, Mr. Hurst.
In the first paragraph, James Hurst writes, “The last graveyard flowers were blooming, and their smell drifted across the cotton field and through every room of our house, speaking the names of our dead.” I find that beautifully descriptive and strangely poignant. I can picture the setting and smell the pungent flower aromas that carry within them the promise of decay. That decay is evidenced in the person of Doodle, a little boy who was born with physical defects that might have taken him immediately, but instead left him weak and dependent, the sweetest and kindest of souls, with a brother who is anxious to have a friend and playmate who can run and swim and row and who tries, against all odds to make that happen.
There is an element of hope and determination about the story that I love. Doodle’s life might have meant nothing at all if not for this boy who torments him into walking and running against the protests of his own body. Doodle sees all the beauty of the world, he is captured by it, but it is the brother who gives him that chance; the brother who believes.
This story is heartbreaking. Its ending screams of consequences, of the cost of pressing too hard for something that is forbidden, of failing to think beyond the present or realize the implications of loss. But, there is that hopeful side as well. Doodle was not supposed to live, but he did, he was not supposed to walk, but he did, and his life had meaning and purpose, brought joy and achievement. Our narrator did not smother his brother in his crib (a thought he claimed to have had), and his life was richer for knowing him, and mine was richer for reading this story. Thank you, Mr. Hurst.
January 28, 2015
In my English class we just finished reading this and this short story was just absolutely amazing. Hurst describes everything in perfect, precise detail and he explains absolutely everything. At first, in the beginning when he talks about how he was going to smother his brother I was appalled and couldn't really fathom why we were reading something like this in class. But, throughout the story I could see why. Even though most of the things that he does to/for his brother, helping him walk, teaching him to row, run, etc were done for selfish reasons, I think that he still cared about and loved his brother. I have an autistic brother and yes, it is something that is hard to handle and it's different, but I wouldn't go to any extremes of being ashamed of him and trying to improve him so that I could look better.
Fortunately, I finished the short story on my own because to my surprise, I actually cried at the end. The way he describes how he leaves his small, helpless brother in the rain, devastated me. Even though I suspected from about half way through the story that at the end something was going to happen, he was going to push him to hard, he might kill the boy, or the illness would eventually take his brother, but I predicted that Doodle was going to die. Regardless of having predicted it, reading it and finally getting to that part in the story was completely different from what I had expected. Just thinking of that poor little boy dying alone, in the rain, his illness that he had been struggling with for his entire life finally claiming him, and probably the worst for him was that his brother, the one person that he was always with and relied on, was disappointed in him because he couldn't meet their "goal". Just those facts broke my heart.
This short story not only is described in beautiful detail, but it tells the struggle of one boy and of his sweet handicapped brother. It shows how human pride, and arrogance can sometimes consume how they think and act, and sometimes, ending with dire consequences.
Fortunately, I finished the short story on my own because to my surprise, I actually cried at the end. The way he describes how he leaves his small, helpless brother in the rain, devastated me. Even though I suspected from about half way through the story that at the end something was going to happen, he was going to push him to hard, he might kill the boy, or the illness would eventually take his brother, but I predicted that Doodle was going to die. Regardless of having predicted it, reading it and finally getting to that part in the story was completely different from what I had expected. Just thinking of that poor little boy dying alone, in the rain, his illness that he had been struggling with for his entire life finally claiming him, and probably the worst for him was that his brother, the one person that he was always with and relied on, was disappointed in him because he couldn't meet their "goal". Just those facts broke my heart.
This short story not only is described in beautiful detail, but it tells the struggle of one boy and of his sweet handicapped brother. It shows how human pride, and arrogance can sometimes consume how they think and act, and sometimes, ending with dire consequences.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2010
I believe it is more than just a sob story or a tear jerker. It is about losing something important that you can never get back, something we all have gone through. Brother wasn't as horrible as people think. He's just not the heroic, defender-of-the-little, perfect, prepackaged bubble gum type of fictional character that doesn't exist in real life: He is like a normal human being and I can especially relate since both of my brothers have mental disabilities and I know how it feels like to want to have normal brothers to play with. Yes, Brother went too far, but there are VERY few people who can say that they hadn't gone too far on certain things, as well.
Doodle's death wasn't meant to be just a tear jerker in my opinion, it was supposed to relate to the reader on many levels. Yes, it was a simple short story, but I think that was the thing that made it such a classic.
Doodle's death wasn't meant to be just a tear jerker in my opinion, it was supposed to relate to the reader on many levels. Yes, it was a simple short story, but I think that was the thing that made it such a classic.
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July 22, 2023I read this in high school and I don't know if it's good or not but it was one of the first books that I read that made me have a chronic fear of tragic stories. I no longer have that fear so perhaps I should revisit this.
March 20, 2015
Why do I keep reading books like this? I'm tired of I don't even know how to rate this. But, I now know why around forty% of high schoolers never read another book after they leave school. If this is what books consist of, I too, would never read another. The writing skills have nothing to do with it. I desperately need some hot chocolate it get me over this morbidly gloomy book.
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March 23, 2017I read this around 1997. It was actually a short story in a high school lit book. I had never read it before and it brought me so much sadness. One of my book club friends here on GR has made a suggestion to read it....I am not sure I can read along. All I feel is sadness when I remember it. So, I guess I read it 20 years ago....would I feel differently today??? I doubt it. But...it is a great read. I highly recommend it.
February 25, 2017
"It was in the clove of seasons, summer was dead but autumn had not yet been born, that the ibis lit in the bleeding tree.1 The flower garden was strained with rotting brown magnolia petals and ironweeds grew rank amid the purple phlox."
purple phlox
ironweeds
"... "Doodle, don't you want to learn to walk?"
He'd nod his head, and I'd say, "Well, if you don't keep trying, you'll never learn." Then I'd paint for him a picture of us as old men, white-haired, him with a long white beard and me still pulling him around in the go-cart. This never failed to make him try again."
"Finally one day, after many weeks of practicing, he stood alone for a few seconds. When he fell, I grabbed him in my arms and hugged him, our laughter pealing through the swamp like a ringing bell. "
"...Sadly, we all looked back at the bird. A scarlet ibis! How many miles it had traveled to die like this, in our yard, beneath the bleeding tree"
purple phlox
ironweeds
"... "Doodle, don't you want to learn to walk?"
He'd nod his head, and I'd say, "Well, if you don't keep trying, you'll never learn." Then I'd paint for him a picture of us as old men, white-haired, him with a long white beard and me still pulling him around in the go-cart. This never failed to make him try again."
"Finally one day, after many weeks of practicing, he stood alone for a few seconds. When he fell, I grabbed him in my arms and hugged him, our laughter pealing through the swamp like a ringing bell. "
"...Sadly, we all looked back at the bird. A scarlet ibis! How many miles it had traveled to die like this, in our yard, beneath the bleeding tree"
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October 21, 2024Not me reading this for school and literally sobbing…
September 29, 2015
I wanted to review Scarlet Ibis, and when I searched for it I got this big old volume. I haven't read this whole book, haven't even known of its existence until minutes ago. But here is my review and amount of stars reserved for Scarlet Ibis.
A review for Scarlet Ibis:
People always see themselves as the victim until too late.
In this book, we have Brother. "Ohh, poor me! I longed and longed for a little brother to play and run around with. But he was disabled." So he works with him until he can walk. But Brother isn't done yet. He wants his little brother to be able to run and swim and do things more. More, more, more! Higher, higher, higher! Brother was sure of his infallibility and knew no bounds. So when his little brother can't do what he wants him to do, Brother runs away when his little brother needed him. I don't think it was because his little brother couldn't do it. Brother was upset because HE couldn't make him do it. A story of pride, a story of limits, and though we always see the little brother as the victim, Brother's view sees himself as the victim in a well-played, refreshing way.
A review for Scarlet Ibis:
People always see themselves as the victim until too late.
In this book, we have Brother. "Ohh, poor me! I longed and longed for a little brother to play and run around with. But he was disabled." So he works with him until he can walk. But Brother isn't done yet. He wants his little brother to be able to run and swim and do things more. More, more, more! Higher, higher, higher! Brother was sure of his infallibility and knew no bounds. So when his little brother can't do what he wants him to do, Brother runs away when his little brother needed him. I don't think it was because his little brother couldn't do it. Brother was upset because HE couldn't make him do it. A story of pride, a story of limits, and though we always see the little brother as the victim, Brother's view sees himself as the victim in a well-played, refreshing way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2011
This story was definately one I had to fight back tears with. I don't think it was just me who felt this way, I mean I looked over and saw half of my friends trying to do the same. This story was great! The deep symbolism that was embedded in it, made a much more complex meaning and made me ponder on it more than I would have. It got me thinking about life, and the value of each person. Having a special needs sister made this story even more close to home, for me. There were many things I connected with, and this sort reassured me I will never leave my sister behind. She will always be my best friend. I think this story shows great writing skills, and symbolism was definately the key to it. I rated this story 4 stars, because in a way, I think it was almost TOO brutally honest. Some of the things that the narrator says makes me more apprehensive than I am in other books or stories. But overall, this short story was excellent. Well written. You just have to read it if you haven't!!
September 1, 2024
When I catch Brother, the things I’m gonna do to him is going to make ME look like a psychopath instead of him
January 25, 2010
Although it was supposed to be incredibly depressing I didn't cry. I didn't even understand why Doodle died until the teacher explained. And while most readers (like my whole class) will agree that his death was all Brother's fault (I really wish the author had given us a proper name for the narrater) I was able to sympathize with him, and I think that in the end, he got off alot worse than Doodle. I think the bird symbolism was wonderful, especially at the end when Brother calls Doodle his "little scarlet ibis". I think the story could've done with an epilogue, but maybe it was better that it ended bluntly that way: "...sheilding my little scarlet ibis from the heresey of rain."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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June 20, 2024unsettling
June 28, 2014
I cried, and i loved it, but it just shows how realistic the world is and not every innocent person can survive.
February 2, 2021
and one final fucked up short story that i found on tiktok for tuesday morning! what the fuck!
September 3, 2024
4.5 ⭐️ the stupid brother literally kills his brother bc he is embarrassed of his brother is crippled
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2024
another short story for english
April 22, 2013
This was one of the few story we took in class that enjoyed, I was literally going to tear up. Had to keep it in.
I loved the way that the author had connected the Ibis to Doodle. Doodle is basically a helpless child who was a huge disappointment to the family but mostly to his brother. Although Doodle's brother was such an asshole, I sort of understand his twin personality.
One second he would be like
and after a moment
I hate doodle though, if I was his sister I'd kill him for no reason at all. Just because he gets on my nerves.
He IS a burden and should be placed in that coffin that his dad built him so just get on with it. One cannot deny that is a good short story, I was disappointed though. I was expecting more of symbolism, guess i shouldn't get my hopes up
I loved the way that the author had connected the Ibis to Doodle. Doodle is basically a helpless child who was a huge disappointment to the family but mostly to his brother. Although Doodle's brother was such an asshole, I sort of understand his twin personality.
One second he would be like
and after a moment
I hate doodle though, if I was his sister I'd kill him for no reason at all. Just because he gets on my nerves.
He IS a burden and should be placed in that coffin that his dad built him so just get on with it. One cannot deny that is a good short story, I was disappointed though. I was expecting more of symbolism, guess i shouldn't get my hopes up
September 1, 2020
This short story has stuck with me since high school and I’ve always wanted to re-read it one day so I finally decided to do it. My only real complaint about this story is that I wish it was longer.
Just as tragic as I remember it, though I saw more of the symbolism and historical elements this time around. I also found that I could relate to both brothers at times. Those with siblings remember doing cruel things and wishing to take them back afterward.
I thought Doodle’s character especially shined. Despite his physical difficulties, he tried so hard to please his older brother that it broke my heart. Even more heartbreaking is when Doodle questions his brother on why he needs to learn to walk, accepting his limitations.
The symbolism with death and the scarlet ibis are well done. My heart will always ache for poor Doodle.
Just as tragic as I remember it, though I saw more of the symbolism and historical elements this time around. I also found that I could relate to both brothers at times. Those with siblings remember doing cruel things and wishing to take them back afterward.
I thought Doodle’s character especially shined. Despite his physical difficulties, he tried so hard to please his older brother that it broke my heart. Even more heartbreaking is when Doodle questions his brother on why he needs to learn to walk, accepting his limitations.
The symbolism with death and the scarlet ibis are well done. My heart will always ache for poor Doodle.
July 3, 2014
This was required reading for my Junior year in high school. We finished this story just as the bell rang and I ran out of the classroom so no one could see me crying. The emotion that is packed into such a short story is beyond description and to this day I have a copy of this book on my bookshelf, untouched, because I am afraid of re-reading it and breaking down all over again.
This is the standard I set for myself when I try my hand at serious prose. If I could coax even a third of the emotion from one of my readers that James Hurst had brought out in me, I would know true literary success.
This is the standard I set for myself when I try my hand at serious prose. If I could coax even a third of the emotion from one of my readers that James Hurst had brought out in me, I would know true literary success.
April 8, 2020
» read for English Language Arts 10.
this was both sudden yet expected. it's straightforward in ways people are not with inner cruelty, selfishness and pride. it's provoking, and I like that, but I don't quite understand how I truly feel about it. I'm also weighed down by the knowledge that I'm annotating this later—later meaning soon—and while I don't jump with joy at the thought of annotations, I think this text is worth the study and will round much of my understanding.
They did not know that I did it for myself, that pride, whose slave I was, spoke to me louder than all their voices . . .
this was both sudden yet expected. it's straightforward in ways people are not with inner cruelty, selfishness and pride. it's provoking, and I like that, but I don't quite understand how I truly feel about it. I'm also weighed down by the knowledge that I'm annotating this later—later meaning soon—and while I don't jump with joy at the thought of annotations, I think this text is worth the study and will round much of my understanding.
November 3, 2011
this is a short story that I read in my language arts class and I really liked it. Its a story about a young boy who is making his way through life only to have something horrible happen to him. Reads it to find out what it is.Reading this story will make you think of the world in a different way. Also it will change the way you see the ending of most books.This is a book I reccommend to people who want to have a different type of story to read.
March 11, 2011
I thought that this was a good quick read. It is only thirty-six pages long, has no chapters, and a picture every couple of pages. Although the pictures are well drawn, I would not suggest looking at more than three of them PRIOR to reading the book. It would ruin the story. Again, go ahead and read it, it's a good book. But it is very sad.
-Julianne
-Julianne
November 10, 2011
I just read this book in my freshman class and I loved it. The detail and the literary work used by James Hurst is amazing. The descriptions and the visual pictures that are painted into your brain are just amazing. I almost cried when the father wanted to have a casket made for the baby that he was assuming the worst for and lived. We haven't read the last five pages but so far so good!!!! :)
June 27, 2012
Loved the symbolism in this book.
The message in the book was brilliant.
It was sad to think that the older brother did certain actions because of his pride, and how he did not want an "invalid" as a brother.
The way the scarlet Ibis and the little brother related to eachother...how the Ibis died even though it's come a long way...just brilliant.
Loved it.
The message in the book was brilliant.
It was sad to think that the older brother did certain actions because of his pride, and how he did not want an "invalid" as a brother.
The way the scarlet Ibis and the little brother related to eachother...how the Ibis died even though it's come a long way...just brilliant.
Loved it.
September 9, 2009
Some people thought this story was heartening, which I can see, but personally, I found this book to be horribly sad and depressing. I can't believe Doodle died! And so close to being able to show his parents what he was capable of!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2010
The Scarlet Ibis was a very interesting short story because, it was sraight to the point.
Although it was straight to the point, it time to let you get to know the characters and you can see how you are like them.
Although it was straight to the point, it time to let you get to know the characters and you can see how you are like them.
July 19, 2011
A story of two young brothers, the younger one (Doodle) being born disabled and his older brothers desire to push him to his full potential. You're left asking yourself does he do it for love or for his own selfish reasons? This story made me cry and left me stunned.
December 23, 2008
This was a great story... they only problem was that I had to read it in class so I didn't have any tissues to wipe away the tears! :(
May 7, 2013
I LOVE DOODLE
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