The Scarlet Ibis
| "The Scarlet Ibis" | |
|---|---|
| Short story by James Hurst | |
 | |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Tragedy, short story |
| Publication | |
| Published in | The Atlantic Monthly |
| Media type | magazine |
| Publication date | July 1960 |
"The Scarlet Ibis" is a short story written by James Hurst.[1] It was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in July 1960[2] and won the "Atlantic First" award.[3] The story has become a classic of American literature, and has been frequently republished in high school anthologies and other collections.[4]
Plot
The narrator, who is not named but simply called "Brother", recounts the life of his younger brother, William Armstrong, nicknamed "Doodle". Doodle is born a sickly child, who is not expected to live because of his birth defects. His family even has a small coffin made in the case of his death, and presumably chooses the robust name 'William Armstrong' because it would look good on a gravestone. Doodle survives, but for most of his childhood, he is unable to move or respond to his environment. Brother even goes so far as planning to smother the baby with a pillow, thinking that having no brother was better than having a brother who wasn't truly there. Luckily, Doodle smiles at Brother before he can do the deed, and, overjoyed that his brother is smart, Brother leaves him be.
Doodle eventually learns to crawl, even though the doctor says the strain of even sitting up might kill him because of his weak heart. He crawls backwards, though, reminding Brother of a doodlebug, leading him to nickname William, "Doodle". But Doodle is still very weak and feeble. Brother wanted someone who could run and jump and play with him, but resents having the weak and fragile Doodle instead. Brother even has to pull his brother around in a wooden go-kart his father built him, because Doodle can't walk. It is now that Brother decides to train Doodle to be a "normal human being". He takes Doodle down to the swamp to teach him how to walk.
Eventually, shortly before his sixth birthday, Doodle learns to walk with help from Brother. Encouraged by this, Brother decides to teach Doodle how to run, climb vines, swim, row and even fight to prepare Doodle for school. However, almost a year after the plan was made, Doodle is far from accomplishing the goals by the nearing deadline.
One day, a big red bird appears in their garden, looking sick and tired. The boys' father identifies it as a scarlet ibis, a tropical bird that was blown off-course by a recent storm. When the bird dies, Doodle, pitying the creature, buries it. Afterwards, the boys go to the nearby Horsehead Landing to continue Doodle's "training". On their way back to the house, Brother has Doodle practice rowing. A sudden rainstorm comes, and when they reach the riverbank, Doodle is tired and frightened. Brother, angry and frustrated that Doodle could not finish his training before school starts, runs ahead of Doodle, leaving the frightened boy behind. When Brother does not see Doodle, he returns for him, his anger dissipated. To his horror, he finds Doodle, lifeless, lying on the ground with blood flowing out of his mouth, staining his throat and shirt a brilliant red. The story ends with Brother crying and cradling Doodle's body. As this happens, Brother recalls how he killed Doodle with his selfish pride.
Analysis
The story has been described as "rich in symbolism". The scarlet ibis is the main symbol in the story, as is the color red and the ibis in comparison to Doodle as fragile yet majestic. The storm is often compared to Doodle's brother because the brother pushed him too hard, much as the storm did with the scarlet ibis.[5] The story also examines the ambiguous nature of pride: "I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death." Brother acknowledges that pride is wonderful because it has allowed for Doodle to do great and unexpected things but also terrible because his true motivations were not pure and ultimately caused Doodle's death.[6]
Opera
The story was developed into an opera by composer Stefan Weisman with librettist David Cote. The opera was co-produced by New York City's Beth Morrison Projects and HERE Arts Center in association with American Opera Projects, and premiered in the PROTOTYPE Opera Festival on January 8, 2015.[7] New York Times critic, David Allen, called the opera "a moving, intense and dignified creation."[8] The opera was produced in January 2019 by the Boston Opera Collaborative and February 2019 by the Chicago Opera Theater.
James Hurst
One thing I don't know why It doesn't even matter how hard you try Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme To explain in due time
All I know Time is a valuable thing Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings Watch it count down to the end of the day The clock ticks life away
It's so unreal Didn't look out below Watch the time go right out the window Tryin' to hold on, did-didn't even know I wasted it all just to watch you go
I kept everything inside and even though I tried It all fell apart What it meant to me will eventually Be a memory of a time when I tried so hard
I tried so hard and got so far But in the end it doesn't even matter I had to fall to lose it all But in the end it doesn't even matter
One thing, I don't know why It doesn't even matter how hard you try Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme To remind myself how I tried so hard
In spite of the way you were mockin' me Acting like I was part of your property Remembering all the times you fought with me I'm surprised it got so far
Things aren't the way they were before You wouldn't even recognize me anymore Not that you knew me back then But it all comes back to me in the end
You kept everything inside and even though I tried It all fell apart What it meant to me will eventually Be a memory of a time when I tried so hard
I tried so hard and got so far But in the end it doesn't even matter I had to fall to lose it all But in the end it doesn't even matter
I've put my trust in you Pushed as far as I can go For all this There's only one thing you should know
I've put my trust in you Pushed as far as I can go For all this There's only one thing you should know
I tried so hard and got so far But in the end it doesn't even matter I had to fall to lose it all But in the end it doesn't even matter
References
- ^ Hurst, James (1988). The Scarlet Ibis: The Collection of Wonder (Creative Short Stories) (9780886820008). ISBN 0886820006.
- ^ "The Scarlet Ibis". Novelguide. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
- ^ Blauner, Andrew; Frank McCourt (2010). Brothers: 26 Stories of Love and Rivalry. John Wiley and Sons. p. 265. ISBN 978-0-470-59964-8. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
- ^ "ClassZone: Language of Literature Authors". McDougal Littell Inc. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
- ^ Depino, Catherine (2000). Critical Reading Activities For The Works Of Cynthia Voigt: Grades 4-6. Walch Publishing. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-8251-4132-4. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
- ^ Emanuel, Lizzy. "The Scarlet Ibis The Scarlet Ibis". LitCharts. LitCharts LLC. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
- ^ "PROTOTYPE | The Scarlet Ibis". 13 Oct 2014.
- ^ Allen, David (9 Jan 2015). "Stormy Waters Decide a Family's Fate|". The New York Times.