Cruelty and Consequences in "the scarlet ibis"
“’Mama, he smiled! He’s all there! He’s all there’” (Hurst 417). “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst is a tragic story about the narrator and his crippled brother. The narrator’s younger brother, Doodle, is not expected to live. Despite everyone’s expectations, Doodle lives, although he is crippled. As a result, the narrator treats Doodle terribly. This cruel treatment stems from the narrator’s anger at Doodle for being crippled. Such treatment is what ultimately leads to the unfortunate death of Doodle. Throughout the story, Hurst uses many literary devices to assist in telling this story. Hurst’s use of symbolism, setting, and imagery in “The Scarlet Ibis” effectively portrays that acts of cruelty and anger will lead to negative consequences.
Hurst uses symbolism in “The Scarlet Ibis” to demonstrate the negative consequences that are a result of cruelty. The narrator describes the scarlet ibis as he says, “Its long, graceful neck jerked twice into an S, then straightened out, and the bird was still” (Hurst 423-424). The narrator’s cruel treatment of Doodle ultimately results in Doodle’s downfall, which is similar to that of the scarlet ibis. The storm that violently steals the innocent animal away from its home symbolizes the narrator and the tortured bird symbolizes Doodle. Another example of symbolism is when the narrator says, “Even death did not mar its grace, for it lay on the earth like a broken vase of red flowers, and we stood around it, awed by its exotic beauty” (Hurst 424). Hurst includes numerous red scenes within the “The Scarlet Ibis.” The color red is often associated with blood and therefore death. Hurst uses the color red to represent the violence that is found in the way the narrator treats his younger brother. This violence is what causes Doodle to die. Hurst also uses the color red to emphasize the scarlet ibis, which is the most significant symbol in this short story. The ibis symbolizes Doodle; the poor child who is forced to face the consequences that are brought on by the cruel acts of his older brother. Along with symbolism, Hurst uses the setting of “The Scarlet Ibis” to confirm the story’s theme.
Hurst uses foreshadowing in “The Scarlet Ibis” to predict the negative consequences that will result from the narrator’s cruel actions. Toward the conclusion of this story, the narrator says, “The rain was coming, roaring through the pines, and then, like a bursting Roman candle, a gum tree ahead of us was shattered by a bolt of lightning” (Hurst 425). Hurst includes a terrible storm in this story to predict a tragic event that is soon to come. Such a prediction is possible because of the relation of terrible storms to death. The storm predicts Doodle’s death which is a result of the narrator’s actions. The storm also causes the narrator’s actions to appear immensely cruel and due to the pattern of cruel treatment resulting in negative consequences, a terrible event can be predicted with that information. In the beginning of the story, the narrator says, “One day I took him up to the barn loft and showed him his casket… It was covered with a film of Paris green to kill the rats, and screech owls had built a nest in it” (Hurst 418). The narrator shows Doodle his coffin to explain that he was not expected to live. A coffin covered in poison predicts the negative event that happens later in the story because poison is always associated with death since most poisons are deadly and a coffin is only necessary when a person dies. The narrator shows Doodle his coffin through an act of cruelty and that can also predict that Doodle’s death will be a consequences of cruel treatment from the narrator. Besides foreshadowing, imagery is used in “The Scarlet Ibis” to point out the theme.
Imagery is used by the author to highlight how negative a consequence of a cruel action can truly be. The narrator says, “In May and June there was no rain and the crops withered, curled up, then died under the thirsty sun… a hurricane came out of the east, tipping over the oaks in the yard and splitting the limbs of the elm trees” (Hurst 421-422). Hurst includes many descriptions within this story to describe situations in a negative way. Such imagery highlights the negativity of the consequences that result from the narrator’s negative actions. In the beginning of this story, the narrator say, “The flower garden was stained with rotting brown magnolia petals, and iron weeds grew rank… The last graveyard flowers were blooming… speaking softly the names of the dead” (Hurst 416). This description can easily interpret the idea that negative consequences result from cruel actions. Hurst describes this scene in such detail that the reader can smell the death in the air and see the sad brown of the dead plants. Plants only die if they are neglected; therefore these plants are a result of an act of cruelty. Hurst uses this imagery to help the reader recognize the idea that acts of cruelty can result in negative, possibly deadly, consequences. Imagery is the last of the three literary devices James Hurst uses in “The Scarlet Ibis” to explain the theme of the story to the reader.
Symbolism, setting, and imagery are used by the author of “The Scarlet Ibis” to help portray the theme that acts of cruelty will lead to negative consequences. If a person treats another cruelly, then the end result cannot be positive. James Hurst teaches the reader this important lesson through the many literary devices present in “The Scarlet Ibis.” It is difficult to always treat others positively, but positive treatment is returned with positive consequences.
Hurst uses symbolism in “The Scarlet Ibis” to demonstrate the negative consequences that are a result of cruelty. The narrator describes the scarlet ibis as he says, “Its long, graceful neck jerked twice into an S, then straightened out, and the bird was still” (Hurst 423-424). The narrator’s cruel treatment of Doodle ultimately results in Doodle’s downfall, which is similar to that of the scarlet ibis. The storm that violently steals the innocent animal away from its home symbolizes the narrator and the tortured bird symbolizes Doodle. Another example of symbolism is when the narrator says, “Even death did not mar its grace, for it lay on the earth like a broken vase of red flowers, and we stood around it, awed by its exotic beauty” (Hurst 424). Hurst includes numerous red scenes within the “The Scarlet Ibis.” The color red is often associated with blood and therefore death. Hurst uses the color red to represent the violence that is found in the way the narrator treats his younger brother. This violence is what causes Doodle to die. Hurst also uses the color red to emphasize the scarlet ibis, which is the most significant symbol in this short story. The ibis symbolizes Doodle; the poor child who is forced to face the consequences that are brought on by the cruel acts of his older brother. Along with symbolism, Hurst uses the setting of “The Scarlet Ibis” to confirm the story’s theme.
Hurst uses foreshadowing in “The Scarlet Ibis” to predict the negative consequences that will result from the narrator’s cruel actions. Toward the conclusion of this story, the narrator says, “The rain was coming, roaring through the pines, and then, like a bursting Roman candle, a gum tree ahead of us was shattered by a bolt of lightning” (Hurst 425). Hurst includes a terrible storm in this story to predict a tragic event that is soon to come. Such a prediction is possible because of the relation of terrible storms to death. The storm predicts Doodle’s death which is a result of the narrator’s actions. The storm also causes the narrator’s actions to appear immensely cruel and due to the pattern of cruel treatment resulting in negative consequences, a terrible event can be predicted with that information. In the beginning of the story, the narrator says, “One day I took him up to the barn loft and showed him his casket… It was covered with a film of Paris green to kill the rats, and screech owls had built a nest in it” (Hurst 418). The narrator shows Doodle his coffin to explain that he was not expected to live. A coffin covered in poison predicts the negative event that happens later in the story because poison is always associated with death since most poisons are deadly and a coffin is only necessary when a person dies. The narrator shows Doodle his coffin through an act of cruelty and that can also predict that Doodle’s death will be a consequences of cruel treatment from the narrator. Besides foreshadowing, imagery is used in “The Scarlet Ibis” to point out the theme.
Imagery is used by the author to highlight how negative a consequence of a cruel action can truly be. The narrator says, “In May and June there was no rain and the crops withered, curled up, then died under the thirsty sun… a hurricane came out of the east, tipping over the oaks in the yard and splitting the limbs of the elm trees” (Hurst 421-422). Hurst includes many descriptions within this story to describe situations in a negative way. Such imagery highlights the negativity of the consequences that result from the narrator’s negative actions. In the beginning of this story, the narrator say, “The flower garden was stained with rotting brown magnolia petals, and iron weeds grew rank… The last graveyard flowers were blooming… speaking softly the names of the dead” (Hurst 416). This description can easily interpret the idea that negative consequences result from cruel actions. Hurst describes this scene in such detail that the reader can smell the death in the air and see the sad brown of the dead plants. Plants only die if they are neglected; therefore these plants are a result of an act of cruelty. Hurst uses this imagery to help the reader recognize the idea that acts of cruelty can result in negative, possibly deadly, consequences. Imagery is the last of the three literary devices James Hurst uses in “The Scarlet Ibis” to explain the theme of the story to the reader.
Symbolism, setting, and imagery are used by the author of “The Scarlet Ibis” to help portray the theme that acts of cruelty will lead to negative consequences. If a person treats another cruelly, then the end result cannot be positive. James Hurst teaches the reader this important lesson through the many literary devices present in “The Scarlet Ibis.” It is difficult to always treat others positively, but positive treatment is returned with positive consequences.