The Scarlet Ibis

by

James Hurst

The Scarlet Ibis

The story of the scarlet ibis (a type of bird) directly parallels that of Doodle, as both fall victim to forces outside their own control. The scarlet ibis is not native to North America…

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The Storm

Just as the scarlet ibis parallels Doodle’s story, the storm is analogous to Brother’s pride and the tyrannical authority he wields over his brother. One storm brings the ibis far from its home in…

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Coffin

When Doodle is born, most people believe that he will not survive very long, and so his parents have a small coffin made for him. Although he ultimately lives to outgrow this coffin, it serves…

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Go-cart

When it becomes clear that Doodle is able to crawl and wants to experience the world, Doodle’s father builds him a go-cart so that Brother can pull him around. It signifies the ways in which…

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