Scarlet Ibis Essay
In the short story, The Scarlet Ibis, by James Hurst there were many symbols that enhanced the reading experience with their connotations. The mahogany coffin, the scarlet ibis, and the color red help to relate aspects of the story to underlying themes.
The mahogany coffin represented the somewhat pre-determined destiny of the narrator’s brother, Doodle. Doodle was expected to die early due to being a cripple, but he came back from his disability. Everyone had a sudden expectation that the baby Doodle was automatically going to die, “Daddy had Mr. Heath, the carpenter, build a little mahogany coffin for him” (190). The coffin was placed in a barn loft as a memory of what could have been, but also as a reminder of what could be. Doodle didn’t want to take responsibility for the box when his brother showed it to him, “Doodle studied the mahogany box for a long time, then said, ‘It’s not mine’” (194). Due to the expectations of Doodle being dead when he was younger and the ever-looming presence of the mahogany coffin, it was obvious foreshadowing that something horrible would occur to cause harm to Doodle.
Another important symbol in the story was the scarlet ibis, which represented Doodle in his hard journey of transforming to meet his brothers large expectations. The scarlet ibis had appeared in the yard of Doodle and the narrator’s home perched in a blood stained tree. The bird was too exotic to have lived in the area, and the only explanation was that a storm had brought it to them, “‘It lives in the tropics- South America to Florida. A storm must have brought it here’” (201). The bird proceeded to fall off the tree in utter exhaustion at its hard work and then lay dead on their lawn. Similarly, Doodle died in a horrible storm, while facing the pressure and weariness brought unto him by his brother, “He failed and we both knew it, so we started back home, racing the storm. We never spoke but I knew he was watching me, waiting for a sign of mercy,” (203). After running ahead and turning back to find Doodle, the narrator puts Doodle’s situation in perspective, “I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the rain,” (204).
Finally, the color red symbolizes the danger and devastation that would lie ahead for Doodle and his brother. When Doodle was born he looked sickly, “He seemed all head, with a tiny body which was red and shriveled like an old man’s,” (191). From the beginning of the story we are able to differ that the red coloring of the baby symbolizes bad news and the negative affect it produces. The death of the scarlet ibis was also described by various reds to show the importance of the event, “Even death did not mar its grace, for it lay on the earth like a broken vase of red flowers, and we stood awed by it’s exotic beauty,” (201). After the excitement died down, Aunt Nicey said dead birds were bad luck, “‘Specially red dead bird,’” (202). Through out the story it is evident that red has a negative connotation and that when it is used it was inferred that bad things would follow.
The symbols of the coffin, scarlet ibis, and the color red add depth to the story and help display the bigger picture than the plot itself. From reading this story I was able to realize that by expecting failure I may come in the way of acknowledging successes big or small of others or myself. Also, I learned that one has to come up with practical goals and handle them independently in a way that will not push them to the breaking point. Therefore, symbolism helped me gain valuable life lessons.
In the short story, The Scarlet Ibis, by James Hurst there were many symbols that enhanced the reading experience with their connotations. The mahogany coffin, the scarlet ibis, and the color red help to relate aspects of the story to underlying themes.
The mahogany coffin represented the somewhat pre-determined destiny of the narrator’s brother, Doodle. Doodle was expected to die early due to being a cripple, but he came back from his disability. Everyone had a sudden expectation that the baby Doodle was automatically going to die, “Daddy had Mr. Heath, the carpenter, build a little mahogany coffin for him” (190). The coffin was placed in a barn loft as a memory of what could have been, but also as a reminder of what could be. Doodle didn’t want to take responsibility for the box when his brother showed it to him, “Doodle studied the mahogany box for a long time, then said, ‘It’s not mine’” (194). Due to the expectations of Doodle being dead when he was younger and the ever-looming presence of the mahogany coffin, it was obvious foreshadowing that something horrible would occur to cause harm to Doodle.
Another important symbol in the story was the scarlet ibis, which represented Doodle in his hard journey of transforming to meet his brothers large expectations. The scarlet ibis had appeared in the yard of Doodle and the narrator’s home perched in a blood stained tree. The bird was too exotic to have lived in the area, and the only explanation was that a storm had brought it to them, “‘It lives in the tropics- South America to Florida. A storm must have brought it here’” (201). The bird proceeded to fall off the tree in utter exhaustion at its hard work and then lay dead on their lawn. Similarly, Doodle died in a horrible storm, while facing the pressure and weariness brought unto him by his brother, “He failed and we both knew it, so we started back home, racing the storm. We never spoke but I knew he was watching me, waiting for a sign of mercy,” (203). After running ahead and turning back to find Doodle, the narrator puts Doodle’s situation in perspective, “I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the rain,” (204).
Finally, the color red symbolizes the danger and devastation that would lie ahead for Doodle and his brother. When Doodle was born he looked sickly, “He seemed all head, with a tiny body which was red and shriveled like an old man’s,” (191). From the beginning of the story we are able to differ that the red coloring of the baby symbolizes bad news and the negative affect it produces. The death of the scarlet ibis was also described by various reds to show the importance of the event, “Even death did not mar its grace, for it lay on the earth like a broken vase of red flowers, and we stood awed by it’s exotic beauty,” (201). After the excitement died down, Aunt Nicey said dead birds were bad luck, “‘Specially red dead bird,’” (202). Through out the story it is evident that red has a negative connotation and that when it is used it was inferred that bad things would follow.
The symbols of the coffin, scarlet ibis, and the color red add depth to the story and help display the bigger picture than the plot itself. From reading this story I was able to realize that by expecting failure I may come in the way of acknowledging successes big or small of others or myself. Also, I learned that one has to come up with practical goals and handle them independently in a way that will not push them to the breaking point. Therefore, symbolism helped me gain valuable life lessons.