Doodle's Struggle In The Scarlet Ibis By James Hurst

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A caul is an amniotic membrane enclosing a fetus. In "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst, the story is set in the early 1900s when Doodle is born and the narrator, “Brother", is six years old. As time goes on throughout the short story, they begin to grow. Doodle is born with a caul on his head. The narrator does not like this because he wants someone to run and play with. Because of this disability, Doodle could not be too hot, too cold, or too anything. The narrator, "Brother", in the story causes Doodle's death by his pride, overworking him, and running away from him. The narrator, "Brother", in the story causes Doodle's death by his pride. The narrator is embarrassed by Doodle because he had to pull Doodle around in a wagon for several years. Eventually the narrator talked Doodle into learning to walk so the narrator would not be humiliated. The narrator says,"I should have already admitted defeat, but my pride wouldn't let me" (422). Even though Doodle failed at completing his "schedule" the …show more content…
After Doodle did not complete his "schedule", the narrator becomes angry with him. Most of the time when kids become angry they will run away. Then they cool off just as fast as they ran off. "The knowledge that Doodle's and my plans had come to naught was bitter,and the streak of cruelty within me awakened. I ran as fast as I could, leaving him far behind with a wall of rain diving us", says the narrator (425). As the narrator ran from Doodle, he knew that Doodle can not run after him even if it is only for a short amount of time. This causes Doodle to try to run after the narrator after he just rowed causing Doodle to die. The narrator says,"He had been bleeding from the mouth, and his neck and the front of his shirt was stained a brilliant red" (426). The narrator and Doodle spent nearly an entire year trying to succeed in completing their "schedule" but ultimately
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