Compare And Contrast Doodle And Simon Birch

As Luna Lovegood, from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, once said, “Being different isn’t a bad thing. It means you’re brave enough to be yourself.” Everyone is different. Simon Birch and Doodle are no exception to this rule. The two of them have their differences. Simon, from the movie Simon Birch, is seen to be a bit more outspoken, probably because he spends more time out in society, surrounded by more people than just his family. In James Hurst’s short story, “The Scarlet Ibis”, Doodle is in a very different social situation. He is constantly around family due to to the strong relationship he has with them but never has any experience with outsiders. Although Simon Birch and Doodle have their differences, they have many more significant …show more content…
For example, they share a great amount of determination. This is something one can see through the fact that both work past their disabilities to walk, run, swim, and more. Simon, most likely because he is older, is able to overcome more. He is always racing and swimming with Joe or playing baseball. Doodle, on the other hand, can barely run, but even this ability is still very impressive considering he was told he would never be able to walk, let alone run. Despite that unfortunate situation, Simon and Doodle never give up. It is not always easy, but they always try hard to keep up. Doodle pushes himself to keep up with Brother even as he struggles directly before his own death. In fact, neither of them are supposed to live past a day. Not only do they survive, but they learn to do so many things they are always told they will never do. This quality of theirs is of great use because it allows them to have the strength to never be emotionally affected or deterred by the more daunting tasks they face throughout their lives. Another obvious personality trait between the two is the calm acceptance they possess no matter the hardships that are at hand. Both Simon and Doodle know that their disabilities cannot ever be healed, but they are not bitter about it. They are totally okay with it and do not seem to mourn their difficulties often. At one point in the story, Brother is complaining about how Doodle is different and how that must change before he gets to school in fear of embarrassment and ridicule. Doodle, however, is completely indifferent when really this should affect him more than Brother. He asks Brother, “Does it make a difference?”. He clearly believes it does not and therefore, it does not bother him. Simon also is not very upset about his inabilities. He often uses it to his advantage, claiming that he is a “miracle” and Joe should pull him along on his bike. The two of them never once