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The Scarlet Ibis And Brother's Relationship

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In a person’s mind, there is a constant battle going on between good and bad forces. At times, one force dominates the other and begins to control their overall thoughts and actions. This can have either a positive or a negative effect. “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst is a story about two brothers (Brother and Doodle) who go through many trials and errors together. At times, Brother finds Doodle’s presence to be a nuisance, which ultimately drives him to regret when he finally leaves him alone for good. In the short story, Brother is a cruel, yet caring big brother to Doodle through his thoughts and actions concerning his efforts to make his sibling as normal as possible. Throughout the story, brother shows his cruel side by forcing his …show more content…
Once Doodle stood by himself for a few seconds, thanks to Brother, he felt his heart swell with pride. “When he fell, I grabbed him in my arms and hugged him, our laughter pealing through the swamp like a ringing bell.” (347). Even though Doodle was somewhat of a cripple, Brother never gave up on him. Brother made his ultimate goal teaching his younger sibling how to do basic actions on his own. The older brother could’ve conveniently given up and just watched as his younger brother eroded away from being motionless for so long. Doodle stated that he could not walk because of what people always told him. Even though Brother was aware of this, he didn’t let it deter him from trying, which shows off his caring side. After finding his brother’s dead body and examining it for obvious signs of the cause of death, he becomes heartbroken at the sight of his lifeless little brother. “For a long, long time, it seemed forever, I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy of rain.” (354). Even though Brother was very fed up with his crippled brother, he still had a soft spot for him. Doodle was his brother and nothing could ever change that. They went through many difficulties together: teaching Doodle how to walk, swim, fight, and stand properly. He appeared to be very regretful about leaving Doodle all alone in the storm - if he could’ve just waited patiently …show more content…
In the story, Brother treats Doodle more like a cripple than his own brother. He tells Doodle that he was supposed to die and at one point, he was determined to smother him with a pillow, but he teaches him how to walk, swim, and run instead. He becomes very regretful of his actions when Doodle dies. In the end, Brother let his cruel side control the way he treats Doodle, which ultimately filled him with regret after he realizes the consequences of his thoughts and actions. When the battle within in a person’s head is over, you want the good force to be the triumphant one, rather than the bad side. A life that ends with the bad force being the winner creates a depressing life filled with memories dominated by rage and sadness. On the contrary, a life that ends with the good force being the winner makes a person ecstatic and fills their head with joyful

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