The Scarlet Ibis Research Paper

Are you selfish or selfless? In the short story, ‘The Scarlet Ibis,’ by James Hurst, has a main character named Brother who is both selfish and selfless. In the short story, Brother wanted to teach his brother, Doodle, to walk and sometimes he pushed him a little too hard because he was embarrassed he had a brother that couldn’t walk. Brother’s selflessness and selfishness throughout the beginning, middle, and end of the story help prove the theme that you should always be there for your family.

At the beginning of the story, ‘The Scarlet Ibis,’ Brother was both selfish and selfless. Brother was very excited when he heard he was having a brother. Through his mind he was thinking he would have a life-long best friend who would run …show more content…
Brother took Doodle to the top of the barn and showed him the casket they made for him when he was once born, because they didn't think he would make it. Brother threatened to leave Doodle if he didn’t touch it he would leave him: “I won't touch it, he said sullenly. Then I’ll leave you here by yourself, I threatened, and made as if I were going down”(Hurst 110). This was a very rude and selfish thing to do to Doodle just to make him feel bad. As we transition into the ending of the story you will see the time when Brother was the most …show more content…
Brother, was more selfish than he was in the whole story. Doodle and Brother were at Old Woman Swamp, canoeing, and it started to storm. Hurrying home, the faster Brother walked Doodle walked, trying to keep up: “The faster I walked, the faster he walked so I began to run”(Hurst 360). Doodle soon fell behind and Brother kept running. Brother soon waited for Doodle but he never came. He went looking for Doodle, he found Doodle with his head between his legs, sitting on the ground, between his legs, sitting on the ground, bleeding out of his mouth. Brother was devastated. Brother questioned himself, why did he leave Doodle in the first