The Scarlet The Scarlet IbisIbis

By James HurstBy James Hurst

The Text

The story is set in the American South. Its climax takes place in 1918, the year World War I ended. You’ll find references in the story to battles being fought far away from its peaceful southern setting. Why do you suppose the author chose this setting?

The Scarlet IbisThe Scarlet IbisBackgroundBackground

The physical setting—American South in 1918

The historical setting— end of World War I

James Hurst was born on a farm in coastal North Carolina in 1922. After studying at North Carolina State College, he served in the army during World War II.

Hurst wants readers of “The Scarlet Ibis” to think of how the war raging among “brothers” in Europe is related to the conflict between Doodle and his brother.

He reflects, “people always suffer when others try to make them over in their own image.”

Meet the WriterMeet the Writer

United States soldiers fire a machine gun in Belleau Wood, France, in June 1918.

What is the Point of View in What is the Point of View in Scarlet Ibis?Scarlet Ibis?

point of view?point of view? How is the story told? How is the story told? How old is the narrator How old is the narrator

before the flashback?before the flashback? ““But sometimes (like right But sometimes (like right

now), as I sit in the cool, now), as I sit in the cool, green-draped parlor, the green-draped parlor, the grindstone begins to turn, grindstone begins to turn, and time with all its and time with all its changes is ground away– changes is ground away– and I remember Doodle.”and I remember Doodle.”

Characterizing the narratorCharacterizing the narrator

Characterization- much of what we learn Characterization- much of what we learn about the narrator is based on his about the narrator is based on his words, thoughts, or actions regarding his words, thoughts, or actions regarding his brotherbrother

Is this direct or indirect characterization?Is this direct or indirect characterization? Is the narrator dynamic or static? Is the narrator dynamic or static?

Support your answer.Support your answer. What characters are round? Flat? Static? What characters are round? Flat? Static?

Dynamic?Dynamic?

ConflictConflict

Internal?Internal? External?External?

Theme:Theme: Themes are rarely stated directly in literature. (In “Marigolds” Themes are rarely stated directly in literature. (In “Marigolds”

and “The Scarlet Ibis” they are!) Most often, a reader has to and “The Scarlet Ibis” they are!) Most often, a reader has to inferinfer the theme of a work the theme of a work after considerable thoughtafter considerable thought..

Theme is different from Theme is different from subject. subject. A story’s subject might be A story’s subject might be stated as “growing up,” “love,” “heroism,” or “fear.” stated as “growing up,” “love,” “heroism,” or “fear.”

The theme is the statement the writer wants to make The theme is the statement the writer wants to make aboutabout that subject.that subject.

For example, if the subject is “growing up,” the theme might be For example, if the subject is “growing up,” the theme might be expressed thusly: expressed thusly: – For most young people, growing up is a process that involves For most young people, growing up is a process that involves

the pain of achieving self-knowledge. the pain of achieving self-knowledge.

The theme must be stated in at least one sentence; most The theme must be stated in at least one sentence; most themes are complex enough to require several sentences, or themes are complex enough to require several sentences, or even an essay.even an essay.

The insight about human life that is revealed in a literary work.

Key Lines that Develop Key Lines that Develop ThemeTheme

““There is within me (and with sadness I There is within me (and with sadness I have watched it in others) a knot of have watched it in others) a knot of cruelty borne by the stream of love, cruelty borne by the stream of love, much as our blood sometimes bears much as our blood sometimes bears the seed of our destruction…”the seed of our destruction…”

““All of us must have something to be All of us must have something to be proud of”proud of”

““Pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a Pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and seed that bears two vines, life and death.” death.”

How is pride “wonderful and How is pride “wonderful and terrible”?terrible”?

Wonderful because he teaches Wonderful because he teaches Doodle to walkDoodle to walk

Terrible because he does it for selfish Terrible because he does it for selfish reasonsreasons

How does this quote function in the How does this quote function in the story??story??

““The Scarlet Ibis”The Scarlet Ibis”

Literary DevicesLiterary Devices

Foreshadowing:Foreshadowing: hints of hints of clues of events that have yet clues of events that have yet

to occurto occur ““summer was dead, but autumn was not yet born”summer was dead, but autumn was not yet born” Summer of 1918 was blighted- plant growth Summer of 1918 was blighted- plant growth

replaced by death and decayreplaced by death and decay “…“…last graveyard flowers were blooming”last graveyard flowers were blooming” such times make him “remember Doodle”such times make him “remember Doodle” Doodle’s real name only looks good on a Doodle’s real name only looks good on a

tombstonetombstone arrival of the bird, its death, and Doodle burying itarrival of the bird, its death, and Doodle burying it Fall of Ibis- Doodle’s fallFall of Ibis- Doodle’s fall Doodle’s response to the IbisDoodle’s response to the Ibis ““Dead birds is bad luck…Specially red dead birds!” Dead birds is bad luck…Specially red dead birds!”

Imagery: Imagery: descriptive language that descriptive language that deals with any of the five senses deals with any of the five senses

Visual(see)

Auditory(hear)

Olfactory(smell

Gustatory(taste)

Kinesthetic(feel)

pictureflashbrightsharpclear seelightdarklargeblue

screamshoutlistentone

whisperringutternasalsquealquiet

pungentfragrantsweetdank

rich aromastinkymustyrottenodor

essence

sweetsoursaltybitterfreshjuicyblandburntzestytangy

feelwarmgraspsharp

peacefulcold

ruggedjoyfulfuzzyhard

ImageryImagery

Essentially, imagery is any series of words Essentially, imagery is any series of words that create a picture, or sensory that create a picture, or sensory experience in your head. experience in your head.

The use of figurative language (similes, The use of figurative language (similes, metaphors, and personification) helps metaphors, and personification) helps create imagery in writing. Let’s look at create imagery in writing. Let’s look at some examples. some examples.

ExamplesExamples “…“…with a tiny body which was red and shriveled with a tiny body which was red and shriveled

like an old man’s”- like an old man’s”- simile that appeals to the simile that appeals to the sense of sightsense of sight

“…“…curtains billowed out in the afternoon sea curtains billowed out in the afternoon sea breeze, rustling like palmetto fronds”- breeze, rustling like palmetto fronds”- simile simile that appeals to the sense of sight and that appeals to the sense of sight and provides movementprovides movement

““Even death did not mar its grace, for it lay on Even death did not mar its grace, for it lay on the earth like a broken vase of red flowers.” –the earth like a broken vase of red flowers.” –simile that appeals to the sense of sightsimile that appeals to the sense of sight

““The [rain] drops stung my face like The [rain] drops stung my face like nettlesnettles”- ”- simile that appeals to the sense of touchsimile that appeals to the sense of touch

Nettles Nettles are covered with tiny, nearly invisible are covered with tiny, nearly invisible stinging hairs that produce an intense, stinging stinging hairs that produce an intense, stinging pain, followed by redness and skin irritation. pain, followed by redness and skin irritation.

What death imagery What death imagery do you recall?do you recall?

Bleeding treeBleeding tree Rotting brown magnoliaRotting brown magnolia Ironweeds grew rankIronweeds grew rank Graveyard flowersGraveyard flowers Mahogany boxMahogany box Black clouds, darkness descendedBlack clouds, darkness descended

SymbolsSymbols A symbol is a thing or idea A symbol is a thing or idea

that stands for something that stands for something elseelse

The main symbol in the story The main symbol in the story is the scarlet ibis which is the scarlet ibis which stands for Doodlestands for Doodle

Why does the author choose Why does the author choose the scarlet ibis as the symbol the scarlet ibis as the symbol as opposed to another bird?as opposed to another bird?

With what is red usually With what is red usually associated? Why choose a associated? Why choose a red bird and develop red red bird and develop red imagery? imagery?

The last graveyard The last graveyard flowers were flowers were blooming, and blooming, and their smell drifted their smell drifted across the cotton across the cotton field and through field and through every room of our every room of our house, speaking house, speaking softly the names softly the names of our dead.of our dead.– PersonificationPersonification– Sight imagerySight imagery

A grindstone A grindstone stands where the stands where the bleeding tree bleeding tree stood, just outside stood, just outside the kitchen door,…the kitchen door,…

Frangipani is sometimes known as Graveyard

Flower

clove of seasonsclove of seasons– Red flowerRed flower– Red = blood/deathRed = blood/death– Cloves are not ready to be picked until Cloves are not ready to be picked until

they are 5 years old, linking Doodle’s they are 5 years old, linking Doodle’s “late blooming” for a child“late blooming” for a child

– symbolsymbol

the oriole nest in the elm was the oriole nest in the elm was untenanted and rocked back and untenanted and rocked back and forth like an empty cradle. forth like an empty cradle. – SimileSimile– imagery: visualimagery: visual

……and now if an and now if an oriole sings in oriole sings in the elm, its song the elm, its song seems to die up seems to die up in the leaves, a in the leaves, a silvery dust. silvery dust. – MetaphorMetaphor– PersonificationPersonification– Imagery: visual, Imagery: visual,

auditoryauditory

But all of us must have something or But all of us must have something or someone to be proud of, and Doodle had someone to be proud of, and Doodle had become mine. I did not know then that become mine. I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death. seed that bears two vines, life and death. – metaphormetaphor– themetheme

When he fell, I grabbed him in my arms When he fell, I grabbed him in my arms and hugged him, our laughter pealing and hugged him, our laughter pealing through the swamp like a ringing bell. through the swamp like a ringing bell. – SimileSimile– Imagery: auditory, kinestheticImagery: auditory, kinesthetic

People in his stories all had wings and flew People in his stories all had wings and flew wherever they wanted to go. His favorite lie was wherever they wanted to go. His favorite lie was about a boy named Peter who had a pet peacock about a boy named Peter who had a pet peacock with a ten-foot tail. Peter wore a golden robe that with a ten-foot tail. Peter wore a golden robe that glittered so brightly that when he walked through glittered so brightly that when he walked through the sunflowers they turned away from the sun to the sunflowers they turned away from the sun to face him. When Peter was ready to go to sleep, face him. When Peter was ready to go to sleep, the peacock spread his magnificent tail, the peacock spread his magnificent tail, enfolding enfolding the boy gently like a closing go-to-sleep flowerthe boy gently like a closing go-to-sleep flower, , burying him in the gloriously iridescent, rustling burying him in the gloriously iridescent, rustling vortex. Yes, I must admit it. Doodle could beat me vortex. Yes, I must admit it. Doodle could beat me lying.lying.– SymbolSymbol– SimileSimile– Imagery: visualImagery: visual

How many miles it had How many miles it had traveled to die like this, in our traveled to die like this, in our yard, beneath the bleeding yard, beneath the bleeding tree.tree.– symbolsymbol

When we reached Horsehead When we reached Horsehead Landing, lightning was playing Landing, lightning was playing across half the sky and across half the sky and thunder roared out, hiding thunder roared out, hiding even the sound of the sea. even the sound of the sea. – PersonificationPersonification– Imagery: auditory, visualImagery: auditory, visual– Setting: Why is this significant Setting: Why is this significant

setting?setting?

““The Scarlet Ibis”The Scarlet Ibis”

What of setting?What of setting?

We never spoke (We never spoke (what what are the words that can are the words that can solder cracked pride?solder cracked pride?), ), but I knew he was but I knew he was watching me, watching watching me, watching for a sign of mercy. for a sign of mercy.

The rain was coming, The rain was coming, roaring through the roaring through the pines, and then, like a pines, and then, like a bursting Roman bursting Roman candle, a gum tree candle, a gum tree ahead of us was ahead of us was shattered by a bolt of shattered by a bolt of lightning. lightning.

Red Flowering Gum Tree

The drops stung my face like nettles, The drops stung my face like nettles, and the wind flared the wet, glistening and the wind flared the wet, glistening leaves of the bordering trees. leaves of the bordering trees.

The sound of rain was everywhere, The sound of rain was everywhere, but the wind had died and it fell but the wind had died and it fell straight down in parallel paths like straight down in parallel paths like ropes hanging from the sky. ropes hanging from the sky.

Finally I went back and found him Finally I went back and found him huddled beneath a red nightshade huddled beneath a red nightshade bush beside the road.bush beside the road.

Red Nightshade

For a long, long time, it seemed For a long, long time, it seemed forever, I lay there crying, forever, I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy from the heresy [1]of rain.of rain.

[1] heresy—n. an action or opinion heresy—n. an action or opinion contrary to what is generally contrary to what is generally thought of as rightthought of as right