Background - Teacher Websiteteacherboggs.weebly.com/uploads/7/9/6/7/79671654/...• The Scarlet Ibis...
Transcript of Background - Teacher Websiteteacherboggs.weebly.com/uploads/7/9/6/7/79671654/...• The Scarlet Ibis...
Background
• The Scarlet Ibis
Background
– Author
– Publication
– Influence
• James Hurst
• published in the July
1960
• "The Scarlet Ibis" was
the first and only work
of Hurst's to achieve
widespread success.
• The Scarlet Ibis
Background, Con’t:
– The Bird Itself
• Native of the South
American tropics
• The scarlet ibis is vivid
red, but loses its color if it
doesn’t eat the proper
diet
• It needs a particular
habitat in order to thrive
• The scarlet ibis is an
endangered species
which has not bred
successfully in its natural
habitat since the 1960s.
• The Scarlet Ibis Background, Con’t:– The Story
• Explores the conflicts between love and pride and draws attention to the effects of familial and societal expectations on those who are handicapped.
• Draws a powerful symbolic connection between the handicapped child Doodle and the beautiful and rare Scarlet Ibis
• Overview
– Plot at a Glance• The story focuses on
the troubled relationship between two young boys: the narrator and his mentally and physically disabled brother, Doodle.
• His brother wishes he had a normal functioning brother and sometimes even has dark thoughts about murdering him
• Overview
– Plot at a Glance• Motivated by a smile
Doodle give his brother,
however, Brother decides
to teach Doodle how to
walk along with other
skills a normal boy would
possess
• With his brother
pushing him perhaps
too hard to be
something he is not,
Doodle’s health
begins to decline.
Literary Focus
• Literary Focus
– Symbols
• The Scarlet Ibis
• Connections Between The
Scarlet Ibis and Doodle
• In the course of the story, Doodle becomes symbolically identified with a rare and beautiful Scarlet Ibis
1a.The Scarlet ibis, an exotic bird that does not belong in the narrator's region, land in their backyard
1b.Doodle is forced to do things that he should not have to try to do and is forced out of his element
2a.The red bird falls from the tree it is in, and lands dead at the feet of Doodle’s family
2b.Forces of out of his element Doodle loses his color (as a Scarlet Ibis would) and his health declines
The shaded area of the
map highlights the region
populated by the Scarlet
Ibis
• Symbols, Con’t:
• Coffin and Go-Cart
• Weather
• Representative of both
the expectations of
Doodle’s family and
Doodle’s ability to
overcome those
expectations (that he is
going to die as an infant
and that he will never
walk)
• Reflects the mood of the
story—the weather often
mirrors if good or bad
things are happening in
the story
• Literary Focus
– Themes and Conflicts
• Love
• Pride
• Disabilities
• Expectations and
Limitations
• Brotherly Love
• Beauty Found in the
Unique
• Age and Experience
• Literary Focus
– Foreshadowing
• Hurst frequently uses
foreshadowing to suggest
an upcoming event.
• In “The Scarlet Ibis” this
most clearly used to hint
at death coming:
– Doctor's warning about
Doodle's weak heart, to
foreshadow the death of
Doodle
– The changing of seasons
being described in terms of
“death” and rebirth
• Literary Focus
– Point of View
• Literary Focus
– Irony
• The story is told as a first-person reminiscence by Brother
• This is noteworthy because Brother is looking back on events from his childhood with the maturity of an adult.
• The narration is would suggest that the story would be told with sympathy for Brother, but because of the honesty of the narrative, Doodle is the more sympathetic character
• Furthermore, Brother’s attempts to help Doodle are ultimately harmful to him
Characters
• Characters
– Doodle
• Mentally and physically retarded
• Doodle is a disappointment to his family, especially to Brother
• Everyone expects Doodle to die, but he defies them all and survives, becoming a loving boy with a strong attachment to Brother
• Characters– Brother
• He is not given a name but is referred to by Doodle, his brother, only as "Brother."
• Brother grows ashamed of Doodle's limitations and regularly taunts him
• Brother loves Doodle, but the love is tainted with cruelty and embarrassment.
Questions and Response
Critical Thinking: Scarlet Ibis 1. Early in the story Brother remembers seeing the Ibis for the
first time. Highlight the descriptions around the bird that
foreshadowed how it's arrival is symbolic of death.
– Starter: The Ibis is connected strongly with death early in
the story because...
2. Use descriptions from the story to highlight details that show
that Doodle and the Ibis are symbolically connected.
– Starter: Doodle is physically similar to a bird in that he...
3. How does Doodle mirrors the delicate nature of the rare bird?
– Starter: Like a rare bird, Doodle is...
4. How does Doodle’s death mirror that of the bird?
– Starter: Doodle's death symbolically connects him to the
Scarlet Ibis because...
Introduction & Body Paragraph Test
• Pick a thesis statement from below. Build your written response around the thesis statement you have chosen.
• Here are your list of thesis statements for the short story, “The Scarlet Ibis”
The story’s appeal is connected to its rich use of symbolism.
The story creates a symbolic connection that foreshadows the sad ending.
The author’s use of symbolism makes the sad ending more impactful.
The biting reality of the relationships explored in the story makes it more impactful.
Well placed symbols are used within the story to reinforce the theme of accepting people for themselves.
The use of symbols within the story helps shape for the audience a clearer picture of the story’s message.