James Hurst’s “The Scarlet Ibis” is probably one of the saddest stories ever written. From the very first paragraph, when Hurst uses words like “dead,” “bleeding,” “rank,” “empty,” and “graveyard,” the story sets a grim tone that points the reader toward a tragic resolution.
Hurst’s theme is not only concerned with the fate of the disabled character Doodle, but also that of the first-person narrator, his older brother. Although it seems that Doodle’s attempts to overcome his severe physical disabilities are the primary focus of the story, it is really the unspoken feelings of loss and guilt on the part of the narrator that leaves the strongest mark on the reader.
No one believes that Doodle will ever be able to walk. The narrator, however, works hard with Doodle to teach him to do so. When Doodle walks, the family is overjoyed. When Doodle gives credit to his brother, it makes him feel guilty:
Doodle told them it was I who had taught him to walk, so everyone wanted to hug me, and I began to cry.
The narrator’s reaction to Doodle’s appreciation reminds the reader that a few paragraphs before we were actually told of the narrator’s motivation for working so diligently with Doodle:
When Doodle was five years old, I was embarrassed at having a brother of that age who couldn't walk, so I set out to teach him.
So it was the narrator’s shame over his brother’s condition that made him work with Doodle. Unfortunately, the shame will continue to motivate the narrator’s efforts with Doodle, with results that will ultimately be tragic.
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