In James Hurst’s short story “The Scarlet Ibis,” Brother, who narrates the story, has his perceptions of life and death change throughout the story. He longs for a brother who can share his adventures in Old Woman Swamp; a brother who can run and play. When his mother tells him that William Armstrong will most likely not be able to do those things she also tells him that the child might not be “all there.”...
In James Hurst’s short story “The Scarlet Ibis,” Brother, who narrates the story, has his perceptions of life and death change throughout the story. He longs for a brother who can share his adventures in Old Woman Swamp; a brother who can run and play. When his mother tells him that William Armstrong will most likely not be able to do those things she also tells him that the child might not be “all there.” Brother’s hopes go from wanting a companion, to having a brother who is mentally present. As William grows, Brother watches him closely and one day the baby smiles at him. Brother is thoroughly excited by the fact that William Armstrong responds to him.
Another example of Brother’s changing perception is when the baby starts to move around on the bed where he was kept from birth.. He was always isolated from the family but when he begins to move and attempts to interact, the family makes a place for him in their living room. Brother feels the baby becomes part of the family. They are no longer just waiting for him to die. This is when William Armstrong becomes Doodle. Brother feels his given name is only fit for a tombstone so gives him the nickname Doodle based on the way he crawls backwards. Brother perceives Doodle as being alive and a true member of the family.
Brother wants Doodle to be the best he can be. He does not want to go to school having a disabled brother therefore he works very hard with Doodle to get him to walk. First he pulls Doodle around in a cart that their father made and two are able to enjoy time in the swamp, which Doodle finds to be a thing of beauty. Brother sees nature through Doodle’s eyes in a whole new way but that is not enough for Brother. To Brother teaching Doodle to walk is a passion; something he could be proud of. “But all of us must have something or someone to be proud of, and Doodle had become mine.” Getting Doodle to walk takes great effort and patience but eventually the two work together to make it happen. He perceived Doodle’s abilities as a challenge not knowing that he was creating a “double edged sword.”
As the story comes to a climax, Brother perceives Doodle as a failure for not being able to keep up with him when the storm approaches. The boys are in their rowboat which Brother has Doodle row against the current. When Doodle alights from the boat, he collapses. Brother senses the anger growing inside him as he leaves a frightened Doodle behind in the storm. This perception of failure ultimately leads to Doodle’s demise.
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