The Scarlet Ibis

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   ms-mcgregor Teacher
   High School - 12th Grade

   There are several themes in "The Scarlet Ibis." The most important is the theme of brotherhood and all that it entails. Brother's love for Doodle is coupled with the shame that Doodle is disabled. True love for Doodle would mean Brother accepts Doodle as he is. Instead, he tries to make Doodle the same as everyone else. Doodle resists but finally gives in and tries to "keep up" but the effort is too much and Doodle dies. It is then that Brother realizes his insistence that Doodle be "normal" has been cruel. Like the "Scarlet Ibis", Doodle was an exotic, fragile creature who did not belong in Brother's world. Many literary critics have also suggested a parallel to Vietnam War. The story was written in the 1960's when many anti-war protesters were pointing out that the troups the we were sending to other nations were really an attempt to make foreign nations more like ourselves. Like Brother, our attempts were really based on pride and arrogance, not on a true concern for the welfare of others.

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   Posted by ms-mcgregor on Sunday August 31, 2008 at 10:44 AM
   
   

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