illustration of a scarlet ibis cradling a boy's body

The Scarlet Ibis

by James Hurst

Start Free Trial

Student Question

Why did Doodle's parents take three months to name him in "The Scarlet Ibis"?

Quick answer:

Doodle's parents delayed naming him for three months because he was born sickly and weak, with a disproportionate body that suggested he might not survive. They initially expected him to die and even had a coffin prepared. By not naming him, they tried to distance themselves emotionally to ease potential grief. Once it became evident that he would live, they decided to name him William Armstrong.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Doodle was born sickly and weak.  His body was not proportioned right.  His head was huge compared to his sickly thin frame.  

He seemed all head, with a tiny body which was red and shriveled like an old man's. Everybody thought he was going to die.

Nobody, not even Doodle's parents expected him to live.  In fact, the dad had a coffin built for Doodle.  Because of Doodle's frailty, they did not want to invest time in naming him.  Or they had a good name picked out, and they did not want to waste it on a child that was going to die soon.  It is also likely that the mom and dad were trying to mentally prepare themselves for the eventual death.  If they did not name the child, they were likely to be less attached to it.  Their grieving process would be easier if Doodle were just a nameless child.  After three months, it became clear that Doodle was not going to die, so they finally gave him a name.  

But he didn't die, and when he was three months old, Mama and Daddy decided they might as well name him. They named him William Armstrong

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial