From Doodle's perspective, describe finding the coffin in "The Scarlet Ibis."
Doodle completely trusts his older brother and views him as his best friend and guardian. Despite enjoying pleasant days together at Old Woman Swamp, the narrator is cruel to Doodle and makes him touch his own mahogany casket in their attic, which is an experience that paralyzes Doodle with fear after a screech owl flies out of the box.
The following is an excerpt of the event from Doodle's point of view:
Although my older brother was comforting and would take me to play with him at Old Woman Swamp, there were times when he was rather cruel. One day, my older brother carried me to the loft and insisted that the small casket in the attic was mine. As I studied the casket for some time, I came to the conclusion that there was no way it was mine. My older brother then insisted that I touch it but...
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I refused. After threatening to leave me in the loft, I reluctantly decided to touch it. I was so afraid of being left alone in the dark attic by myself that I finally reached out and touched the casket. Upon touching the casket, a screech owl suddenly flew out of the box and I was paralyzed with fear. I was covered in Paris green and was so afraid that I was unable to move. My loving brother ended up carrying me down from the attic and I continued to hold onto him tight until we got outside. Although we were outside, I refused to let him go and feared that he would permanently leave me.
Why was a coffin built for Doodle in "The Scarlet Ibis"?
Doodle is the narrator's little brother. When Doodle is born, the narrator admits that his baby brother is a great disappointment. He tells us that Doodle is 'all head, with a tiny body which was red and shriveled like an old man's.' To top it off, Doodle is sickly and so weak that almost everyone in the family thinks he might die. Only Aunt Nicey, who delivered him, has faith in Doodle thriving.
Just in case the baby doesn't survive, the narrator's father goes ahead and commissions Mr. Heath, the carpenter, to fashion a mahogany coffin. However, Doodle lives, and after three months, the narrator's parents name him William Armstrong. However, the narrator doesn't think this is a good name for his baby brother because he doesn't think Doodle will live up to such a grand name.
They named him William Armstrong, which is like tying a
big tail on a small kite. Such a name sounds good only on a tombstone.