The narrator, Brother, is a child during much of the action in “The Scarlet Ibis", and as a child, doesn’t understand the magnitude of his actions in pushing Doodle to his physical limit.  Because the story is a flashback of Brother remembering his childhood, he has gained the ability as an adult to reflect on his actions.  As a child, he wasn’t mature enough to understand Doodle’s limitations; therefore, he could be considered innocent in his actions.  It would be much different if Brother did the same actions as a teenager or adult.  He would be culpable for his actions at that point.  Because Doodle is so eager to please Brother, he doesn’t give Brother any signs of struggling to keep up with Brother’s demands to be a normal child.  Actually, it seems no one, not even Doodle's parents, are apprehensive or concerned about Brother’s desire to have Doodle be something that he is not.

Brother does admit his guilt for having too much pride in wanting to make Doodle normal, but it is hard to say that as a child he knew the severity of his actions.  He is innocent in that respect.