Student Question
What examples of Man vs. Technology conflict can be found in "The Scarlet Ibis"?
Quick answer:
In "The Scarlet Ibis," examples of Man vs. Technology conflict are indirect. Doodle’s life might have improved with modern medical technology, such as heart medication or braces, which were less accessible at the time. Additionally, the backdrop of World War I, with its advanced weaponry leading to unprecedented casualties, serves as a broader context where technology exacerbates human conflict, reflecting the indirect influence of technological advancement on personal lives.
I think you may be able to argue that little Doodle could have benefited from modern medical technology had he been given the chance. The family just seemed to accept the doctor's verdict after Doodle was born that he would not survive for long. Had they gotten a second or third opinion, they might have found a physician who could have helped him more. His inability to walk could have been helped by braces even during the time period of the story, and heart medication must have been available as well. A doctor willing to operate on Doodle may have also found a way to help him, thereby assuring the family that he would be with them much longer than he was. A tutor or private teacher could have helped him catch up somewhat with his special educational needs. Of course, had Doodle been born several decades later, even more scientific...
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and medical advancements would have been available to help him.
I like the above answer. You might also think about it a different way. Technology can be anything. For instance, if you and your brother are fighting over watching TV, that could be both a character vs. character conflict and a character vs. technology conflict, because the television created the character conflict.
This is a great question to think about! I must admit, I can't find any direct examples of how the conflict between man and technology is depicted in this story. However, I can find an indirect one, which relates to the way in which the realities of WWI increasingly impinge upon the lives of the boys and their family. Consider the following quote and the way that it mentions various war scenes and how even those around them are being impacted by the events of Europe:
And during that summer, strange names were heard through the house: Chateau-Thierry, Amiens, Soissons, and in her blessing at the supper table Mama once said, "And bless the Pearsons, whose boy Joe was lost in Belleau Wood."
One of the things that WWI is infamous for is the way that more soldiers were killed than ever before thanks to the rise of technologically sophisticated ways of killing, such as the machine gun and advanced weapony, bombs and artillery. One of the factors of "The Scarlet Ibis" is the way that behind the conflict between the narrator and his brother, Doodle, there lurks a much bigger conflict: WWI. These references to WWI could be said to be an indirect example of the conflict of man vs. technology.