Cruelty In The Scarlet Ibis

‘The Scarlet Ibis’ is a short story written by James Hurst 1960 about a mentally disabled child, Doodle, who conquers some of his difficulties only to later succumb to death at the hands of his well-meaning, but vain older sibling, the narrator, who is referred to as “Brother.” Brother, from the beginning, is dismayed to learn that he is not normal and thus cannot do as many athletic activities as the average kids. As a result he sets out to teach him to do just that, and gain pride because of it. Readers of ‘The Scarlet Ibis’ can heavily debate whether Brother treated Doodle with cruelty, or was otherwise helpful, and a multitude of reasons can be used to prove either position.

First off, Brother’s treatment of Doodle has often been particularly
cruel at times. For example, on page 387, Brother “took him up to the barn loft and showed him him his casket, telling him how we all had believed he would die.” Then, Doodle responds, “It’s not mine.” Brother tells him, “It is. And before I help you down from the loft, you’re going to have to touch it. … I’ll leave you here by yourself.” This signifies Brother’s extreme hatred towards Doodle. The feelings and actions of the narrator, Brother, portrayed in this part show that this is not just any ordinary sibling rivalry. Secondly, on page 394, when the two boys are running home to get out of the rain, Brother, frustrated that Doodle isn’t ready for school, runs ahead of him, abandoning him in the storm. This later leads Doodle to his death. This shows that Brother really only loved Doodle because he seemed to be “all there” and the glory he would have later received, an not because Doodle was a member of his family. Taking note that this was a dangerous storm they were in, the unfair action towards Doodle solely because he didn’t meet Brother’s standards is absolutely heart wrenching and inhumane. All in all, Brother’s treatment of Doodle was often cruel and rooted solely from disappointment, anger, and pride, and nothing else.

Although Brother’s treatment towards Doodle was often rough, it can also otherwise be thought of as rather helpful.
For example, near pg [FIL] Brother taught Doodle how to walk. The fact that Doodle is essentially crippled and can’t do much due to his illness really contributes to the actuality that this was, without a doubt, a turning point in Doodle’ life. If “helpful” had another definition in the dictionary, Brother’s action towards Doodle in teaching him how to walk would be it. Secondly, on pg [FIL], it states that Brother would give Doodle swimming lessons, or teach him how to row a boat. Earlier, Brother was a little sad upon learning that Doodle may not grow up to be “all there,” so he set out to help him be just that, which was a generous action. Doing something like this really helps someone like Doodle feel as if there is indeed at least some purpose in life. It is truly an inspiration to Doodle, reminding him that he can still do nearly anything although he is disabled. In brief, one cannot go without saying that Brother has definitely made many helpful and major contributions to Doodle’s life.

It can be disputed that Brother was cruel to Doodle, or that his treatment towards him was otherwise actually rather helpful. For one, the only reason he helped Doodle at all was for his own benefit, and not really for Doodle’s. On the other hand, it is essential for the reader to remember that Doodle is physically and mentally disabled and thus cannot do as much as the
average child his age. Despite the fact that Doodle was lagging behind in development, Brother helped Doodle to do most of the things he otherwise would have not been able to do in his