Doodle's Brother: A Character Analysis

You would think that if you had a sibling with disabilities you would be careful with them and treat them with special care. Doodle Armstrong, a boy with disabilities, was mistreated and left for dead or stranded by his brother. Doodle’s brother was selfish and greedy enough to leave a boy learning how to walk because Doodle wasn’t how he wanted him to be. Doodle’s brother was cruel to him, he knew Doodle had disabilities, but he wasn’t careful, and last, he wouldn’t listen to Doodle.
To start, Doodle’s Brother was cruel to Doodle.First, “It was [grave] enough having an invalid brother, but having one who possibly was not all there was unbearable, so I began to make plans to kill him by smothering him with a pillow.”(Hurst 1).The Brother
was cruel enough to kill Doodle just because he was different. To follow up on that, “The knowledge that Doodle's and my plans had come to naught was bitter, and that streak of cruelty within me awakened. I [Doodle’s brother] ran as fast as I could, leaving him far behind with a wall of rain dividing us.”(Hurst 6). Doodle’s Brother had known that Doodle was afraid of being alone, still he left Doodle and that is when he died because he had nobody to supervise him. Finally, “There is within me (and with sadness I have watched it in others) a knot of cruelty borne by the stream of love, much as our blood sometimes bears the seed of our destruction, and at times I was mean to Doodle.”(Hurst 2). Brother has even admitted that he was cruel and mean to Doodle.
Doodle’s Brother knew Doodle had problems, but wasn’t careful with him. For example, “It was [grave] enough having an invalid brother, but having one who possibly was not all there was unbearable,”(Hurst 1). Doodle’s Brother knew that Doodle had problems and was crippled, but he still tried to make him a traditional, athletic boy. Secondly, “When he was two, if you laid him on his stomach, he began to move himself, straining terribly. The doctor said that with his weak heart this strain would probably kill him, but it didn't.”(Hurst 1). Again, Doodle’s Brother knew that Doodle had heart problems and was crippled. Lastly, “When the going was rough and he [clung] to the sides of the go-cart, the hat slipped all the way down over his ears. He was a sight. Finally, I could see I was licked. Doodle was my brother and he was going to cling to me forever, no matter what I did,”(Hurst 2).
Brother wouldn’t care if something had happened to Doodle so he tried to leave him behind.
Doodle’s Brother wouldn’t listen/care about what Doodle said.
As a result, “A long list of don'ts went with him, all of which I ignored once we were out of the house.”(Hurst 2). Doodle’s Brother wouldn’t follow the rules to keep Doodle safe and that proved he tried to “accidently” kill Doodle. In addition to that, "I can't walk, Brother," he said. "Who says so?" I demanded. "Mama, the doctor-everybody.” "Oh, you can walk," I said, and I took him by the arms and stood him up. He [Doodle] collapsed onto the grass like a half-empty flour sack. It was as if he had no bones in his little legs.”(Hurst 3).Doodle’s Brother knew Doodle was crippled, but didn’t listen because he was selfish and wanted a “real” brother, and he could have hurt Doodle. To top it all off, “I heard Doodle, who had fallen behind, cry out, "Brother, Brother, don't leave me! Don't leave me!" The knowledge that Doodle's and my plans had come to naught was bitter, and that streak of cruelty within me awakened. I [Doodle’s brother] ran as fast as I could, leaving him far behind”(Hurst 6). Doodle’s Brother had heard Doodle call for help when he fell behind, but Brother left him. The Brother of Doodle, should be accountable for Doodle Armstrong’s death. He should be charged with a felony murder, the murder was not intended. He had been cruel to Doodle, Payed no attention what Doodle said, and he knew Doodle had problems but wasn’t careful. Brother may not have intended to murder Doodle, but he was so selfish and self-centered that he left a disabled boy to die in the rain. Without justice, the Earth would fall into a world of crime and
corruption.