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The Scarlet Ibis

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The Scarlet Ibis
“The Scarlet Ibis”
Mr. P
English II

Living in a "Normal World" If you had a family member that had a physical disability, would you treat them the same with precautions or would you treat them differently? People may think life would be easier for a life as a disabled person but truly it is extremely hard. They have to deal with looks from people they don’t know, and from their family treating them differently. In The Scarlet Ibis, by James Hurst, Doodle, is a handicapped little boy. Everyone says that he will not be able to do most things that kids without disabilities can do but Doodle’s brother never gives up on trying. Families that have a handicapped must treat that person with the utmost respect. One part of respecting a person is to have appropriate expectations for them. “I wanted a brother. But Mama, crying, told me that even if William Armstrong lived, he would never do these things with me. He might not, she sobbed, even be ‘all there’” (90). Although Doodle was born with disabilities, he has two eyes, two legs, two ears and he is just like everyone else. Doodle was born with a health condition that did make him different from other kids his own age, but that does not mean he is not allowed to live his life as others live theirs. From birth Doodle was told he would not be able to do the things that others have because he has a heart condition. Yet, Doodle is still a person and no matter what happens in life he should be treated the way others want to be treated. All Doodle wants to do is live life to the fullest and that is how it shall be. Families with handicapped members have to set forward for all of the positive outcomes of life, other than have a bunch of negatives. If you lead a handicapped with only negative expectations, as like Doodle, he will never have the full amount of respect for you, as well as your other family members. As people know, people with handicaps have a difficult time. Many people that have a handicap

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