Character Analysis Essay Example: Growth in “The Scarlet Ibis”

Be aware of the importance of people surrounding you. In “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, the narrator did not know the importance of his brother until it was too late. From birth, the narrator’s brother, Doodle, was crippled. The narrator despised him for it. He becomes embarrassed about Doodle, and as a result, tries to fix him. This is a childish act to be uncomfortable with his brother and he learns this when faced with obstacles. Through the story, the narrator develops from an innocent child to learn that he should have appreciated his disabled brother for who he was. 

In the beginning, there are many instances that show the narrator is only worried about how his brother negatively affects him. The first time this occurs is when Doodle was born and the narrator finds out he can’t play with him. “...and I wanted more than anything else someone to box with, and someone to perch with in the top of the fork of the great pine behind the barn… it was bad enough having an invalid brother, but having one who possibly was not all there was unbearable” (Hurst, 1). This shows how disappointed the narrator is that his brother isn’t normal. His thoughts portray the innocence of just wanting a playmate. Another moment of innocence that the narrator subjects himself to come about when he finds his brother embarrassing. “When Doodle was five years old, I was embarrassed at having a brother at that age who couldn’t walk, so I set out to teach him” (Hurst 3). This further portrays the narrator as a young kid who only cares for himself and his own problems. It is evident when he reveals his unease towards his brother that he doesn’t think about others and is selfish.

There are many obstacles in the middle of the story that forces the narrator to grow up and mature. One time this is clear occurs when the narrator faces the love of his brother. “Doodle was my brother and he was going to cling to me forever, no matter what I did, so I dragged him across the burning cotton field to share with him the only beauty I know…” (Hurst 2). This is an obstacle for the narrator because he wants to hate Doodle for his disabilities and lack of normalcy. However, when his brother starts to attach himself to the narrator, he begins to care a little for his younger sibling. This is again true when the boys start spending lots of time together teaching Doodle normal activities. “Doodle and I spent lots of time thinking about our future. We decided that when we were grown up we’d live in Old Woman Swamp and pick dog-tongue for a living… Once I had succeeded in teaching Doodle to walk, I began to believe in my own infallibility, and I prepared a terrific development program for him” (Hurst 5). This reveals the relationship that the boys have. Although the narrator is selfish and doesn’t truly accept his brother, he still cares for him. Nevertheless, they only are spending so much time together because the narrator wants to fix Doodle. 

By the end of the story, the narrator realizes that he should have loved and appreciated his brother for who he was. The first time the narrator has this epiphany is after his parents praise him for helping his brother walk. “They didn’t know that I did it for myself; that pride, whose slave I was, spoke to me louder than all their voices, and that Doodle walked only because I was ashamed of having a crippled brother” (Hurst 4). He comes to the realization that he had no intentions of helping Doodle. The only prospect that appealed to him was that he wouldn’t be embarrassed of his disabled brother. When the narrator contemplates this, he starts crying, ashamed of his own actions. The second time the narrator truly understood his mistakes concerning his brother came too late. “I began to weep and the tear-blurred vision in red before me looked very familiar. ‘Doodle’ I screamed above the pounding storm and threw my body to the earth above his” (Hurst 9). One of the final lines in the story reflect how the narrator realizes his mistakes too late. He finally learns that he should have loved his brother more. He finally understands that he wants his brother and finally knows how much he should have cared for Doodle. 

The story shows character growth in many areas throughout the plot. The narrator is only an innocent child in the beginning of the story because of his childish hatred towards his brother, but when the narrator was challenged with obstacles, including how attached Doodle was to him, he comes across an epiphany that he should have loved his brother for who he was and not what he wanted him to be. Unfortunately, his reflection came too late and Doodle was already gone. The narrator realized how he needed his brother and how he longed for him. In life, people don’t realize the importance of the things around them until they are gone.