Doodle's Determination (Scarlet Ibis)

Doodle's Determination

In the short story "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst, Doodle is an 'ugly duckling'

of a little boy and an invalid. Despised by, and an embarrassment

to his older brother,

Doodle is a seeming candidate for low self-esteem. He has no friends and rarely leaves

the house. His older brother begins to take interest in Doodle's physical progress and

takes him under his wing. Through Doodle's battle to earn his brothers respect he

shows extreme courage ad determination.

Doodle is determined to learn to walk. His brother is ashamed of his

physical inabilities, so he decides to teach him to walk. He takes Doodle outside and

practices with him. In the beginning, Doodle becomes discouraged and insists that it is

impossible. The doctors say he cannot walk and he believes this without question. As

he begins to further progress, he practices without complaint and actually becomes

more confident in himself. "... I'd paint for him a picture of us as old me, white-haired,

him with a long white beard and me still pulling him around in (his) go-cart. This never

failed to make him try again." his brother recalls. Once Doodlle realizes that walking is

is a feasible and attainable goal, he begins to do it for his own benefit, as well as his

brother's.

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