Scarlet Ibis Short Story Symbol

Symbolism is used in many stories for authors to help convey a message for reader and for the story to have more value after it is read. The story “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst is a story filled with symbolism, and one symbol is where the two main characters went every day in the summer: Doodle and Brother. Another symbol used by James Hurst is the wagon. The story is about a relationship of two brothers with one being disabled causing him to be much weaker and not being able to do things such as swim, run, and go to school. The character, named Doodle,could not even stand up until his brother who is unnamed, help him learn after a lot of practice. The theme of the story would be to not be too prideful of yourself or someone else. James Hurst uses the swamp and the wagon as symbols to convey more meaning to the story.
The first symbol in the story is the swamp. In this story the swamp is more specifically called the Old Woman Swamp, and it

is where Brother helped Doodle learn how to walk. “Every day that summer we went to the pine beside the stream of Old Woman Swamp, and I put him on his feet at least a hundred times each afternoon” (Hurst 4). This quote helps to show the meaning of the symbolism within the swamp. The swamp represents determination and overcoming challenges since Doodle and Brother went there everyday to overcome his handicap. Another quote that is related back to the swamp is “They did not 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 5). This occurred because of the determination of having Doodle walk and taking him to the swamp everyday to first stand then walk. Even though the challenge was overcome at the swamp Brother knew his determination was from his pride. The swamp is used to represent determination,overcoming challenges, and emphasizing Brother's pride.
The second symbol in the Scarlet Ibis is the wagon/go-cart.

The wagon is used to carry Doodle around when he was unable to walk. “It was about this time that Daddy built him a go-cart and I had to pull him around. At first I just paraded him up and down the piazza,8 but then he started crying to be taken out into the yard, and it ended up by my having to lug him wherever I went” (Hurst 2). The quote is used to help add symbolism to the wagon and have it represent responsibility, burden, and dependency. In the story the wagon is used to push Doodle by Brother, similar to Brother pushing Doodle to his limits of overcoming his handicap. “Within a few months Doodle had learned to walk well and his go-cart was put up in the barn loft (it's still there) beside his little mahogany coffin” (Hurst 5). When the wagon was left in the barn loft that was related to when Brother crossed the line and didn't give Doodle the dependency he needed. The wagon/go-cart shows responsibility, burden, dependency, and Brother pushing doodle too

far.
James Hurst uses symbolism in the swamp and the wagon to the show responsibility and determination. However, at the same time they are used to represent Brother going too far which causes the death of Doodle. The swamp was symbolized by Brother and Doodle going there everyday, and for the same reason it shows Brother’s determination from his pride. The wagon is symbolized b Brother having to push Doodle in it, and then leaving it in the barn and stopped giving the dependency that Doodle needed. It is important to be determined and have some pride in yourself, but it could become dangerous if your pride takes over your morals and who you are.