Name _______________________ English ITeacher _____________________ Fall 2012Period _______________________ Short StoriesDate ________________________

“The Scarlet Ibis” KEY

Guided Reading: Answer the following questions about the story as you read.1. How old was the narrator when Doodle was born? 6 How old do you think the

narrator is now? 30-40

2. Which surprising word does the narrator use to describe Doodle as a younger brother? Disappointment Why does he say this? He would never be able to do normal things

3. Why did the family think Doodle would not survive as an infant? What was his condition when he was born? He was weak and sickly - All head with a tiny, red, shriveled, body and born in a caul

4. How did Doodle get his nickname? He crawled backward like a doddle bug Why was it “the kindest thing” the narrator ever did for his brother? Nobody expects much from someone called Doodle

5. What does Doodle’s reaction to Old Woman Swamp show about him? He is sensitive, appreciative

6. What is one mean thing Doodle’s brother did to him as a child? No one expects much from someone called Doodle

7. How long does it take Doodle to learn to walk? One year What does this show about BOTH brothers? They are very determined

8. Why does Doodle’s brother cry when everyone hugs him for teaching Doodle to walk? He feels guilty he did it for himself, for his pride, he was embarrassed of Doddle Do you think Doodle would have been just as happy not walking? varies

9. What do Doodle’s “lies” represent for him? How do they tell us what is important to Doodle? He wants an easier life, a better one -> all of his protagonists can fly

10. Why do you think Doodle is so fascinated with the dead scarlet ibis in their yard? It is a bird so it can fly, it si beautiful and exotic and “special like him

11. How do you think Doodle died? To what extent do you think his brother is responsible for his death? varies

12. How did Doodle’s death mirror that of the scarlet ibis’s? physically -> neck, legs, color, grace/ victims of circumstance/ world was too rough

13. What do you think is going through the narrator’s head at the end of the story as he holds his dead brother in his arms? varies

14. Do you think what happened to Doodle at the end of the story is the narrator’s fault? Explain with textual evidence. varies

Study Guide: Practice the following short story elements by applying the questions to “The Scarlet Ibis.” Use SPECIFIC textual evidence or direct quotes! Write on a separate sheet of paper!

15. Now that you know what happens, reread the first 2 paragraphs and record any words that foreshadowed Doodle’s death. Dead, bleeding, stained, rotting, untenanted, empty cradle, graveyard flowers

16. How do we know this story is told as a flashback? “it is strange that all this is still so clear to me, now that summer has long since fled and time has had its way” “he was born when I was six”

17. Describe the elements of setting for the story.

a. Time: WW1, 1918 (when Doodle died)

b. Place: farmhouse, barn, old woman swamp

c. Geographical location: southeastern US (hurricane storms)

d. Weather: range of seasons, and storms, hurricane season

e. Social conditions: Aunt Nicey, soldier’s deaths, “not all here”

f. Atmosphere: regretful, nostalgic, sad

18. Do you think the narrator is a dynamic character or a static character? Explain. Dynamic-he has regrets, he lost some pride, realized he loved Doodle instead of hating him

19. Who is a possible round character? Doodle, he was always perceptive and sensitive and innocent. He taught the narrator things about himself-he was appreciative-we believed him and we mourned his circumstances A possible flat character? The parents. They were relatively unknown. They did not have a major role in Doodle’s upbringing, life, or death Explain with specific textual evidence.

20. How could you explain the use of the narrator and his brother as foils? Same: they are boys, brothers, same upbringing, similar in age – Differences: the narrator is adventurous and active, Doddle is crippled, weak, and frail / narrator is mean, manipulative, and controlling -> Doodle is gullible and a people pleaser / Narrator is real -> Doddle loses himself in his imagination / narrator cares about the differences -> Doodle doesn’t care / narrator cared about himself and success and others’ opinions -> Doodle cared about the scarlet ibis

21. Give an example from the story of one of each of the following types of characterization.

a. Direct: “Doodle was the craziest brother a boy ever had”

b. Says: “which I ignored as soon as I left the house” -> Brother is stubborn

c. Does: he makes doodle touch his casket -> Brother wants to pick on him, make his suffer because he believes he is suffering for Doodle’s existence

d. Thinks: he can “fix” Doodle. He tries to teach him to walk and run and swim etc. ->Brother is worried that when Doodle begins school he will be different from everyone else

e. Feels: “ashamed of having a crippled brother” ->Brother was young and immature and selfish; the world revolved around him and his perceptions

f. Others’ reactions: They called him Doodle instead of his name – William Armstrong which was kind -> no one expected much from someone named Doodle.

22. Identify one of each of the 4 types of conflict. Circle the MAIN conflict.

a. Man vs. Self: Narrator does not want Doodle because he is so abnormal. Narrator feels guilty for resenting Doodle and tormenting him, for doing good things but for the wrong reasons

b. *Man vs. Man: Narrator vs. Doodle, Doodle is not what is expected, will never be normal, cramp his style

c. Man vs. Fate: Doodle vs. his disabilities

d. Man vs. Society: Doodle’s disabilities vs. the stigmas of the time

e. Man vs. Nature: Doodle vs. storm

23. Identify the following symbolic meanings in “The Scarlet Ibis.”

1. Summer: content, happy

2. Fall: plants’ death, school coming, the walking deadline

3. Peacock: easier life

4. Scarlet Ibis: victim of circumstances, awkwardness, frailty weakness

5. Red: death, blood

6. Old Woman Swamp: grandma, security, comfort, familiarity

7. Red Nightshade Bush (where Doodle dies): casket, death, night

24. Identify one example of the bullet point elements of suspense from your powerpoint notes in the story and label it. The Narrator takes off in the storm leaving Doodle behind in the rain/storm all by himself crying out for help – the weather reflects emotions, attitudes, tone, and atmosphere

25. What do you think the author meant for us to learn from this story? State a possible theme. (Remember these are complete sentences of opinion, a lesson or message the author wants us to learn possibly.) Be careful to always appreciate what you have; you never know when it might be gone.

26. Complete a plot pyramid on the “Scarlet Ibis.” Be sure to describe all of the 5 parts of the plot IN DETAIL. (Remember, the climax is the moment where we learn the outcome of the main conflict.)

a. Exposition: flashback, Doodle is born “special”

b. Rising action: narrator tries to kill Doodle because a brother who was not “all there” and an invalid was unbearable. Then, Doodle smiles and Brother realizes everyone is will be OK and he begins to teach Doodle things to make him more normal.

c. Climax: Brother cries during Doodle’s walking celebration. Brother realizes that he helped Doodle walk for the wrong reasons. He did something good, got credit for it, but realizes that he did it to make Doodle more normal, more like the brother he always wanted, someone he could be proud of, thus the biggest moment for the narrator, who is assaulted with guilt at the realization. Pride and shame are the same here.

d. Falling action: the brothers continue training - Doodle is exhausted. The Scarlet Ibis dies and is buried, foreshadowing Doodle’s death

e. Resolution: The brother finally acts in accordance with the resentment, bitterness, and cruelty he hid by appearing to do “nice” things for Doodle. He leaves Doodle behind in the storm and then returns to find Doodle has died. We see his true and actual love for his brother in his agony in the final scene and his understanding of his brother’s circumstances and limitations by comparing him to the scarlet ibis