Scarlet Ibis Theme Essay
"I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death," the author implies. In the short story, "The Scarlet Ibis" the author, James Hurst demonstrates, through life several mistakes and decision, create a thankful or regretful feeling. The author uses symbolism, characterization and flashback to develop the theme.
Symbolism is used by the narrator to develop the theme. The mahogany coffin contains a symbol used to represent the theme of life and death. The narrator states, " One day I took him up to the barns loft and showed him his casket, telling him how we all had believed he would die." The coffin represents death, as the narrator points out. Doodle and his disabilities are symbolic to the …show more content…
A major literary element used by the author to create the theme is flashback, because the short story consists of countless flashbacks. Throughout 'The Scarlet Ibis' the author uses flashback to refer back to his past. The narrator lives with regret and guilt of the decisions he's building. An example of a flashback given by the narrator is, "It's strange that all this is still so clear to me, now that that summer has long since fled and time has had its way." This quote shows how the author refers back and still remembers but also regrets his pride and actions of how he treated his brother, Doodle. It reminds the narrator how time passed and seems weird to even remember it. "Pride is a wonderful, but terrible thing," the narrator notices through the "Scarlet Ibis'. "But sometimes (like right now), as I sit in the cool, green-draped parlor, the grindstone begins to turn, and time with all its changes is ground away and I remember Doodle." The author refers about his past and remembers it. The narrator his lesson and reminiscences his past,and reveals pride has two vines one of life and the other of death. James Hurst applies his theme greatly though
Symbolism is used by the narrator to develop the theme. The mahogany coffin contains a symbol used to represent the theme of life and death. The narrator states, " One day I took him up to the barns loft and showed him his casket, telling him how we all had believed he would die." The coffin represents death, as the narrator points out. Doodle and his disabilities are symbolic to the …show more content…
A major literary element used by the author to create the theme is flashback, because the short story consists of countless flashbacks. Throughout 'The Scarlet Ibis' the author uses flashback to refer back to his past. The narrator lives with regret and guilt of the decisions he's building. An example of a flashback given by the narrator is, "It's strange that all this is still so clear to me, now that that summer has long since fled and time has had its way." This quote shows how the author refers back and still remembers but also regrets his pride and actions of how he treated his brother, Doodle. It reminds the narrator how time passed and seems weird to even remember it. "Pride is a wonderful, but terrible thing," the narrator notices through the "Scarlet Ibis'. "But sometimes (like right now), as I sit in the cool, green-draped parlor, the grindstone begins to turn, and time with all its changes is ground away and I remember Doodle." The author refers about his past and remembers it. The narrator his lesson and reminiscences his past,and reveals pride has two vines one of life and the other of death. James Hurst applies his theme greatly though