Question

EMERGENCY QUICK! PLEASE HELP WITH MY QUESTIONS! 1. What are some advantages of James Hurst deciding to have Brother as the narrator?
2.What if the story was written from the parents' perspective? What changes in tone and mood would we see then?

3. If you were to re-write the tragic Doodle scene from Old Woman Swamp's point of view, what details would you include?

Answer 1

This question refers to the story "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst.

1. The story "The Scarlet Ibis" is told from the perspective of Doodle's older brother. This child is referred to in the story as "Brother." There are several reasons why the story might be told from Brother's perspective. First, the story focuses on the relationship between the two brothers. Therefore, it is more informative for the reader if a brother narrates the events, as opposed to another member of the family. Moreover, Doodle has a developmental problem, which makes Brother the most reliable narrator of the two.

2. If the story was written from the parents' perspective, there would be significant changes in tone and mood. It is likely that the parents would not understand the connection between the brothers in the same way that Brother understands them. Moreover, it is also likely that the parents would have more pity and compassion for Doodle than Brother has.

3. If the scene was rewritten from Old Woman Swamp's point of view, it is likely that the scene would feature both brothers more prominently. First, it might show the struggle that Doodle faces earlier, which might indicate to the reader that Doodle might be in danger. Moreover, this point of view would probably focus less on the inner thoughts of Brother and more in the way the brothers interact with one another.