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NAME:___________________________________________________
English Language Arts
Secondary 4

Questions for: The Scarlet Ibis by J. Hurst

1)

Quote three examples of figurative language used by the author in the

story (find similes; metaphors; and/or personifications.)
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2) From what POINT OF VIEW is this story written?
a) third person omniscient
b) first person
c) third person limited

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3) Why is Doodles real name, William Armstrong, ironic?
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NAME:___________________________________________________
4) Discuss the narrators behavior throughout the story.
a) What are his emotions:
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b) What are his responsibilities:
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5) What is Hursts MESSAGE / THEME?
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NAME:___________________________________________________
6) Explain what the following quote means, and how it relates to
what happens in the story: There is inside me (and with
sadness I have seen it in others) a knot of cruelty borne by the
stream of love .
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7) What motivated the narrator to teach Doodle to walk?
a) his sense of love and brotherhood for Doodle
b) his parents forced him to teach Doodle
c) his shame for having a crippled brother

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8) Using context clues, explain what the word infallibility means

in this sentence: Since I had succeeded in teaching Doodle to
walk, I began to believe in my own infallibility. I decided to teach
him to run, to row, to swim .
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NAME:___________________________________________________
9) When the narrator pressures Doodle, asking him if he wants to
be different from everybody else when [he] starts school ,
Doodle responds, Does that make any difference? . This
shows that Doodle :
a) is full of wisdom beyond his years
b) doesnt understand his brothers question
c) has completely given up

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10)
Which timeframe most accurately describes when the Ibis
landed in the boys yard?
a) early summer
b) late August- early September
c) end of Autumn

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11)
Explain how the Scarlet Ibis acts as a SYMBOL in this story.
(Consider similarities to Doodle).
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12)

What is Doodles reaction to seeing Old Woman Swamp for

the first time? What does this reaction tell the reader about his
character?
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13)
Why can the colour red be considered a MOTIF in this
story?

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14)
At what point in the story does the description of the
SETTING FORESHADOW the events to come? Explain WHAT is
foreshadowed and HOW the setting is used to foreshadow it.
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15)

What is the TONE of the piece?

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16) What is the MOOD of the RESOLUTION of the story?
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17) Doodle is vividly characterized, particularly by his words and
his
actions. Choose one action and one quote from the story.
What
do they reveal about Doodle?
a) Action:
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What does it reveal?

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b) Quote:
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What does it reveal?

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TOTAL:

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NAME:___________________________________________________

Questions for Awakening

1) In Awakening what is the speakers TONE?
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2) What is the MEANING of Awakening? (Consider speakers
message / poems theme/ what readers are meant to feel).
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3) How is the speaker in Awakening different from Doodle in The
Scarlet Ibis? How is the speaker similar?

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4) Explain the poems title.
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NAME:___________________________________________________

Questions for Autistic Rap

1) Provide 1 excerpt/ quote from the poem that connects to how people
in Doodles world treat him. Explain the connection.
a) Excerpt / Quote from poem:
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b) Connection to The Scarlet Ibis:
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2) Provide 1 excerpt/ quote from the poem that reveals a similarity
between the speaker and Doodle. Explain the similarity
a) Excerpt / Quote from poem:
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b) Connection to The Scarlet Ibis:
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3) How is the speakers personality different from Doodles? Explain.

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4) The speakers tone can best be described as:
a) humble and sad
b) confidant and defiant
c) angry and full of vengeance

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5) What does the speaker want?
a) help from the world
b) to be treated the same as everyone
c) employment

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6) Name 1 technique the poet uses and provide a quote that shows the
technique:
a) Technique: ________________________________
b) Quote:
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TOTAL:

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The Scarlet Ibis is a bird that inhabits tropical South America and islands of the
Caribbean. In form it resembles most of the other twenty-seven extant species of ibis,
but its remarkably brilliant scarlet (RED) coloration makes it unmistakable. In this
story, the bird has travelled a long way to find itself in a place (Doodles backyard)
where it does not belong.

TheScarletIbisbyJamesHurst

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Summerwasdead,butautumnhadnotyetbeenbornwhentheibiscameto
thebleedingtree.It'sstrangethatallthisissocleartome,nowthattimehas
haditsway.Butsometimes(likerightnow)Isitinthecoolgreenparlor,
andIrememberDoodle.
Doodlewasaboutthecraziestbrotheraboyeverhad.Doodlewasborn
whenIwassevenandwas,fromthestart,adisappointment.Heseemedall
head,withatinybodythatwasredandshriveledlikeanoldman's.
Everybodythoughthewasgoingtodie.
Daddyhadthecarpenterbuildalittlecoffin,andwhenhewasthreemonths
old,MamaandDaddynamedhimWilliamArmstrong.Suchanamesounds
goodonlyonatombstone.
Whenhecrawledontherug,hecrawledbackward,asifhewereinreverse
andcouldn'tchangegears.Thismadehimlooklikeadoodlebug,soIbegan
callinghim'Doodle.'RenamingmybrotherwasprobablythekindestthingI
everdidforhim,becausenobodyexpectsmuchfromsomeonecalled
Doodle.
DaddybuilthimacartandIhadtopullhimaround.IfIsomuchaspicked
upmyhat,he'dstartcryingtogowithme;andMamawouldcallfrom
wherevershewas,"TakeDoodlewithyou."
SoIdraggedhimacrossthecottonfieldtosharethebeautyofOldWoman
Swamp.Iliftedhimoutandsathimdowninthesoftgrass.Hebegantocry.
"What'sthematter?"
"It'ssopretty,Brother,sopretty."
Afterthat,DoodleandIoftenwentdowntoOldWomanSwamp.
Thereisinsideme(andwithsadnessIhaveseenitinothers)aknotof
crueltybornebythestreamoflove.AndattimesIwasmeantoDoodle.One
timeIshowedhimhiscasket,tellinghimhowweallbelievedhewoulddie.
WhenImadehimtouchthecasket,hescreamed.Andevenwhenwewere
outsideinthebrightsunshineheclungtome,crying,"Don'tleaveme,
Brother!Don'tleaveme!"

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DoodlewasfiveyearsoldwhenIturned13.Iwasembarrassedathavinga
brotherofthatagewhocouldn'twalk,soIsetouttoteachhim.Wewere
downinOldWomanSwamp."I'mgoingtoteachyoutowalk,Doodle,"I
said.
"Why?"
"SoIwon'thavetohaulyouaroundallthetime."
"Ican'twalk,Brother."
"Whosaysso?"
"Mama,thedoctoreverybody."
"Oh,youcanwalk."Itookhimbythearmsandstoodhimup.Hecollapsed
ontothegrasslikeahalfemptyfloursack.Itwasasifhislittlelegshadno
bones.
"Don'thurtme,Brother."
"Shutup.I'mnotgoingtohurtyou.I'mgoingtoteachyoutowalk."I
heavedhimupagain,andhecollapsed.
"Ijustcan'tdoit."
"Oh,yes,youcan,Doodle.Allyougottodoistry.Nowcomeon,"andI
hauledhimuponcemore.
Itseemedsohopelessthatit'samiracleIdidn'tgiveup.Butallofusmust
havesomethingtobeproudof,andDoodlehadbecomemysomething.
Finallyonedayhestoodaloneforafewseconds.Whenhefell,Igrabbed
himinmyarmsandhuggedhim,ourlaughterringingthroughtheswamp
likeabell.Nowweknewitcouldbedone.
Wedecidednottotellanyoneuntilhewasactuallywalking.Atbreakfaston
ourchosendayIbroughtDoodletothedoorinthecart.IhelpedDoodleup;
andwhenhewasstandingalone,Iletthemlook.Therewasn'tasoundas
Doodlewalkedslowlyacrosstheroomandsatdownatthetable.Then
Mamabegantocryandranovertohim,hugginghimandkissinghim.

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Daddyhuggedhim,too.DoodletoldthemitwasIwhohadtaughthimto
walk,sotheywantedtohugme,andIbegantocry.
"Whatareyoucryingfor?"askedDaddy,butIcouldn'tanswer.Theydidn't
knowthatIdiditjustformyself,thatDoodlewalkedonlybecauseIwas
ashamedofhavingacrippledbrother.
Withinafewmonths,Doodlehadlearnedtowalkwell.SinceIhad
succeededinteachingDoodletowalk,Ibegantobelieveinmyown
infallibility.Idecidedtoteachhimtorun,torow,toswim,toclimbtrees,
andtofight.Nowhe,too,believedinme;so,wesetadeadlinewhenDoodle
couldstartschool.
ButDoodlecouldn'tkeepupwiththeplan.Once,hecollapsedontheground
andbegantocry.
"Aw,comeon,Doodle.Youcandoit.Doyouwanttobedifferentfrom
everybodyelsewhenyoustartschool?"
"Doesthatmakeanydifference?"
"Itcertainlydoes.Now,comeon."
Andsowecametothosedayswhensummerwasdeadbutautumnhadnot
yetbeenborn.ItwasSaturdaynoon,justafewdaysbeforethestartof
school.Daddy,Mama,Doodle,andIwereseatedatthediningroomtable,
havinglunch.Suddenlyfromoutintheyardcameastrangecroakingnoise.
Doodlestoppedeating."What'sthat?"Heslippedoutintotheyard,and
lookedupintothebleedingtree."It'sabigredbird!"
MamaandDaddycameout.Onthetopmostbranchperchedabirdthesize
ofachicken,withscarletfeathersandlonglegs.
Atthatmoment,thebirdbegantoflutter.Ittumbleddownthroughthe
bleedingtreeandlandedatourfeetwithathud.Itsgracefulneckjerked
twiceandthenstraightenedout,andthebirdwasstill.Itlayontheearthlike
abrokenvaseofredflowers,andevendeathcouldnotmaritsbeauty.
"Whatisit?"Doodleasked.
"It'sascarletibis,"Daddysaid.

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Sadly,wealllookedatthebird.Howmanymileshadittraveledtodielike
this,inouryard,beneaththebleedingtree?
Doodlekneltbesidetheibis."I'mgoingtoburyhim."
AssoonasIhadfinishedeating,DoodleandIhurriedofftoHorsehead
Landing.Itwastimeforaswimminglesson,butDoodlesaidhewastoo
tired.WhenwereachedHorseheadlanding,lightningwasflashingacross
halfthesky,andthunderwasdrowningoutthesoundofthesea.
Doodlewasbothtiredandfrightened.Heslippedonthemudandfell.I
helpedhimup,andhesmiledatmeashamedly.Hehadfailedandweboth
knewit.Hewouldneverbeliketheotherboysatschool.
Westartedhome,tryingtobeatthestorm.Thelightningwasnearnow.The
fasterIwalked,thefasterhewalked,soIbegantorun.
Theraincame,roaringthroughthepines.Andthen,likeaburstingRoman
candle,agumtreeaheadofuswasshatteredbyaboltoflightning.Whenthe
deafeningthunderhaddied,IheardDoodlecryout,"Brother,Brother,don't
leaveme!Don'tleaveme!"
Theknowledgethatourplanshadcometonothingwasbitter,andthatstreak
ofcrueltywithinmeawakened.IranasfastasIcould,leavinghimfar
behindwithawallofraindividingus.SoonIcouldhearhisvoicenomore.
IstoppedandwaitedforDoodle.Thesoundofrainwaseverywhere,butthe
windhaddiedanditfellstraightdownlikeropeshangingfromthesky.
Ipeeredthroughthedownpour,butnoonecame.FinallyIwentbackand
foundhimhuddledbeneatharednightshadebushbesidetheroad.Hewas
sittingontheground,hisfaceburiedinhisarms,whichwererestingon
drawnupknees."Let'sgo,Doodle."
Hedidn'tanswersoIgentlyliftedhishead.Hetoppledbackwardontothe
earth.Hehadbeenbleedingfromthemouth,andhisneckandthefrontof
hisshirtwerestainedabrilliantred.
"Doodle,Doodle."Therewasnoanswerbuttheropyrain.Ibegantoweep,
andthetearblurredvisioninredbeforemelookedveryfamiliar."Doodle!"
Iscreamedabovethepoundingstormandthrewmybodytotheearthabove

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his.Foralongtime,itseemedforever,Ilaytherecrying,shelteringmy
fallenscarletibis

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Awakening
Igrewwearyofapologizing
Totheworld
Andtomyself,
Formyself.
Myparentssaid,
"Weneverhadanyluck."
Thatapology.
Hesaid,
"Youhaveaniceface,it'stoobadyou're..."
Thatapology.
Mychildrensaid,
"Mommy,whyareyoudifferent?"
Thatapology.
Isaid,
"I'macripple."
Thatapology.
Ideclarenowtohellwithapologies!
IamGod'sown,
Life'sown,
Myown.
Noapologies.
MurielleMinard

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Autistic Rap
Mymummissesme,myfamilydissess
me.
Societydehumanisesme.Despisesme.
Criticizeme.
Theyarefossilized.Idonotapologise.
Iamridiculed,violated,bullied.Ignored.
Iamstaredat,laughedatspatat.
WhathaveIdonetoyou?Imindmy
ownbusiness.
Idonotlisten.Idonotseeorgiveyou
thethirddegree.
Iamholistic,simplisticcertainlynot
materialistic.
Mydisabilityisyourprejudice,systemic
injustice.
Yourpresumptionsandassumptions.
Intoleranceofmydifference.
YourmisperceptionItakeobjection.
Iamnotadisorder,imnotasymptom.
Itsnotcatching.
Imnotalabeloravegetableoracrystal
angel.
Imnotalostsouloroutofcontrol.
Imnotfromouterspace,oracharity
case.
Iamsuppressednotpossessed.
Institutionisnotasolution.

Idonthaveacondition,imnotan
exhibition.
Imnotanartistoramusician,orona
hostileexpedition.
MaybeIwillbecomeapolitician.
ImnotanEinsteinorlikeRainman.
ImnotPinocchioorPeterpan.
Imnotill,Idontwantyourpills
Oryouroutofdatetextbookskills.
Imnotazooexhibitionorafreakshow,
Imafeelinghumanfromheadtotoe.
Icangetlostintheworldsbeauty
Sodontmakemefitinyourreality.
WhyshouldIconform
Towhatyouthinkisthenorm
LikeaBigBrothercontestant
Allwewantisacceptance.
TheworldlovesHappyfeetNemoand
Shrek
SoshouldIpaintmyfacegreenandbe
onStarTrek?
Icreateemploymentandopportunity,
Ieducatetheworldindiversity.
Youcantbleedthedeviloutofme,
Peoplelikemehaveinfluencedhistory.
Youneedme.
Sodontcureme.
Dontpitymejustletmebe.

ByCasdok