Foreshadowing and Flashback in The Scarlet Ibis by
James Hurst
by Lillian Bonar
Essay: Foreshadowing and Flashback in The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst
Pages: 11
Rating: 3 stars
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Foreshadowing and Flashback in “The Scarlet Ibis”
Regrets are one of the few factors that all people have in common. A study was taken asking hundreds of
American citizens if they regretted something from their past. Although the majority decided upon failed romantic
relationships as their most prominent regret, about sixteen percent stated his or her biggest regrets lied within
family matters (Johnson). In James Hurst's short story, “The Scarlet Ibis,” Hurst uses foreshadowing and flashback
to establish a reminiscent tone. As the main character and narrator of “The Scarlet Ibis” Brother reflects on his
childhood, and he chooses to focus on the portion of his life that he shared with his younger brother, William
Armstrong, whom he called “Doodle.” The story begins in the opening of Doodle's life, when he is born a small,
awkward child. As he grows older Doodle face many obstacles such as difficulties crawling and walking, leaving his
older brother as his main means of transportation and main caretaker. Doodle's brother feels ashamed of his
“invalid brother” and feels the need to push Doodle into normality which leads him to the source of his ultimate
regret.
Even from the first paragraph, Hurst's use of vocabulary evokes an emotional response to the story line. His word
choice as the narrator describes his surrounding and hints to a fatal event that awaits the reader's attention. Hurst
uses words and phrases such as “dead autumn,” “rotting brown magnolia,” “graveyard flowers.” The last sentence,
“...speaking softly the names of our dead” adds one final melancholy statement (91). The imagery throughout the
paragraph helps to imagine an eerie swamp land surrounded by death and depressing memories. This melancholy
setting foresha...