Bandy
English I
2016
Critical Thinking: “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst
1. Respond: Do you blame the narrator for Doodle’s death? Explain.
2. (a) Why does the narrator cry when everyone congratulates him for teaching Doodle to walk?
(b) Analyze: What do the narrator’s tears reveal about his conflicted, or mixed, feelings?
3. (a) What does Doodle do with the dead ibis?
(b) Compare and Contrast: How does Doodle’s reaction to the dead bird compare to those of his
family members? Support your answer with details from the text.
(c) Make Inferences: What do you think motivates Doodle to treat the ibis as he does?