Name:_________________________
Period: ________
“The Scarlet Ibis” Short Answers
Instructions: Answer ONE of the two following single-selection short answer questions using the structure discussed in class.
Everyone must do number three on the back as well, but make sure to wait until we have discussed paired-selection short answers as a
class before you attempt to do it on your own.
Single Selection Short Answers
1.
After reading “The Scarlet Ibis” why do you think the narrator sets such demanding goals for Doodle? Explain your answer
and support it with evidence from the selection.
2.
After reading “The Scarlet Ibis” do you think the narrator is to blame for Doodle’s death? Explain your answer and support it
with evidence from the selection.
Single Selection Rubric (for short answer on the front)
0
insufficient
1
partially
sufficient




does not answer the question
does not correctly answer the question
only a quote
it is a summary

no quote

poorly chosen quote



no commentary/analysis
insufficient com./analysis
summary instead of analysis
2
sufficient

accurate response with a relevant quote and
sufficient commentary/analysis
3
exceeds
expectations


out-of-the-box thinking
deep level of analysis
Paired-Selection Short Answer
3.
How do you think the parents of the narrator in “The Scarlet Ibis” would have benefitted from the information in “Sibling of
Your Special Needs Child”? Explain your answer and support it with evidence from BOTH selections.
Paired Selection Rubric (for short answer on the back)
0
insufficient
1
partially
sufficient





does not answer the question
does not correctly answer the question
only a quote
it is a summary
only addresses one of the two selections

no quote

poorly chosen quote

only provides a quote from one of the two
selections
no commentary/analysis
insufficient commentary/analysis


2
sufficient
3
exceeds
expectations

accurate response with a relevant quote from
BOTH passages and sufficient
commentary/analysis that addresses BOTH
passages


out-of-the-box thinking
deep level of analysis of the connections between
BOTH texts


summary instead of analysis
commentary only addresses one of the
two quotations
“The Scarlet Ibis”
by James Hurst
Holt Literature p. 462 – 475
Short Answer – Guided Reading/Pre-Write
1. How does the ibis symbolize Doodle?
Explain how the ibis symbolizes Doodle. Be sure to note the significance of color.
Doodle
Quotations:
Inferences / Connections
Ibis
Quotations:
2. Is the behavior of the narrator typical for a sibling?
It Says
(Text Evidence)
I Say
(Prior Knowledge)
“The Scarlet Ibis”
(Typical behavior of siblings)
Provide three quotes from the story
that show the narrator’s love for his
younger brother.
1.
2.
3.
Provide three quotes from the story
that show the narrator’s cruelty to his
younger brother.
1.
2.
3.
And So
(Inference/Analysis/Explanation)
3.
What is the effect of the diction in the first two paragraphs?
Closely read the first two paragraphs of “The Scarlet Ibis.”
How does the writer create a tone of loss and regret in the exposition of The Scarlet Ibis?
(Note: Focus on imagery and diction)
Evidence
Focus on Diction and Imagery
Text Evidence
Quotation:
“It was in the clove of seasons, summer was
dead but autumn had not yet been
born” (Hurst
).
Context: In this paragraph, the author describes
the setting.
Quotation:
Quotation:
Inference / Commentary
The word clove as used in this quotation means
the time between. The word clove suggests a
division or splitting. It suggests a definite divide
between the seasons. This foreshadows the
division between the brothers. It also
foreshadows the division in the time with Doodle
and the time after his death.
The words “dead” and born” reinforce this idea.