James Hurst’s story “The Scarlet Ibis,” uses symbolism and deeper meaning to tell his story. James Hurst makes use of the Roman Candle as well as the weather to illustrate the emotions of the characters in his story.
The roman candle is the first symbol. The tree was broken “… by a bolt lightning. This means that the character may feel a sudden rustiness of emotions. Doodle would likely feel scared and bewildered by the fact that lightning had ripped through a tree in front. Doodle’s brother, however, felt a sense cruelty towards his brother. He suddenly thought of leaving Doodle behind. The lightning breaking apart the tree gives readers clues about Doodle’s death. The weather symbol represents the good and bad aspects of a situation. To illustrate, Doodle was left behind when the “…deafening lightning slowed …” their walk home. This symbol and event are a sign of how bad or good things were. The brothers were in a bad relationship and were fighting. The sun shone brightly on Doodle’s first attempt at standing when the narrator succeeded. Weather can tell you how the characters feel.
James Hurst uses symbolism to enrich his writing. It helps readers understand the deeper meaning of his stories and allows them to become part of it. These symbols give the reader an idea of the character’s feelings.