There are several main themes that run through James Hurst's short story, "The Scarlet Ibis." In addition to those already posted, you may want to consider the following:
LIFE IS FLEETING. Life is short, and it was obvious since the day that Doodle was born that his existence would not be a long one. Spurred by his brother, Doodle overcame many of his physical deficiencies to accomplish more than could have ever been expected of him: running, swimming, fighting, climbing. Had he lived a bit longer, he may have eventually attended school as well.
APPEARANCES. Many of Doodle's big brother's goals were based on a desire for others to see that he had a normal brother. Big Brother was embarrassed to pull his brother around in a wagon, and he wanted Doodle to fit into his own world. At the end, when he saw that Doodle would fall short, he abandoned him.
BROTHERHOOD. Brothers are supposed to feel a bond between one another, and Big Brother may have felt that his relationship with Doodle was a bit one-sided. Although the narrator helps Doodle to accomplish many things, Doodle, too, has given his brother many memories--good and bad. Since the story is told in retrospect, it is obvious that Doodle's passing has not eliminated his brother's memories of the "craziest brother a boy ever had."
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