Scarlet Ibis and Skull and Arrow
"The Skull and Arrow"'s moral lesson is that...
we should never give up, no matter what the odds.
invented symbol
A symbol invented by a writer, which usually stands for something abstract, such as evil, innocence, or love. The meanings of literary symbols must be interpreted by the reader. Use these guide- lines when you are trying to interpret the meaning of a symbol: • Symbols are often visual. • When an object or event is used as a symbol, it usually appears several times in a text. • A symbol is a type of figurative language. Like a metaphor, a symbol is identified with something that is very different but that shares some of the same qualities. When you are thinking about whether something is used symbolically, ask yourself: "Does this character, object, or event stand for something?" In Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick, for example, readers begin to sense that the white whale being hunted by Captain Ahab is more than just a whale. From the many descriptions of the whale in the novel, readers come to see it as a symbol of random, unexplainable evil.
public symbol
A symbol that has become widely recognized, such as the bald eagle (a symbol of the United States) or the olive branch (a symbol of peace).
symbol
Person, place, thing, or event that stands for itself and for something beyond itself as well.
Doodle
This bird symbolizes...
Doodle's brother teaches him to walk because...
he is ashamed to have a handicapped brother.
"The Scarlet Ibis" is an allegory for...
World War One
mar
a mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something (especially on a person's body)
principle
a rule or standard especially of good behavior
allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one
imminent
about to happen
blight
anything that destroys, prevents growth, or causes devaluation
serene
calm
precarious
dangerously insecure
At the beginning of "The Skull and Arrow", the man considers not going back because...
he is injured, his enemies believe he is dead, and his friends believe he is dead.
Doodle is named Doodle because...
he would crawl backwards like a doodlebug.
tentative
experimental; temporary; uncertain
anguish
extreme distress of body or mind
sullen
gloomy
iridescent
having a play of lustrous rainbow-like colors
infallible
incapable of failure or error
inference
logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience
cave
man returning to his origins
bear skull
man's struggle with nature or overwhelming odds
the arrow head
victory
doggedness
persistent determination
One moral lesson that "The Scarlet Ibis" teaches is that...
pride is both a terrible and wonderful thing.
the pine ridge
the afterlife, heaven, surrender
reiterate
to say again, repeat
inert
unable to act or move; inactive; sluggish
