The Scarlet Ibis - Quote Analysis

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The Scarlet Ibis Essay For the longest time, I always thought of pride in only one way, like a one-way street. I have always felt that pride was gained from accomplishing something good, and I never thought once that pride could ever be considered a bad quality. I never even realized that it was a sin. But, after reading The Scarlet Ibis, I have learned that having pride in yourself and others is a great thing, but that it can reach a very dangerous extent. Throughout this story, I have learned that there is a fine line with pride. “I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death.” This quote, on its face, is a contradiction. This quote presents no facts, but instead leaves readers hanging with confusion, or at least it did for me. Readers are left to think about this quote, for it “bears two vines, life and death.” Pride is described as a wonderful thing, a wonderful, terrible thing. To have pride in the way you look or act is an absolutely wonderful trait, but a point in time can come where you could have so much pride that you look down on others and set conditions for others to be able to be proud of them. The pride that Brother possesses is exactly this, being ashamed of someone and trying to change them into something he can be proud of. Brother narrates this story as an adult, remembering the life of his little brother, Doodle. As Brother tells of his adventures with Doodle, Brother decides to teach Doodle how to walk, but only out of his own embarrassment of the poor boy. He begins to speak about how everyone has to have pride in something, and that Doodle was now his source of pride. He spoke these words: “But all of us must have something or someone to be proud of, and Doodle had become mine.” Determination quickly ascended for each brother, and neither of the boys was going to give up;

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