What are the most important events in "The Scarlet Ibis"?

There are several important events in James Hurst's short story "The Scarlet Ibis." The most important event is probably the narrator's reaction to Doodle's failure to succeed in the training program the two brother's embark on just before Doodle is set to attend school. The narrator cannot accept that his brother is different and he impetuously runs away from him during a heavy rainstorm. The scene is foreshadowed earlier when the narrator leaves Doodle behind in the loft of the barn after he shows him the coffin. Doodle is pushed too hard, causing internal bleeding and death.

The death of the ibis, which mirrors Doodle's death, is also an important event. The scene shows the sensitivity of Doodle and how much he relates to the rare and fragile bird. The description of the ibis falling out of the bleeding tree and lying dead at the foot of the tree is almost identical to Doodle's death under the night shade bush in the closing scene of the story. The description highlights the fact that the ibis is a symbol for Doodle.

Doodle's birth and the revelation that he is "all there," but not physically robust sets up the conflict of the story. The narrator is dissuaded from "smothering him with a pillow" when Doodle looks at him through the bars of the crib. It is important and humorous, showing the optimism for the future of the narrator. Unfortunately, Doodle can never live up to his brother's expectations.

One of the beauties of "The Scarlet Ibis" is that even the seemingly unimportant events are significant in that they reinforce the conflict, characterization and theme. The entire first paragraph alludes to the ultimate death of Doodle. Hurst uses words such as "graveyard," "rotting," and "empty." The scenes at Old Woman Swamp reveal Doodle's sensitive and imaginative nature. They also show the narrator's reluctant love for his crippled brother. The descriptions of the tumultuous weather contribute to the conflict as life is turbulent between the narrator and Doodle as they go through the training regiment which finally fails. Even the mention of World War II can be related to the symbolic war between the two brothers.