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There are three main points of conflict in "The Scarlet Ibis":

1. Character vs. Self

2. Character vs. Nature (Doodle's disability)

3. Character vs. Character

Choose one of the above and in at least 6 sentences, answer the question
Why do you believe this is one of the main conflicts in the novel?

1 Answer

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Answer:

1. Character vs. Self

Step-by-step explanation:

The narrator is initially cruel to his younger brother Doodle, even though he has some notion that it is wrong. Additionally, many of the events in the story involve a certain uncertainty and ambivalence on his part. This internal conflict manifests in several ways, particularly in the beginning when he thinks up various evil ways to dispose of his brother, has a change of heart, only to later deplore Doodle's feeble nature and inability to fulfill his hopes and expectations. The narrator then decides to make Doodle "normal" by teaching him skills commonly held by children his age. Although this may indicate that he loves his brother, it also may indicate that he does not fully accept him and is ashamed. On the fateful day of the rainstorm, once more the narrator is confronted with his brother's physical weaknesses. This upsets him, and his actions result in tragedy. The narrator's internal conflict about his brother reveals a complexity and darkness to his character. Furthermore, it indicates that he, not Doodle's condition, is his own primary antagonist as well as his brother's.

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