Being selfishly consumed by shame and pride in a loved one can lead to treating them cruelly. In James Hurst's fictional short story "The Scarlet Ibis," the narrator realizes exactly these truths through brutal experience. The story is a flashback told from the antagonist's point of view; is about a boy whose internal conflicts with his brother, Doodle, motivate him to push him until he breaks. Pride, love, and shame battle with the narrator's desire to help Doodle: his love encourages the need to help, but ultimately gives way to the cruelty that killed his brother. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The narrator pushes Doodle beyond his physical limits because of the shame he feels over Doodle's failures and because of his selfish desire for a brother who was normal. But more profoundly, the narrator was afraid of what others would think of him when he was in Doodle's company. He was ashamed of his sweet, naive and jovial brother, who looked up to him (Brother) and didn't even have the ability to walk. “It was bad enough having an invalid brother… I was ashamed of having a crippled brother” (146, 149). Because he was ashamed of Doodle, the narrator tried to turn him into something he could be proud of. It pushed him to the breaking point, as he was selfishly embarrassed. Greed was also a factor in this situation. The narrator longed for a brother he could run and play with, someone like him. Doodle, however, was the opposite. “I wanted more than anything…someone to box with, someone to perch with in the highest fork of the big pine tree behind the barn. I wanted a brother” (143). Since Doodle was not the brother the narrator had in mind, he decided he would "fix" him. The narrator's desire to have a normal brother, combined with the shame he felt towards Doodle, led him to try to force Doodle to be someone he wasn't. The narrator's sense of pride also pushed Doodle to do things that were not in his best interest. . The narrator states that he needed something to be proud of and that Doodle was, potentially, that. The brother would galvanize Doodle into doing things to make him stronger, to make him an object of pride: “…we all must have something or someone to be proud of, and Doodle has become mine” (147). It's natural to be proud of the people we care about, but too much pride can be dangerous for them if you force them to do something. After Doodle learned to walk with the narrator's help, Brother felt something in his chest that would forever affect his and Doodle's life: pride. From that moment he began to think that he was invincible, that he would succeed in everything. “I began to believe in my infallibility…I would teach him to run, to swim, to climb trees, and to fight” (150). The narrator has felt his first burst of pride, and this glorious feeling is addictive to those who are not humble. The brother needed more of that emotion that made him feel powerful and flawless. To feel overwhelmed with pride again, he has to push Doodle even harder. However ruthless the narrator ultimately acts towards Doodle, there is love that can be discerned in his actions. It is the narrator himself who describes this peculiar way of loving Doodle. Within each of us is the ability to hurt those we love, and Brother's ability is simply deeper. "There is inside me... a knot of cruelty brought by the flow.