Question

Read the following excerpt from “The Scarlet Ibis” by William Hurst and answer the question that follows.


He didn’t answer, so I placed my hand on his forehead and lifted his head. Limply, he fell backwards onto the earth. He had been bleeding from the mouth, and his neck and the front of his shirt were stained a brilliant red. . . .



“Doodle!” I screamed above the pounding storm and threw my body to the earth above his. For a long time, it seemed forever, I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy of rain.

Answer 1

From Brother’s actions in this excerpt, what can you infer about his feelings for Doodle?


A.

Brother loves Doodle and is distraught that he has died.


B.

Brother is upset that he had to be the one to find Doodle’s body.


C.

Brother loves Doodle but is relieved that he has died.


D.

Brother is sad, but not overly upset, that Doodle has died

Answer 2

A.
You can tell that he "loves Doodle and is distraught that he has died" from the text. Brother "threw...(his) body to the earth above his (doodle's)... for a long time, it seemed forever, (he) lay there crying..."
B does not work, because if doodle had already been dead, no one would have reacted this violently, even if they had to be the one to find his body.
C and D just don't work... he doesn't sound very relieved to me. And I don't think that that's "not overly upset." He sounds very upset. But that's just me. And the name of the daed character sort of takes away from the severity of the situation.

Answer 3

A. Brother loves Doodle and is distraught that he has died.