A person who also remains nameless, the doctor serves as a representation of the expectations and limitations that society places on people with disabilities. For instance, the doctor insists that Doodle will not live beyond infancy, that he won’t walk, and that he shouldn’t get too excited, too hot or cold, or play too roughly. Although Doodle proves that some of the doctor’s restrictions were unreasonable or too strict, Brother ignores the doctor’s restrictions completely, causing Doodle’s death and demonstrating that many of the doctor’s concerns and prohibitions were, in fact, justified.
Get the entire The Scarlet Ibis LitChart as a printable PDF.
Doodle’s doctor Character Timeline in The Scarlet Ibis
The timeline below shows where the character Doodle’s doctor appears in The Scarlet Ibis. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
The Scarlet Ibis
...Doodle is a disappointment. He has a large head and a tiny, shriveled body. His doctor and parents believe that he will die quickly. Only Aunt Nicey has faith that Doodle...
(full context)
When he is two years old, Doodle begins to try to move by himself. The doctor believes that the strain of this effort could kill Doodle, but Doodle is able to...
(full context)
...to go out and play. Brother describes how much of a burden Doodle is. The doctor says that he can’t get “too excited, too hot, too cold, or too tired and...
(full context)
