The Scarlet Ibis

by

James Hurst

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Go-cart Symbol Icon

When it becomes clear that Doodle is able to crawl and wants to experience the world, Doodle’s father builds him a go-cart so that Brother can pull him around. It signifies the ways in which Doodle works with his limitations, but it also highlights Brother’s frustration with Doodle’s limitations, as he is made to lug Doodle around wherever he goes. When Doodle learns to walk, he no longer needs the go-cart, and it is placed in the barn loft next to his small coffin, foreshadowing that his “development program” will ultimately be the cause of his death.

Go-cart Quotes in The Scarlet Ibis

The The Scarlet Ibis quotes below all refer to the symbol of Go-cart. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Expectations and Disappointment Theme Icon
).
The Scarlet Ibis Quotes

Finally, I could see I was licked. Doodle was my brother and he was going to cling to me forever, no matter what I did, so I dragged him across the burning cotton field to share with him the only beauty I knew, Old Woman Swamp.

Related Characters: Brother (speaker), Doodle
Related Symbols: Go-cart
Page Number: 20
Explanation and Analysis:
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Go-cart Symbol Timeline in The Scarlet Ibis

The timeline below shows where the symbol Go-cart appears in The Scarlet Ibis. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
The Scarlet Ibis
Expectations and Disappointment Theme Icon
Humans and Nature Theme Icon
Doodle’s father builds Doodle a go-cart so that he can join Brother outside, and soon it becomes Brother’s responsibility to take... (full context)
Death Theme Icon
Humans and Nature Theme Icon
Doodle’s walking improves, and his go-cart is put in the loft next to his coffin. When he and Brother walk together,... (full context)