The Scarlet Ibis - Comprehension Quiz

1.Why does the family wait three months before giving “Doodle” a name?

• a. His parents cannot agree on a suitable name.
• b. It is traditional in the South to wait several months.
• c. The family fears he will die.
• d. They consider giving him up for adoption.

2.How does Brother feel after successfully teaching Doodle to walk? (“Once I had succeeded in teaching Doodle to walk, I began to believe in my own infallibility, and I prepared a terrific development program for him, unknown to Mama and Daddy, of course.”)

• a. Warranted and reasonable self-confidence
• b. Humbled
• c. Confident to the point of arrogance
• d. Unsure of his ability to guide his brother properly

3. Which of the following passages from the text best exemplify a somber mood?

• a. . . I put him on his feet at least a hundred times each afternoon.
• b.“Sometimes we descended into the cool greenness of Old Woman Swamp..”
• c.”Finally, I could see I was licked. Doodle was my brother and he was going to cling to me forever.”
• d.”There wasn’t a sound as Doodle walked slowly across the room and sat down at his place at the table.”

4. What is the overall mood of the story?

• Hopeful
• Comedic
• Soothing
• Melancholic

5. What does “licked” most nearly mean in the following text excerpt: “Finally, I could see I was licked. Doodle was my brother and he was going to cling to me forever”?

• Touched with a tongue
• Successful
• Defeated
• Emotional

6. How would you describe or characterize Brother’s feelings toward Doodle’s disabilities?

• a. Ashamed
• b. Prideful
• c. Indifferent
• d. Overjoyed

7. After Doodle dies, what does Brother realize about his relationship with and treatment of Doodle?

• a. He did not have high enough expectations
• b. Doodle was a burden on the family
• c. They had a profound bond
• d. He was too demanding of his brother

8. The author writes a storm into the story to..

• a. Foreshadow impending conflict and underscore intensity
• b. To indicate the story’s resolution
• c. To inject realism as this is a common weather event in North Carolina
• d. To give context about the scarlet ibis ending up in their yard

9. What primarily motivates Brother to “train” his brother to walk and be more physically independent?

• a. Genuine concern for his brother’s wellbeing
• b. A desire for Doodle to succeed academically
• c. Deep-rooted shame about Doodle’s disability
• d. A desire to please his mother

10. What is the symbolic significance of the Scarlet Ibis?

• a. It is a stand-in for Doodle’s uniqueness and outsider status
• b. It represents the inevitability of death
• c. It represents the beauty of brotherhood
• d. It represents the weakening of the family’s bonds