JamesHurst-BrookwoodHighSchool.pptVIP

JAMES HURST 1922- Background Grew up in North Carolina on a farm by the sea Attended North Carolina State College Studied chemical engineering Served in Army during World War II Served for 3 years Studied singing at Julliard School of Music in NY Seeking a career in Operatic singing went to Italy 1951 began working in the international department of a bank Wrote short stories in free time “The Scarlet Ibis” The Scarlet Ibis was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in July 1960 Won the Atlantic First award that year Was put into high school text books in the late 1960’s Three Characters in the story Doodle, the narrator, and the setting “I venture to say, however, that it comments on the tenacity and the splendor of the human spirit. JH This story raises all sorts of important questions: Why is it that we sometimes fear people who are different? Why do many people think its so important to fit in? If someone doesnt mind being different, why do we often still pressure them to conform? This story shows that pushing others too hard to fit in can end in tragedy. Scarlet Ibis A red bird that inhabits tropical South America. They nest in trees, laying two to four eggs. Their diet includes crustaceans and other marine animals. A juvenile Scarlet Ibis is grey/white in color, but as it grows older it turns read as a result of ingesting red crabs in the tropical swamps. Clove This word is used twice in The Scarlet Ibis in the phrase clove of seasons. This is a highly unusual, and perhaps even unique, usage of the word clove. The core meaning of clove relates to the idea of something being split into parts. Traditionally, the year is divided in four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In context, the word seems to be referring to the split between seasons--a time of transition when the season is changing. Grindstone a flat, circular stone of natural sandstone that revolves on an axle and is used for grinding, shaping, or smoothing Doodle bug a wor