Question

at that moment the bird began to flutter, but the wings were uncoordinated, and amid much flapping and a spray of flying feathers, it tumbled down, bumping through the limbs of the bleeding tree and landing at our feet with a thud. its long, graceful neck jerked twice into an s, then straightened out, and the bird was still. a white veil came over the eyes and the long white beak unhinged. its legs were crossed and its claw - like feet were delicately curved at rest. even death did not mar its grace, for it lay on the earth like a broken vase of red flowers, and we stood around it, awed by its exotic beauty. - \the scarlet ibis,\ james hurst use the passage to think about the storys central symbol. what symbol does this passage describe? what is the literal meaning of this symbol? what does the symbol represent?

Explanation:

For "What symbol does this passage describe?"

The passage from "The Scarlet Ibis" describes a bird (the scarlet ibis) that tumbles down, dies, and is described with details like its graceful neck, white beak, and the comparison to a broken vase of red flowers. The central symbol here is the scarlet ibis.

Literally, the scarlet ibis is a bird with exotic beauty. In the passage, it is a bird that tries to fly, fails, tumbles down from the tree, and dies. Its physical appearance is described—graceful neck, white beak, curved feet, and even in death, it has a graceful, beautiful look like a broken vase of red flowers.

In "The Scarlet Ibis," the scarlet ibis symbolizes Doodle (the narrator's brother). Doodle is a fragile, unique individual (like the exotic ibis) who struggles (similar to the ibis's uncoordinated flight) and ultimately dies. The ibis's death mirrors Doodle's fate, representing the fragility of beauty, the consequences of pushing beyond one's limits, or the loss of a delicate, special life.

Answer:

The scarlet ibis (the bird described in the passage)

For "What is the literal meaning of this symbol?"