Pre-writing activity

Brother’s actions Helpful actions (positive) For example, he teaches Doodle how to walk by offering him constant encouragement: “Oh yes you can [walk] Doodle...All you got to do is try” (Hurst 177). He takes Doodle to Old Woman Swamp so Doodle can appreciate the beauty of nature: “I dragged him across the burning cotton field to share with him the only beauty I knew, Old Woman Swamp” (Hurst 176). He treats him like a normal little brother, showing him how to climb, swim, climb trees and fight (Hurst 179). Harmful actions (negative) He makes Doodle touch his coffin saying, “And before I’ll help you down from the loft, you’re going to have to touch it [the coffin]” (Hurst 176). He puts too much strain on Doodle’s delicate body: “I made him swim until he turned blue and row until he couldn’t lift an oar” (Hurst 180). He leaves Doodle alone during the thunderstorm, even though Doodle screams, “ Brother, Brother, don’t‘ leave me” (Hurst 183). He pushes Doodle past his physical limits: “Wherever we went, I purposely walked fast, and although he kept up, his face turned red and his eyes became glazed” (Hurst 180).

Helpful For example, he teaches Doodle how to walk by offering him constant encouragement: “Oh yes you can [walk] Doodle...All you got to do is try” (Hurst 177). He takes Doodle to Old Woman Swamp so Doodle can appreciate the beauty of nature: “I dragged him across the burning cotton field to share with him the only beauty I knew, Old Woman Swamp” (Hurst 176). He treats him like a normal little brother, showing him how to climb, swim, climb trees and fight (Hurst 179). In addition, he helps Doodle gain self-esteem and a sense of self-worth:”There wasn’t a sound as Doodle walked slowly across the room and sat down at his place at the table. Then Mama began to cry and ran over to him, hugging him and kissing him” (Hurst 178). He improves Doodle’s quality of life: “Within a few months Doodle had learned to walk well and his go-cart was put up in the barn loft beside his little mahogany coffin” (Hurst 178).

Harmful actions He makes Doodle touch his coffin saying, “And before I’ll help you down from the loft, you’re going to have to touch it [the coffin]” (Hurst 176). He puts too much strain on Doodle’s delicate body: “I made him swim until he turned blue and row until he couldn’t lift an oar” (Hurst 180). He leaves Doodle alone during the thunderstorm, even though Doodle screams, “ Brother, Brother, don’t‘ leave me” (Hurst 183). He requires Doodle to work beyond his physical limits: “Wherever we went, I purposely walked fast, and although he kept up, his face turned red and his eyes became glazed” (Hurst 180). Harmful actions Brother often ignores the doctor’s rules regarding Doodle: “A long list of don’ts went with him[Doodle], all of which I ignored once we got out of the house” (Hurst 175). Brother enjoys being cruel to Doodle: “The knowledge that Doodle’s and my plans had come to naught was bitter, and that streak of cruelty within me awakened. I ran as fast as I could, leaving him far behind with a wall of rain diving us” (183). Brother is ashamed of Doodle and forces Doodle to learn to walk, run, and climb just so he will be like the other boys at school.

Brother’s actions Helpful actions (positive) In addition, he helps Doodle gain self-esteem and a sense of self-worth:”There wasn’t a sound as Doodle walked slowly across the room and sat down at his place at the table. Then Mama began to cry and ran over to him, hugging him and kissing him” (Hurst 178). He improves Doodle’s quality of life: “Within a few months Doodle had learned to walk well and his go-cart was put up in the barn loft beside his little mahogany coffin” (Hurst 178). Harmful actions (negative) Brother often ignores the doctor’s rules regarding Doodle: “A long list of don’ts went with him[Doodle], all of which I ignored once we got out of the house” (Hurst 175). Brother enjoys being cruel to Doodle: “The knowledge that Doodle’s and my plans had come to naught was bitter, and that streak of cruelty within me awakened. I ran as fast as I could, leaving him far behind with a wall of rain diving us” (183). Brother is ashamed of Doodle and forces Doodle to learn to walk, run, and climb just so he will be like the other boys at school.