1. The Scarlet Ibis
by James Hurst

3. Bleeding Tree Salvadora Persica “toothbrush tree” Gardenia
“Graveyard Flowers”

4. About the Author James Hurst 1922-2013
Studied chemical engineering at North Carolina State College
Served in WWII
After serving in the war, decided he wanted to become an opera singer
Lacked necessary talent, so became a banker
“The Scarlet Ibis” was his only short story that became famous

5. Look for and take notes about significant symbols in the story as you read…
Record in your graphic organizer (with page numbers and a shortened quote) the instances where you see symbols appear in the text.
Identify the symbol in the quote.
Write down your thoughts about what you think these symbols mean – beyond the literal of course – and why they are important.
Remember – if an object, event, or color appears multiple times in the text, or the writer spends a lot of time describing it, then it might be a symbol!