How do the actions of the narrator in James Hurst’s story demonstrate the theme that pride can lead to both life and death? Is pride a good thing? Can pride be dangerous? As it pertains to the story, explain the use of pride throughout the story as it creates or destroys hopes and dreams. Create a thesis and support your ideas with specific quotes and examples.

One of my favorite parts of James Hurst's short story entitled "The Scarlet Ibis," is noted below. It is also the heart or theme of this story.

"I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death."

Throughout the story, pride is at the root of every great and terrible thing that happens. The narrator, known only as "Brother," is embarrassed about having an invalid for a brother. It is his own desires to have someone to run and jump and play with that lead him to invent a rigorous training schedule for Doodle, whose health is delicate. Brother is successful in getting Doodle to walk, something doctors and family thought would never happen. When Doodle gives credit to Brother for teaching him to walk, instead of pride, Brother feels its opposite—shame.

They did not know that I did it for myself, that pride, whose slave I was, spoke to me louder than all their voices, and that Doodle walked only because I was ashamed of having a crippled brother.

Brother doesn't feel like he deserves the praise that is lavished on him for doing such a selfless act and helping his brother achieve so much. Brother knows he didn't do it for anyone's benefit but his own. Pride is also what motivates Brother to show Doodle his coffin that the family prepared early on in anticipation of his death. Additionally, it's what motivates him to leave Doodle behind in the rainstorm where he meets his tragic end.
No matter the motivation, it was a good thing that Doodle learned to walk, and he and Brother shared a beautiful bond for a while as a result of Doodle's training. They were able to play in Old Woman Swamp and to spend endless hours enjoying childhood together. Doodle's life wouldn't have been as rich or joyful if he hadn't had those experiences, which he wouldn't have had if Brother hadn't pushed him. Doodle's life would most likely have been spent in bed with very little expectation placed on him.
I would say that pride both creates and destroys dreams for these reasons. This would make a good thesis statement, and a powerful essay if backed up with further text evidence of the role pride played in the brothers' relationship. Looking at the meanings of the word pride, it has different connotations. When we speak of school spirit, we use the word pride, and it conveys a positive sense of community. When we say a person is prideful, we are speaking about an insufferable quality of arrogance in which the person elevates themselves about others. Pride can be, as brother identified, "a seed that bears two vines, life and death."